Merry Christmas!

Bella wishes you the best for the holiday season!

Christmas Chews

I come from an extended family of pet gift givers. In fact, I live in a neighborhood of dog owners who give other dogs a gift. Not everyone is as picky as I about what Bella is allowed to eat, so it is important to remain diplomatic while sometimes disposing of the treat after the fact.

What won't I give her?

• Anything that says "Made in China." I'm sorry, but too many horror stories have come from there regarding contaminants in human food that there is no reason to believe a pet toy would be higher quality. 
• Any toy that does not say where it's made. There is no reason to believe anything made here is better, but if it says made in the USA, I'm more of a believer. If it gives no place of origin, I am highly skeptical.
• Any toy of a vibrant, unnatural color where the smell is the most prominent thing about it. (This does not include disgusting, but obviously tasty, bully sticks.) What makes it smell like that?
• Any toy that is soft or has loose, easy-to-swallow bits. Bella is too vigorous a chewer to waste the money or risk the hazard.
• Rope toys with lots of color. I know some will be ingested so what dye did they use?
• Raw hide chews. This has been because of choking, but then I read this article in Bark. (I really should buy stock in that magazine. I love it!) If I could make the screeching sound here of tires squealing to a stop, I would. The author's description of how chews are made is enough to stop anyone from ever buying a raw hide chew again.

I quote from the magazine article:

Other poisonous residues that may show up in rawhide include arsenic and formaldehyde. Even dog skin is a possibility. An ongoing investigation of the fur trade by Humane Society International, an arm of the HSUS, resulted in this information, as listed on their website: “In a particularly grisly twist, the skins of brutally slaughtered dogs in Thailand are mixed with other bits of skin to produce rawhide chew toys for pet dogs. Manufacturers told investigators that these chew toys are regularly exported to and sold in U.S. stores.”

I'm sure there are toys that I give Bella that are far from perfect, that do contain dyes that aren't good, but I do try to find out where it is made and of what. In fact, I am almost more careful with what she gets, because I know some of it will be eaten, no matter how closely I monitor.

What I don't feel badly about is letting the gift giver know what can go into the manufacturing of a raw hide chew. It isn't good for any dog.

The Beauty of Aging Dogs

Bella is not an old dog, she's a young pup of two and a half years. Her best dog buddies, however, are mature. Boone is six and Amber, ten. Although they are nice to Bella, her energy can be a bit overwhelming for them. This Christmas, Amber and her owner will be joining us. Bella's half-sister, Molly, a young girl of three who is "mature" by nature, will also be there. There is a chance our in-laws' in-law's dog will be joining us also. If that's the case, he is younger than Bella. I'm anticipating a packed house with a fair amount of chaos.

Amber, the matriarch, and Molly, the mellow, will be the calm in the storm. There is something quite magnificent about an older dog. They know the rules; they are tried and true. Their lovely, graying muzzles exemplify their inherent dignity. They ask very little of your time, but never shirk their duty to greet you, follow you, or lend their head for stress-reducing pats.

Bella's best buddy, Amber.

Our first dog Suzie, was a two-year old pound-puppy  when she came home with me. She wasn't a big dog; at her heaviest she was only a hair over 45 pounds. At the time, dog food had not progressed in "healthfulness" to the extent it has today, but I tried to feed her well and she certainly got plenty of exercise. Perhaps it was her small size and good genetics, but Suzy was mountain biking with us up until she was 14 and even joined us on short rides for two more years. At 16, she was content to limit her activities to non-strenuous hikes and for two more years, small walks. Suz made it to 18. What a blessing she was! She will always have a special part in my heart reserved just for her.

Miss Lucy, my poor sick hound dog, barely crested 11. Even though she was a handful, I felt quite deprived that her time with us was so short. My fingers are so crossed that Bella makes a Guinness record for longevity.

There are two Internet links I want to share with you about old dogs. This one is from Bark magazine about a little, bitty mutt named Betsy who celebrated her 21st birthday back in August. A legal drinker! You go, Betsy-girl! I hope she's still with us; how awesome she's made it so long!

The other site is from the Daily Mail out of England and features some of the search and rescue dogs from 9/11 that are still with us. Look at the pictures. What lovely old faces! If you have an old hound, how lucky you are! If you've adopted an older dog, three cheers to you! Let their loyalty and love bring out the best in you.

"Let's Take the Long Way Home"

"Let's Take the Long Way Home" is a short memoir by Gail Caldwell about her friendship with another writer, Caroline Knapp. It's a sad and tender story about friendship, love and loss. The two women meet through a dog trainer, their love for their young dogs providing the first bond, their mutual respect and admiration for each other cementing it. I had read two of Knapp's other books, "Drinking: A Love Story" and Pack of Two" earlier, so knew a little bit about Caroline going into this story. The book makes you want to love up your pup and hug those friends who know you inside and out, and love you unconditionally.

So my advice is to go kiss your pup and call your best girl friend and let her know how much you love her. No dog gets enough loving and friends rarely hear how important they are, though they may know it intuitively. In the scheme of things, life is just too short.

Introverts as Pet Owners

A friend sent me this link regarding introverts. My friend is a bonafied introvert, not anti-social, just not chatty; she does not need, in fact, cannot be, with people constantly. According to the article, I'd classify myself as a border-line case. I do not need, nor do I desire, to be with people all the time. I can be chatty, but only with certain people. My truly close friends can be counted on two hands. In fact, I find if I am around crowds (even people I love) too often or for too long, the need for some "away time" to regroup is not only a powerful urge, but an absolute necessity.

My friend spends much of her time with her horse. I spend lots of time with my dog. It is quiet, satisfying and rarely depleting. I find I can diffuse, what for me would eventually become the sapping energy of crowds, by focusing on Bella, by making a virtual cocoon with just the two of us. Bella is fine in crowds and around other animals, but even for her it can sometimes prove too much and she becomes overly stimulated and a bit manic. With our previous dog, Lucy, and her anger management issues, time with her spent in crowds was emotionally exhausting for both of us.

This makes me wonder if many pet owners tend towards being introverts? I often hear dog owners say they like dogs better than people and prefer time spent with their dog(s), more than socializing with their own kind. My friend says this is true of horse people too. Neither my friend nor I exclusively prefer our pet over people...though sometimes their quiet personalities are wonderful!

I took a very quick, unscientific look on the Internet and found several references to a study done by Sam Gosling, a psychologist at the University of Texas, who with a graduate student, conducted a web-based survey of over 4,500 people to discover if they were "dog" people or "cat" people and what that might mean. It certainly didn't bear me out. In the article I read by Stanley Coren, PhD, in Psychology Today, he states the results of Gosling's study this way:

The results showed that dog people were generally about 15 percent more extroverted and 13 percent more agreeable, both of which dimensions are associated with social orientation. In addition dog people were 11 percent more conscientious than cat people. Conscientiousness involves is a tendency to show self-discipline, to complete tasks and aim for achievement. The trait shows a preference for planned rather than spontaneous behavior.     

