Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Bellie wants to wish you all the best for the holidays and a new year that surpasses expectations. She wanted me to add, she hopes your stockings are full of tennis balls. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Any balls you don't want, just send them my way!

Getting Your Dog Out of a Trap

One of my biggest fears when we're mountain biking or hiking is that Bella, or another dog we are with, could be caught in a trap. I am grateful that Bella stays with us and rarely, if ever, ventures off the trail or far from our side.

However, our friends have a dog they acquired as a stray. This little girl kept herself alive by hunting rabbits and squirrels. The vet said she had had at least two litters by the time she was spayed, so she was also feeding her pups.

She does not stay on the trail. She bolts into the brush at the crack of a twig. I'm sending this article and it's links to her owners. If you spend time in the woods and your dog wanders, please read the linked story. It could save your pup's life.

How Much is Your Pup at Risk

I came across the website this morning and thought it pretty interesting. By clicking on a category (i.e., intestinal parasites), then a subcategory (roundworm) and then the animal (dog or cat), a map of the United States will appear. You can then pick your state, and from there, your county and see what the prevalence is. I can see this being helpful if you are traveling.

Parvo Redux—Good News?

There is a local, excellent, training facility in Seattle called Ahimsa Dog Training. The owner, Grisha Stewart, posted a recent update on the parvo outbreak in this area. She spoke with one of the vets at ACCES, an emergency veterinary clinic in the region. She quotes:

He [the vet] mentioned that the increase in cases was “significant, but it is not an epidemic.” The dogs who were sick were all treated and survived, and they seemed to have an incomplete vaccination history. So the vaccination probably would have protected them.

The good news is that it does not appear to be a new strain, although they are sending the culture out for testing. The number of cases has dropped back down to normal.

You can read more about it here.  Stewart's focus is on her training facility and the health of your puppy—good information wherever you live.

More on the Parvo Outbreak

The paper published another story. It seems that the preponderance of cases have been seen in young dogs, pups really, who have not received their full round of shots. My vet has seen it in young dogs who have received their initial shots (complete?) and their first booster. I think the comment at the end of the article says a lot—parents skeptical about vaccinating their children have transferred that same concern to their dogs. I know I feel "vaccine wary," but continue to have Bella receive all her shots.

The article also said:

"[T]he informal selling and giving of dogs through Craigslist has "definitely" increased the rate of unvaccinated puppies. If