In comparison cat people were generally about 12 percent more neurotic, however they were also 11 percent more open than dog people. The openness trait involves a general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience. People high on openness are more likely to hold unconventional beliefs while people with low scores on openness (dog people) tend to have more conventional, traditional interests.

In the same linked article, the author's own study of over 6000 individuals, Coren found:

According to my data, cat owners were one third more likely to live alone than dog owners and twice as likely to live in an apartment or flat. Being married, living in a house, and having children living in the home, are all factors that are more likely for dog owners than cat owners.

Turning to the personality profile of the person who owns only cats, we find a reasonable overlap with Gosling's recent findings. To begin with we find we find that people who own only cats tend to be relatively introverted (low on extroversion) and also reasonably cool (low in warmth or agreeableness) which is the pattern confirmed by the more recent data.

Hm-m. Next, I came across a blog entry cataloging what your dog's breed says about you. This is pure fun. As a Labrador owner, they were pretty spot-on about our life style. (Yes, yes, I know she's crossed with an Australian Shepherd, but that's a much smaller part of her personality.)

If your favorite dog breed is a Retriever or Spaniel (Labradors, Goldens, Labradoodles, American Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, etc) then your personality traits are:

• Family-focused
• Fun-loving and social
• Easygoing
• Active lifestyle
• Positive perspective, with an “open door” policy at home

Now that I've blown any possibility of connecting the dots between pet owners and introverts asunder, I ask you. What's your take on this?

Indestructible Dog Toys—Do They Exist?

I was chatting with a friend today about dog toys. Remember my post last December about the wonderful customer reward we received from our dog food store? My friend now shops there and we were discussing this year's goody bag which included a plush toy. Her dog, a lovely, sedate boy of six, has been carrying his toy around the house for the past two weeks. Bella and I picked up our bag yesterday. My lovely, energetic girl of two and a half, eviscerated, decapitated and delimbed hers within ten minutes. So I was lamenting with my friend that the amount of money I've thrown at toys is depressing as Bella destroys them so rapidly. Truly, if something lasts a week, I am thrilled.

Bella and the short lived Mr. Leopard.

I have been very interested in getting her a Nina Ottoson toy but they are just too expensive to have Bella destroy in a sitting. Treat filled toys my other dogs "worked" to get their food reward; Bella just chews through. There is no game involved other than the direct route to the reward.

I have given her Tuffys before (not so plush, plush toys) and those do last nearly a week as long as I get her an "8" or higher on the chew scale. I've read about some other plush toys called Fluff and Tuff that claim they are nearly indestructible, but they aren't available here. So I was quite thrilled when one of the clerks at the pet food store told me about Bionics. Again, it's a treat toy. Their selling schtick is if your dog destroys it, they'll send you another one for free. If your dog destroys the replacement, your dog becomes a product tester. This could mean toys for life! And, no sooner did the marketing ploy suck me into buying one, but I read about Goughnuts which has a similar promise.

This is music to my ears and a jingle in my pocket. Could there actually be a toy Bella can't destroy? The verdict is out. I'll report back on what we discover. Now tell me, have you discovered a chew-proof toy yet?

Doggie Factoids

I found this site via City Dog/Country Dog. It's comically illustrated factoids about dog anatomy versus ours. How cool is this? What a great teaching tool to explore with children!

Perhaps one of the more enlightening pieces of information was the fact that dogs only have 1700 taste buds clustered around the tip of their tongue compared to our 10,000 that are all over our tongue (and even on the insides of our cheeks!). This could explain some of dogs—ahem!—less desirable food choices. Scat, anyone?

PTSD in Dogs

I came across this article today in the local paper. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in dogs is now officially recognized, thank heavens. It is wonderful to read that the military is helping the dogs that have been traumatized in a combat zone learn to cope.

Those of us who have picked up "pound puppies" know that it isn't just the military life that can traumatize a dog. My Lucy was a perfect example of a dog where something had occurred in her life to make her perpetually fearful. Bangs of any kind (among a myriad of other things) set her off. For example, we couldn't even go near a trail that ran behind a high school sports stadium where they used a gun-like sound to start a race. She was absolutely petrified of the place—and any percussive noises.

I think this speaks highly of positive training for affected pups. For dogs who live in fear, gentle training hopefully can help them deal with those things in their life that make them miserable. There is a local dog training facility where the owner has created a training called BAT (behavior adjustment training) that helps dogs control their response (lunging, barking, growling) to a threatening environment. Like the military's counter-conditioning, BAT training uses a similar approach to desensitize the dog.

FOOTNOTE: Here's another post on PTSD in dogs you might want to read:  Yes Dogs Really Do Get PTSD

Giving that Final Love—The Compassion Program

My friends tease me how at the mere mention of a sweet dog story, I well up. If I was an actress, this would be my method for bringing on the tears. Yet I can't help it. Dog devotion is powerful.

I came across this story this morning and barely began reading before tearing started. These wonderful people volunteer in a Manhattan animal shelter to be with dogs the night before they are euthanized—to give them a warm touch, walks, treats and love at the end of their lives. My hat goes off to the shelter employees and volunteers who thought up this program and continue it. I don't think I'd be able to do it without crying and further stressing the animals. But oh! I do appreciate the individuals who give this care so freely!

NOTE: And now, more from Bark Magazine (my absolutely favorite read)! This story is about the selfless volunteers who have been entering the evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to remove or feed (if the animals must stay) for the abandoned pets. These are some amazing people!

Thanksgiving

I thought for Thanksgiving I'd write about what I am thankful for in my dogs. It is a given that I've loved them unquestionably. The amount of love they gave back was limitless. And oh, what they have taught me—and continue to do so!

My girl, Suzy.

Suzy was my first dog. I had moved into a carriage house, had a good job and decided it was "time." I went to the local animal shelter and saw a big, rangy Airedale cross named Duke who struck my fancy. Yet when I brought him out of his cage to play, old Dukester was a wild man. Neither commands, nor his name elicited any response. In my tiny carriage house, and being gone during the day, I could only envision the havoc he could cause. (This was way before the sensibilities of crates.)

A friend was with me and read the tag on Suzy cage. "Look at this!" she commented. "Suzy can "come," "sit," and "lay down!"" Who would argue with that resume? Plus Suzy weighed in at about 45 pounds compared to Duke's easy 70+ pounds. Indeed, outside the confines of the shelter's cage, Suzy could follow all those commands—immediately. And so began my love affair with my little German Shepard, Border Collie cross.

Suzy was perfect. She was born to mind and what she lacked in humor, she more than made up for in love. I took her through a series of obedience classes, but it wasn't my ability to train that made her so impressive. It was just what Suzy did. She was my heart. I dated or didn't date men depending on Suzy's reaction to them or theirs to her. My life was no longer joining friends for drinks after work, but dashing home to be with my dog. Weekends weren't filled with partying, but quiet hikes with my new BFF. Suzy taught me the joy of having a dog companion, of trust, responsibility and friendship with another species that far surpassed anything I'd experienced with the dogs of my childhood. I was blessed with her presence for 18 wonderful years.

Luce, the Goose.

Lucy was my second pup and another "reject" picked up at the same shelter where I'd found Suzy. The shelter listed her as an English Springer Spaniel, Australian Shepherd cross. Humor? She had it in spades. What a funny, goofy dog. Friends called her "Goose" since she was such a character. It was nice to have a pup who didn't take herself, or life, quite so seriously. Lucy knew how to enjoy herself.

On the other hand, she was a handful. Leash aggressive and bull-headed. Life with Lucy was a whole different ballgame. She lived for her nose and would follow it over everything else. Walking her anywhere was an exercise for me in full-blown alertness. I was constantly changing course on walks to avoid other dogs and I developed a "loose-dog" antenna that most have been visible.

Plus, for the last four years of her very short decade of life, Lucy was sick. Her back, her head, her cancer. All different things in which the vets performed myriads of tests on the poor girl. How she hated vet offices! Surgeries, drugs, internal investigations, MRIs, you name it.

So what did Lucy teach me? She taught me to be grateful for the times when she chose to mind, when she didn't attack another dog, when she was feeling good and wanted to be with us. Those times were such a reprieve and so wonderful.

And now we are blessed with the amazing Miss Bella. Bella isn't a shelter dog. My sister-in-law has Bellie's half-sister, a purebred Australian Shepherd. Molly is such a kind, placid jewel, that I decided that was the kind of dog I needed after Lucy. Luckily, the neighbor's lab was Johnny-on-the-spot, and voila!  A mixed litter.

The amazing Miss Bella.

Bella has Lucy's goofiness and Suzy's loyalty. I can walk anywhere with Bella without fear an ensuing dog fight. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. The antenna I developed with Lucy has all but disappeared. Bella likes everything—people, kids, dogs, cats—you name it, she likes it! What a joy! Bella also wants to be with us. Being in our presence is something she desires. Hiking or biking with her is no problem as she won't be out of sight.

All my dogs have made me a better owner. I'm more knowledgeable than I was when Suzy came home with me and Bella is the recipient of that improved consciousness. I continue to learn from Bellie. Instead of expecting her to always understand me, I'm trying oh-so-hard to understand what she's trying to tell me.

I can't imagine being dog-less. My life is so much richer for it and for that, I am oh so grateful! As a friend said about her pound pup, "It's not so much that we rescued him, it's more like he rescued us..."

Bloat

Bloat requires immediate attention. The day we had to put Lucy to sleep, we rushed her to the vet because we thought she had bloat. This condition tends to affect large, older dogs with big chests and Lucy fit that bill. It can occur after the dog gobbles (inhales) their food. The stomach fills with gas and fluid and can twist on itself cutting off blood and oxygen supply to other organs. (See this link for more information about the condition.) Chance of survival without veterinarian intervention is nil. Even with that intervention, the odds are not in the dog's favor.

Lucy had lymphoma and I was feeding her a homemade, high protein diet recommended by the vet. Lucy had always been a finicky eater, but loved this food. After eating this one particular evening, she went into the back yard and started pacing. I'm not sure what made me watch her from the house, but I did and could see she was pacing which was unusual. She tried to defecate and couldn't; tried to vomit and couldn't. These are both signs of bloat. Additionally, her stomach was noticeably distended and hard. Another sign of bloat. We rushed her to the vet. In her case, it wasn't bloat, but cancer. That was our last day with our old girl.

Here is a story and video from Bark Magazine showing what symptoms of bloat looks like in a dog. Truly, this is nothing to mess with. If you suspect your dog may have bloat, drop everything and get your sweet pup to a vet immediately.

If you have a large, older dog with a big, barrel chest who inhales food, you have a dog that is more at risk. Consider getting a food bowl that inhibits or slows down gobbling. They go by a variety of names: "Brake-Fast," "Slow Eating," "Eat Slow," "Slow Feed," etc.

Stuffed Kongs

What do you mean you don't want to throw the ball now?

Besides the Chuck-It, the Kong has been the favorite, most used, dog toy/product I've purchased for Bella. We rarely see a day that doesn't have at least one Chuck-It session and any time we leave the house for an extended period of time, my Bell-Girl gets a Kong.

In fact, she has four Kongs through which she cycles. Once they are "finished," meaning she has successfully licked the insides clean, they are washed, refilled and thrown into the freezer. Licking it clean takes her all of a matter of minutes, so whatever is frozen inside, barely has time to thaw.

The Kong site has some great recipes to get you started, but I tend to serve up whatever I have available in the house. I nearly always include an organic grain (though the kibble I feed her is grain free): brown rice, millet, farro, quinoa, etc. If I plug the small opening with peanut butter, I may dribble in some chicken stock at the end through the other ingredients. If I don't add a liquid, I don't bother plugging the end.

A typical stuffing for Bella is brown rice, yogurt and banana. I may add some peanut butter mixed in with it. Often I'll dice carrots which she loves or fruit and mix that in to. Today she got her Kongs filled with brown rice, sunflower seed butter, ground flax, blueberries and diced, organic chicken hearts with a dribble of chicken stock.

What do you put in your Kongs?

Winter Weather

We've had rain and sleet and hail for days now. The wood-burning stove has been going non-stop. Soup is bubbling on the stove and though there are jobs to be done, motivating ourselves to go outside is futile. Even Bella is disinterested.

Which reminds me of our recent camping trip when the night time temps were in the low 20s and Bella's water bowl froze solidly. To keep the pup warm, we bundled her in an old, down comforter that is a mere shadow of its former self. Still, there are enough feathers left to keep a puppy warm!

Toasty dog!

Leash Work

Have you ever noticed how people manage their dog leash? I think it says a lot about the whole relationship with their dog. Are they paying attention to their dog and where their pup is walking?

Here are my completely biased observations:

• Flexi-lead walkers: I've written about flexis before and don't like them as I think owners are often oblivious to their dog. I find most either walking with a friend chatting, or on the phone—in either case, the dog wanders unobserved somewhere at the end of the lead. Pros: I have never seen a dog wrapped up in their flexi lead.
• Short leash walkers: Many have either a short lead, or a long lead that is looped enough times to make a short leash. The dog is on a tight heal. The dog? Old ones plod along looking resigned to the whole experience. Young dogs, eager to explore, usually are looking elsewhere with a gap on one side between their neck and their collar as they try to pull away. Not often do I witness an exceptionally well-trained dog healing no matter what their leash length. (This says a lot about dedication to training. I am no exception to this, unfortunately.)
• Long leash walkers: How frequently have you seen some dog at the end of their six-foot leash with the lead wrapped around a leg? These are the ones that most amaze me. Is the owner not aware of this? Don't they feel the odd pull of the leash? Hats off to the pups who just march along. What an uncomfortable walk!

I just got Bella a harness. Bella is an infrequent puller. She often walks ahead of me; I have not mandated a heal...sometimes to my regret. But on occasion, she'll spot the perfect stick in a yard and without a moment's hesitation, lunge for it. I worry about what that's doing to her neck, hence the harness. It has a chest d-ring and one on the back. A strap goes not only around her chest and across the front, but also between her front legs for stabilization. For inveterate pullers, hooking to both d-rings is supposed to give you much more control. I find the chest ring sufficient to eliminate the pull on me when that stick is spotted.

There are two things I am getting used to with this contraption. One is the feel of the leash swinging. It is a totally different sensation hooked to the front of Bella than a leash feels hooked to her collar. Two, because the leash is hooked to the front, I have to be more mindful if Bella is on my left or right. We live in an area without sidewalks, so sometimes it is necessary that she walks on my right, at others, she needs to be on my left. I'm trying to learn how to move the leash in front of her before she moves to a different side so the leash isn't over her back and pulling her in a circle away from me.

FOOTNOTE: I just switched her leash to the back d-ring. Much better! No wild swinging and she can walk on either side without an issue. Because Bella is not a dynamic puller, the extra control I might get from the chest d-ring isn't necessary. Easy schmeasy!

Clicker Training

I attended a make-up class this past weekend for a rally class I missed on our trip. We had a new instructor and the class was the first one for this particular session: Advanced Competitive Rally. They were kind enough to allow me to attend as I am not competitive and as a team, Bella and I are way below advanced.

The instructor, however, did nothing with rally, but worked us for an hour on how to use the clicker. For those of you who use a clicker regularly, you probably scratch your head at those of us who complain of being "clicker disabled." I have to admit, I am. Totally. Clicker disabled. I click at the wrong time, I click and don't treat, I treat and don't click, I treat when I shouldn't. It's an embarrassment.

But this class was great! Initially all she requested of us was to click when our dogs reacted with a box. She didn't care what they did, how they did it or whether it was the same reaction over and over again. Sniff, look, paw, back away, step on it—anything deserved a click and treat. We did that for two minutes, than stopped and let the dogs rest. Repeat.

For a new spin on it, she asked us to click at any new behavior. If they looked at the box, click and treat. But if they looked at it again, don't click and treat—wait until they offered a new behavior. Bella knew looking at the box got a treat, so she was confused that repeated glancing at the box didn't bring a reward. You could see the wheels spinning! Finally she pawed the box. Bingo! Click and treat! She nosed the box. Click and treat!

We did this exercise a number of times also. Always a duration of two minutes with a nice break between exercises.

The next exercise required us to use a hog pan. The pan was turned over with the bottom facing up. (The bottom was also covered with non-skid tape.) For this exercise, the instructor asked us to decide on what we wanted our dog to do with the pan. A student had brought her own bucket and she wanted her dog to knock it over. The rest of us used the hog pans.

One owner was only looking for her dog to put her front paws on it. Another wanted their dog's front paws on it and for the dog, keeping his paws on the pan, to rotate around the pan. Yet another owner wanted her dog's front paws on it and the dog to stand still. For me, I initially wanted Bella to put her front feet on it and eventually her back feet too. From there, I wanted her to sit. Ta-da! She did it! Smart puppy!

Yet another break. The final clicker exercise was for the dog to shake paws. However, we were to get close enough so when the dog's paw came down it would touch our knee. When there was contact: click and treat. Eventually the idea was that we would walk backward as the dog walked towards us tapping our knees with their paw, left paw to right knee, right to left. Bella was pooped. She could barely figure out how to shake and luckily the teacher recognized it before I did. She told me to just let Bellie rest.

Our final exercise was a five minute down with us wandering around and greeting each other. Bella almost made it. She was good until someone greeted me with a squeaky voice. That's okay. She'd worked hard in class and squeaking is so enticing. She went back down and stayed there for the remainder. All in all, a great class for the both of us. Seattle Agility and their instructors rock!

Have You Brought Your Dog to Baja?

This has turned into an ever-changing target and is making me edgy. We're bringing Bella with us to Baja this year and we'll be in Mexico (southern Baja) for a couple of months. Not only do I have a concern about how she'll manage in the heat and with cactus, but with other dogs (native and gringo), poisonous fish and a totally foreign environment. To top that off, the criteria to get her back into the United States seems to be elusive.

Having crossed the border heading south several times before, I know having up-to-date vet records for her is a priority, but not always requested.. She is current on shots and she's healthy, so I don't see that being the problem. I'll have her on flea, tick and heart worm meds, so that takes care of that concern. I have booties for the cactus for her feet, but will have to deal with them if they get elsewhere. I have a muzzle that I'm training her to that should help (but not eliminate) the fish issue. It's getting back across the border into the US that has me guessing.

Some folks say that the same certificates that get us into Mexico will get us home. Others have said I need a certificate signed by a Mexican vet stating that she's healthy and it must be issued no more than seven days before we cross the border. Yesterday, I found a site the said I needed an International Health Certificate (#77-043) and another form called APHIS-7001.

My vet is knowledgeable about crossing the border into Canada, but not about crossing the border into Mexico. Today I called the state vet office (the person I spoke with was pleasant, but knew nothing) who faxed forms to my vet, but said I needed to talk with the federal office (under the FDA). I'm still waiting to hear from them.

Of course, my nightmare is returning home to find a glitch at the border. ...That I'm missing that form. ...That Bella will have to be quarantined. ...That....

Have any of you experienced a border crossing south to north? What has been your experience. Don't be shy; let me know—please!

Another Bella and Tarra

For those of you familiar with the story of the incredible friendship between a stray dog, Bella, and Asian elephant named Tarra, here is the final chapter in their friendship. How sad; what good friends they were. Poor Tarra. I'm sure her heart is heavy.

Back from Utah

Bella happily running WITHOUT her booties.

What a great trip! The weather began beautifully enough—low 70s during the day and sunny. Nights were in the 40s; stars amazing. For rides, I put Bella into some Ruff Wear booties and though she wasn't happy about it, she managed. The slickrock in that area is like sand paper and I knew, even if our ride was short, her paws would be raw. Two of them were lost by the end of the third day. Bum deal—and expensive.

She did do a run/ride on an old jeep, 4-wheel drive road that was a combination of rock and dirt. Her paws were okay at the end of that, but her muscles were sore from four days of running. Luckily, with a day of rest, she was ready to go again and I was able to locate a shop in town that carried the booties and get another pair. We won't be losing those again even if I have to staple them to her!

The last third of the trip, the weather turned cold. Days were no more than 50 degrees and nights in the low 20s. Sleeping for all of us was fitful and it took a while in the morning to warm up and be functional. We did a lot of hiking during this period in an area called Cedar Mesa. Incredible Anasazi ruins and petroglyphs everywhere. Not all trails allowed dogs, so we stuck to those that did.

Locals warned us that the coyotes could be quite opportunistic, so we were watchful when we let Bellie roam. Luckily, by nature, she stays close to the van and stakes out only a small perimeter. During the time we were gone, we only heard one coyote chorus, but it was thrilling. Just as the night sky began to lighten, several coyotes began yipping and howling. They sounded joyous and almost next to our van! Had they run into buddies they hadn't seen for a while or had they just completed a terrific hunt?

For Bella, the thrill was to be with us 24/7, off leash, in an environment of delicious new smells. I do think she's happy to be back home where meals come on time and the bed is cushy and warm. But a leash? Nope. She'd rather be back in Utah!

FOOTNOTE: I mentioned in my last post all the dog paraphernalia I was packing for her. Guess what I forgot? A brush! We were in dusty, dusty locations and she became a "Pigpen" with clouds of dust rising off her with each pat on her side. Bathing her was one of our priorities on return so she's now a clean machine!

What's in your dog bag?

We're frantically trying to pack for our trip so that we can leave bright and shiny tomorrow. Like anyone who is responsible for others, packing becomes more elaborate when one packs for more than oneself! I usually pack Bella first while I'm calm and collected, as the closer we get to leaving, the tension of time-schedules-gone-awry amps up and I'm afraid I might leave something important for her.

What, you might be asking, do I pack for my dog?

• Food
• Treats
• Chews
• Bowls
• Chuck-It
• Dog bag

...and what's in her dog bag?

• Towel
• Extra leash
• Extra collar
• Poop bags
• Kong
• Tooth brush/doggie tooth paste
• Dog Booties
• Doggie back pack
• 2 water bottles
• Collapsible water bowl
• Blinking light for her collar
• 4 chuck-it balls (in case one gets lost in the tundra)
• Nail trimmer (2...not sure why)
• Doggie Shampoo
• First aid kit (better than ours)

What's in the first aid kit? That will have to wait until another time...

Sitting Cozy

Sitting cozy.

Quick camping trip to enjoy the autumn color. Fall is definitely in the air. Days are comfortably warm; evenings are nippy. Even Bella was chilly. Nothing like a 60 pound cuddler crawling into your lap!

Photographs

If I could adopt and care well for a zillion dogs, I would. But rules are rules and the rule in this household, set by The Husband, is only one. That's okay...for now.

If I was a photographer, this blog would be filled with thousands of pictures of my Bella-girl in action. But as you have witnessed, I am not a photographer and only on occasion am I granted a singularly acceptable shot. (Perhaps part of the issue is I rarely have the camera with me!)

So to combine my love of dogs and my appreciation of photography, I look at several sites of people who are able to take gorgeous photographs of dogs (cats, horses...and even people!). Even better, many of them give back as members of HeARTs Speak by donating their time and talents to help for the betterment of animal welfare. Each artist has a unique angle. See for yourself.

• Julie Austin Photography 
• Sarah Beth Photography All of her stuff is wonderful, but I particularly like her "Joy" sessions where she photographs very old hounds whose time is just around the bend.
• Furr Butts Photography This is similar to the one above in that she has very heartfelt shots of "old souls."
• Leesia Teh Photography 
• Erin Vey Photography 
• Nizhoni Pet Photography This one seems to be on hiatus, but I still love the shots and the "Saving Grace Project."

Is there an animal photography site you appreciate? Let me know.

Rally!

Bella and I have started a new Rally class at Seattle Agility. What a great class! I've included a little video of someone running the course in case you haven't seen rally in action before. (I don't know who is in the video.) With our impending trip to Baja, I wanted to work with Bella on paying attention to me and being able to follow commands in very different environments.

I've lucked out. The class is very small and my instructor, Tawnya, is amazing. In two classes, I've learned more about how to train/work with Bella, than I have from any other class or teacher. I am completely jazzed about what we're doing. Because of Tawnya's eagle eye and great ability to communicate, I feel I'm able to make myself more clearly and more quickly understood to Bella. Who could ask for more than that!

It's What's Inside that Counts

I saw this on the Internet today via an online article in Bark Magazine.This is from a contest among vets for the best finds via xrays...like balls, baby bottle nipples...even a whole rubber ducky. For any of you who have snarfers (a.k.a. dogs who eat anything), you'll appreciate the link. From this, it looks like spoons have a slight edge as a favorite. I would love to see what is inside Bella because Lord knows, she has consumed a wide array of inedibles!

At one point as a young pup, Bella got into her food box and ate almost three weeks worth of food. She went from a lovely slender dog to a pork chop. I immediately bought a box in which to keep her food that had a very-hard-to-open lid. At the register, the cashier made a comment regarding how difficult it was to remove the top. When I told her why, she laughed. Her dog, it seems, had gotten into a Costco packet of light bulbs and eaten everything but the twist at the bottom of the bulb. She was frantic and rushed her dog to the vet. The dog was fine...unbelievable!

Bella's Sick

Bella ate something, we don't know what. She came out of a neighboring yard licking her chops and has been lethargic since—that was four days ago. Her appetite remains strong. She can still play Chuck-It with the best of them, but she's not herself. My husband is going to talk to the neighbor and see what might have been in his yard.

Bella got sick in the living room the other night and seemed a bit better since then, but this morning I felt like I was walking a 15-year old dog. She lagged way behind.

I am uneasy about this and concerned. I don't want anything to be more involved than indigestion. I've had her on a bland diet. I'll give her until Monday and then... I'd love to take her to the vet, but the only sign of problem is "she's not herself." How do you test for that?

UPDATE  We found out the neighbor is composting food (and meat) scraps outside, uncovered. (Rat problem anyone?) Bella was feasting on that. The smell of food and rotting meat (according to my husband on a cool and rainy day) was pretty horrendous. Too much temptation for a Labrador. Bella is doing better today, but is still overly "frothy"at the mouth and still has stinky breath, so her tummy isn't completely settled. I believe we have an unused yard compost bin floating around the garage. Think I'll see if my neighbor might want it...

UPDATE #2 Labrador's are known for their iron-clad guts. I came across this link from a veterinary x-ray contest (who has the best find) and it makes me grateful Bella didn't get into more. However, if her stomach ever needs an x-ray, I hate to think what they will find in her little belly!

Feral Dogs in Japan's Disaster Zone

Disasters evoke mental images thanks to the plethora of pictures with which media bombards us. Hurricane Katrina or Fukushima both bring up immediate mental images of devastation. Usually it's of buildings and people, though sometimes there are shots of animals, bedraggled and confused. An acquaintance was involved in the rescue of displaced family pets for Katrina. This particular Coloradoan traveled many miles to help care for the lost, injured, and orphaned animals. She said it was absolutely heart-wrenching work—and rewarding. In a natural disaster our primary concern is foremost for the people, but we've learned it is also necessary to care for traumatized pets.

It hadn't occurred to me that there still might be loose dogs fending for themselves in Japan's no-entry zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant—that was, until I read an article in the local paper. Though not frequently touched upon by the media, pets also suffered terribly during Japan's disaster—not only from the earthquake and tsunami, but also from the separation from their owners and the new life these pets faced. None were familiar with finding their daily meal or a comfortable, dry, safe place to rest, not to mention the stressful competition from other animals trying to do the same.

What surprised me, however, is that in six months time, some of those pets preferred their isolation to the return of human company to which they had been accustomed. What would cause that behavior? Fear, certainly, but why? The only thing I could think of is perhaps there are people in the area, out of sync with society at large, who were also competing with the dogs for food...or maybe eating the pets themselves. (Ugly thought, I know.) Why else would a pet familiar with people shy away? I can't imagine a dog who has lived a comfortable "indoor" life not trusting a helping hand. Of course there are some dogs who are truly "lost" without their people. (A friend's dog is absolutely beside herself if left with someone else—even someone she knows well—while her owner walks off.)

The article states that puppies born after the tsunami are indeed feral. I understand that. If the parents are scrounging for a living and give birth, the pups know no other life. Yet aren't some of them curious about people? (I just finished reading Steve Duno's book "Last Dog on the Hill." It is a wonderful story about his dog, Lou, who begins life as a feral pup. When a litter of puppies is scrounging on a hill, they see Steve and all high-tail it into the woods, except for Lou who is drawn to Steve...and thus begins his story.)

The article states some pets have been found and taken to a shelter while their owners, still in emergency shelters themselves, await a new residence or return to their own. However, most of these pets had been left leashed in the house when owners were evacuated—and this number is a mere fraction of registered dogs in that area. Baited traps have been a bust. How quickly the dogs have become wary! Heaven forbid we should ever experience such a disaster, but my guess is Bella would be a sucker for a human hand with a handout!

In this same vein, a local training facility in our area is offering a free disaster preparedness class for pet owners. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. Not only will potential disasters be discussed for our locale (earthquakes), but also how to prepare one's home (with regard to your pet), what to have in a pet disaster kit and where to take your best buddy if you have to leave your home. Incredibly important information for any pet owner to have.

Someone has MY toy!

I love this picture.

Boone stole Bella's toy and she is none to happy with the situation. He's studiously ignoring her.

Oh the unfairness of it all!

Buddies

We've been gone for a while on a cycling trip with friends. It's an annual camping, active affair and always fun—road and mountain biking, hiking and sometimes, even kite boarding thrown in! This year, however, we cut it short as temperatures soared into the high 90s/low 100s. Can't do much in that kind of weather!

Bella blistered both front pads early in the trip, so she was out of the mountain biking loop early—much to her disappointment! Luckily we were usually near water, so there were many fetch-it games involving sticks and swimming.

Bella and Boone resting.

Her new buddy, Boone, was along for the trip. Our friends have had him just over six months. He's around five and obviously was well-loved and cared for by his previous owner. He's gentle and trusting, but didn't know much about playing. He's a fast learner!

Bella taught him all about play, fetch, and swimming. At the start of the trip, he did none of those things. He'd step in the water, but that was it. Play? Wasn't sure what that was about. Fetch? Why bother? Retrieve isn't his forte, but he loved chasing Bella (on land or water) as she went after the stick or ball.

Boone's owners are gone this weekend (celebrating their 30th anniversary), so Boone is here. We were a little concerned how he'd handle being left at our house being that he is fairly new to the group. But he'd been to our house several times already and lived with us in close proximity on the trip. What a gem! Bella's nose is a bit out of joint, but they've had a wonderful weekend together.

Back to the Teanaway

Ball? Did someone say "ball?"

We decided to try the Teanaway region again—this time with my husband's sister, her husband and their 16-year old son...and of course their dog—Bella's half-sister, Molly. What a difference six weeks makes on weather. HOT. BUGGY. DRY. We're such heat wimps, but really, 90+ degrees is just not healthy for anyone!

It was a wonderful weekend despite the biting flies and enervating heat. Molly is an Australian Shepherd, so the heat was particularly hard for her. Plus her pads are pink and blister easily. It only took one day for her to be relegated to "camp time" versus being able to accompany us. We took turns staying with her to keep her company.

We tried to accomplish all of our hiking and biking activities early, but when it's a group of people, time schedules don't always sync up. Our last hike was case in point, we left too late and the heat was brutal. Luckily there was a stream at the end of the trail. We could all cool our feet (dogs included) and soak our heads!

One of Bella's most favorite people is our nephew and he didn't fail her. He was a constant source of ball and stick tossing. I had made a request going into the weekend that we should not aid and abet by giving in to her constant demand, but no sooner had we made camp, then Bella was into the brush and came back with a tennis ball. Finally we tired of playing, so I placed the ball on the van's roof gutter. Not five minutes later, Bella comes back with another ball! Huh? After that one was removed, she went off and came back with a hard ball. Where does she find this stuff?!?

After all balls were removed, she went back into the brush (or which there was a lot) and dragged out part of a deer spine with ribs attached. Enough! We hung that in a tree and gave her back a ball. Co-dependency rules!

Flashback

Dora-Nellie-Bella, 5 weeks old.

I ran across this picture of Bella at about 5 weeks old. She was called "Dora" at the point by her first family. They renamed her "Nellie." She was so pudgy and cute; her coat had a lot more white in it. Her eyes were hazel then, though now they are light brown.

At that point I was fascinated by her coat, but more interested in another pup, an all black little girl called "Tweety" who was a bit spunkier than my girl.

It wasn't until I brought my husband to see the pups that Bella chose us...or more specifically, my husband. When he sat on the grass to observe, all five puppies jumped all over him, but only Bella settled in. I told him to move to see what she would do, so he got up and moved about 20 feet away. Bella got up, moved over to his side, and flopped back down  to sleep. Who could say no to a pup who says, "Your my family!"?

Car Travel Safety

Mountain biking outside of McCall, Idaho in '05.

Several years ago, my husband and I were mountain biking outside McCall, Idaho. The trails were gorgeous, the weather superb and the three of us (my husband, myself and our dog, Lucy) were having a wonderful ride until we met up with a young couple and their three legged border collie. They were also enjoying the area, but when we learned why the dog was missing one leg, my mood changed. Their dog fell out of the back of their pickup truck and was hit. Luckily the dog survived, but I am continuously flabbergasted when I see dogs unrestrained in cars, let alone loose in the back of a truck. What are these people thinking? Obviously not about their dog!

I used to own a Honda Civic hatchback (great little car) and initially kept my dog in the way back. At some point I had the awful thought of what might become of her if I was rear-ended. She then road in the back seat in a harness/leash/seat belt contraption.

Since then, all of our dogs have worn a harness attached to a short 18" leash. The seat belt passes through the handle and then into its buckle. I have looked at other harness mechanisms and at this point lean towards Ruff Rider's seat belt as I like the design, padding and chest criss-cross. It's not very expensive and has received lots of lauds yet suffers the same drawback as my present system. If the dog can step on the buckle, they can release the belt. Bella seems quite adept at this even though the buckle to hard to reach.

Periodically I revisit this issue to see if anything better has come along. Part of my recent research was because of an article in the May issue of Bark Magazine regarding traveling with your favorite four-legged friends. The article doesn't critique belts though and I wish it did. Recently I've seen several references to the downside of crating your dog in the car. Each time they refer to a German study. Here are some short videos from About.com that are horrifying even though they are testing with dummies (human and canine).

After looking at the video and the Ruff Rider harness...and then at my homemade, jerry-rigged setup, I think I'll be purchasing a real doggie car harness!

Bella's seat belt from in front and from behind.

Do Our Dogs Love Us?

Do dogs love us? I have started this post numerous times and continue to save it as a draft. Why? It just seems a bigger question than I can cognitively handle combining what I feel at a gut level and what I'm willing to accept intellectually. And really, my pup and I share lots of things, but not a common language, so I can’t just out and out ask her, “Do you love me?”

This question is one I periodically have with my family of non-scientific dog fanatics. We all agree that we think so as the dogs behavior is similar to our own with those we love. Coinciding with a family visit, a friend sent me this article, (What Pets Think of Us, by Steve Dale, USA Weekend) on whether dogs actually "love" us and it made me ponder whether Bella really loves me? Having been inculcated with the "don't anthropomorphize" school of thought, I am hesitant to say "love", but I will emphatically say she is definitely bonded with me and because she's my pup and I'm me, I'll say (under my breath) she loves me too.

Then there is this post, When You Are Generous, Your Dog Is Watching You, by Con Slobodchikoff regarding canine generosity and this one, Why Dog Trainers Will Have to Change Their Ways, by Kate Kellaway with The Observer on John Bradshaw's studies regarding letting a dog "win" when you play with him.....so is it the old "do unto others..." with dogs also?

I've grown up with dogs and each had a distinct personality. Some were quite attached to us and stuck with us when it might not have been "fun" for them, contrary to Bradshaw’s point of view when the dogs weren’t always on the “winning” end of the equation (though I realize he isn’t intimating they always have to win). The dogs were our compatriots through and through. They went where we went. They were aware when one of us was sick and stayed by that person's side. So does that mean they loved us?

Of the three dogs I've had as an adult, two have exhibited that behavior: Suzy, our first dog, and now, Bella. It's not that I think Lucy wasn't attached to us, but she was such a re-actor. In retrospect, although we gave her a good home and good care, I think she needed someone else who was more knowledgeable in dealing with a dog who acted so impulsively. I never felt that she "loved" for us, as much as she "needed" us.

Bella, on the other hand, is very attached to us without being needy. She is quite sure of herself and her relationship to her world. She can be put in a myriad of situations and does quite well assessing her place. She is incredibly attuned to our moods and health. And though she enjoys everyone’s company, she is most definitely attached to my husband and me.

But is that love? Am I happy with saying she is “merely” bonded? I am, but what do you think about this? Do you feel your pup loves you?

UPDATE: I just picked up John Bradshaw's book, Dog Sense, from the library. Chapter 6 is "Does Your Dog Love You." I'll report back when I've read it!

Where Has Your Pup Been?

A friend and I were shooting the breeze the other night, luxuriating in the fact that summer has finally hit the Pacific Northwest. It's been too long since we've had one—two years as a matter of fact—and we were making the most of it! It was one of those fantastic evenings where the air is the perfect temperature and so is the wine.

Our conversation covered the map: cooking, politics, kids, politics, dogs, politics, and then, since we were covering the conversational map, maps. I hauled out an old road atlas and we gazed at different states we'd visited and reminisced about our travels together. From there we wandered on to which dogs we had on which trips. Well, Bella had about enough of our talking about those dogs. She wanted to participate! So here are the states Bella has mountain biked, hiked and walked through in her short 27 months of life.

Bella's (orange) journey through the West.

Not bad for a whipper-snapper, eh? Where has your pup been?

Dozer, the Half-Marathoner

What a great story this is! A loose dog joins half-marathoners, finishes the race and his family sets up a fund-raiser for cancer after the event and raises more then $13,000 for cancer research!

Flying your Pup

If you been following this blog, you know my reticence for flying Bella. Well, I just found this article in our paper regarding a survey taken by PetFinder. Pet Airways seems to be a winner, though they still don't come to my city! I'm surprised Alaska Airlines didn't get named as they are the "Iditarod" airlines. I wish the article would post the survey questions and compilation rather than just the results. I'm curious what questions they asked. PetFinder's article can be found here where you'll see several other links that help in your decision-making should flying your pet be in your future.

Am I thinking about flying Bella? Nope. But it's nice to see airlines being rated.Our local paper also had an article on tips for traveling with pets. However, the author, Michelle Higgins, with The New York Times, states what all pet owners fear the most:

"Meanwhile, pet safety has become a more pressing issue. Incidents of animals being lost, injured or dying have recently risen. Thirty-nine animals died while flying aboard commercial jets in the United States last year, compared with 22 in 2009, according to the Department of Transportation. Thirteen were injured and five were lost. Delta was responsible for a significant portion of the increase, with 16 deaths and six injuries in 2010, compared with three deaths and no injuries the previous year."

Whether or not this is a small percentage makes no difference to me. I would rather keep Bella in my sights. This is the only time I wish she was small enough to be in an on-board carrier in the passenger compartment!

Bloat

The day we had to put Lucy to sleep, I feared she had bloat. She'd been diagnosed with lymphoma and the vet had given her a very short time to live, so we knew any time with her was a gift. She had just finished a meal and wished to go outside and for whatever reason, I felt it necessary to watch her. She paced around the yard which was not unusual, but she couldn't stop. She tried several times to throw up or to defecate and couldn't manage either. I ran to her and saw (and felt) that her stomach was rock solid and big, so I feared bloat. We rushed her to the hospital and though they were about to close, stayed open for us. It wasn't bloat, but her cancer. Our decision was made.

Today in looking at our local paper on-line, I came across this article on bloat and thought about Lucy. Bloat is so scarey because your time—your dog's time—is so very limited and the odds so poor of your dog surviving it. No one seems to know what causes this though large breed dogs seem more prone. Exercising immediately after the dog eats and drinks seems to be a culprit too. Heredity and stress also see some finger-pointing (which makes me think about the benefit of a mutt though a friend reasoned with me that mutts can inherit bad traits too). Raised food bowls remains controversial as a cause, but the story states a huge probability in predisposed breeds.

Please read the article and be aware of this deadly situation. If you suspect your dog may be suffering from bloat, do not delay. Get your pup immediately to an emergency vet!

Paddle Boarding with Bella

Bella is a water dog, right? I thought paddle boarding with her would be a snap—after all in the videos (see the YouTube video above), it looks so easy. A friend's dog is so addicted to paddle boarding that she has a hard time keeping him off other people's boards. The minute someone comes close to shore, her dog, Boone, hops on. I also wanted to get some practicing in before we head back to Baja this winter when I want her to be able to go out with me. I'd even looked into floats for Bella thinking if she fell off she'd be able to swim to shore if she couldn't get back on the board.

So the last time we were in the Gorge, I borrowed a friend's board to give it a try. Perhaps it was the wrong place to experiment. The Event Site in Hood River is a zoo. There are people, kids, dogs, strollers, windsurf and kite board equipment scattered everywhere, paddle boards and lawn chairs cheek and jowl to each other. Kids dropping food, people tossing balls, frisbees sailing through the air—chaos! To expect Bella to be able to pay attention is really asking a lot.

None-the-less, we were down at the water and she was game. I brought the nose of the board to the beach so she could walk onto it. Walking on proved not so easy. There were a few leaps off the board into the water—both for lack of balance and for the uncertainty of standing on a tippy surface. But my friend's board has a sticky surface, so once Bella settled in, I took off and headed out into the Columbia River.

I had paddled out perhaps 50 yards from shore when I saw the stick floating in the water. I tried to stir away from it so she wouldn't see it. Too late! Bella took a flying leap off the board to retrieve the stick; I flew off the board backwards. She returned to shore with the stick, dropped it and looked up at the nearest person to beg sweetly for a toss. I crawled back onto the board and gimped back to shore.

Lesson One was a bust. If it ever stops raining, maybe we'll get a chance at Lesson Two...

It's been a while...

Between leaving town for the reunion (very fun) and returning to "real life" (which means work for me) and a husband who is retired and wants to travel (so we do), I haven't had a moment to sit down and write.

Murray the Marvelous

So let me first introduce you to Bella's cousin, Murray. Murray is a five month old Wheaten Terrier and belongs to my brother. It's been a while since he's had a puppy (see here), so he has experienced moments of "buyers remorse." Remember puppies? Chewing, whining, peeing wonders!

Murray is a good dog though. He settles right down when he comes inside but still exhibits that wildness puppies have when they are outside. All of a sudden he gets a bee in his bonnet and tears around the yard at 1000 miles an hour. Love it!

They are currently trying to train him to an electric fence. He hasn't quite caught on yet and it's posing a problem as he is becoming timid in the yard. Hopefully, by working with him and the company that installed it, they'll figure it out. Fencing isn't an option and although their neighborhood is quiet, they live on a corner that sees a fair amount of traffic. Plus, they are only one street away from a wonderful river that has a very active pedestrian/bike path which proves visible—and very enticing—to a small dog.

Three dogs waiting for food to drop.

Bella and Molly are happy and tuckered from a long hike.

Three days after my return, we left again to join friends over July 4th. We are baby-sitting Bella's half-sister, Molly (same mom, different dads). Molly hasn't been exposed to mountain biking, so we took her on a 8.5 mile, level, shaded trail with plenty of water and a lake at the turn-around point. She did really well. Being an Aussie, she's all about staying with the pack!

Molly isn't a swimmer, but a wader. Again, as a herding dog, she felt compelled to chase Bella into the water as Bellie swam after a tossed stick, but ended up weeping until Bella returned to shore. It was fun watching the interactions between the two dogs.

We also got some hiking in with friends who have a border collie/sled dog cross. The three dogs had a fabulous time competing to see who found the best smell first. Luckily, Bella and Molly were great about staying close. They'd venture down the trail, but always turn and wait for us to reappear. The little BC cross was not so attentive. He's fairly new to his family, and this was his first time hiking. They will have to work with him to stay closer or will need to keep him leashed.

It was a wonderful weekend and it seems to have brought on official SUMMER WEATHER. Fabulous! I'm taking the girls out back to prune the espaliered apples. Lazy summer days.

Leaving...

Next week I'll be out of town for a 5-day stint. This will be a reunion with old friends and I am looking forward to it. Lots of catching up and comparing faulty memories! Some of the women I have not seen in nearly 40 years.

There will be a difficult side to this trip, however. Leaving my girl. I realize this is not earth shattering, nor do most people see it as an issue. Yet Bella is connected to my heart and it will be quite difficult to leave her. My husband will stay home, so she won't be alone or in a foreign, strange place. But I will. A girl without her dog isn't a very pretty sight.

Mountain Biking on the Teanaway

It's been a long, hard run up the mountain.

We spent a wonderful three days exploring the different forks of the Teanaway River this past weekend. The crowd level was almost non-existent and the weather east side of the Pass was warm and sunny. We've had such a snow pack this year and the weather has remained cooler than normal—both factors which I think may have dissuaded other campers. I'm all for it!

Our typical mode of camping (non-campground) was easy to accomplish and the spots we found were spectacular. The rivers (whatever fork we were on) were raging. Lovely noise to sleep by.

We did a ride or more a day. All of them climbed quite steeply from the valley so provided great workouts. Usually before we chose to chuck our bikes in favor of hiking (because of incline), we were stymied by snow. Bella had a blast. She hasn't had a lot of exposure to snow, so she really enjoyed the cooling aspects of snow cones, not too mention the natural ponds she found in the streams. What better place to cool her belly and have a sip?

Mountain-biking girl-dog cooling her jets!

As always, she ran many miles beyond what we biked as she would tear down to the water for a drink and back to the trail to keep up with us. Back at camp, she was game for any fetch and retrieve games with balls or sticks. She has an uncanny capability of finding  balls in the least likely spots. This trip was no exception. She found three. In one camping spot. I saw zero. Poor dog that lost them, but fair game for our girl. We left all three for the next lucky hound who frequents the spot. Perhaps a coyote?

Dog Food—What do you feed yours?

I'm sure some of you have read this article by now. Information like this seems to circle through the dog community fairly rapidly. The article isn't strictly about food, but the pet industry in general. However the part I took notice of was the food. I don't know about you, but what I feed my pup is a big issue for me and I've discussed it before. (Just search this blog for "food" and see how many posts show up!)

Now things like super gourmet food, fancy dog coats, or heaven forbid—"neuticals"—is not my style, but making sure I'm keeping track of what's going on in the dog food market is in Bella's (and my) best interest. So although the fashion trappings don't rock my boat, I was stopped dead in my tracks when I read this section in the article from a professor of veterinary nutrition:

Are our pets healthier for all of this? Tony Buffington, a professor of veterinary nutrition at Ohio State University, says his students have studied the diet history of thousands of animals and have not yet determined that one pet food is better than another.

“We have been unable to distinguish an outcome in healthy animals eating a wide variety of foods,” he says. Asked about the variety at megastores like Petco, he says, “I don’t even go in there anymore. I wouldn’t know where to start.”

He adds: “If you put them all in a plain brown bag, you’d probably be fine with any one of them.”

Huh? There's got to be some missing information here. What pet foods are they studying...just premium or all foods? Is he saying they studied dogs who ate a wide variety of foods (meaning their diet changed regularly) or the dogs they studied were all eating a different diet?  (I had read something similar in the past stating that any dog food would be adequate for your dog; that basically ingredients were the same.) I don't buy it. I am not a scientist, but it doesn't add up. And all ingredients are not the same.

With my first dog, Suzy, I noticed a rapid decline in the shine and silkiness of her coat when I switched to a less expensive, generic brand. When put back on a better food, her coat lost its coarseness and once again was glossy. For Pete's sake! I know how I feel when I eat junky food. (Just watch the movie Super Size Me and tell me a crummy diet works!) Why would I expect or want less for my dog? This of course is one of the selling points in feeding (home-made) raw to your pet—you have control over the ingredients.

Bella has had a bout of (sorry) diarrhea lately, so I immediately cooked up a bland organic chicken and organic brown rice diet for her (which she loves). If I eat organic foods, it makes sense to me that I would also feed my dog organically if I could afford it and find it.

Granted, I have not switched to raw yet. (I don't feel confident enough yet figuring out the essentials.) I also realize many people with limited budgets can't afford a better grade pet food—and that's okay. We all do the best we can within our circumstances. But to say that the students at Ohio studying pet nutrition haven't determined one food is better than another seems downright silly. Better food is to going to make for a stronger, healthier body.

What's your opinion?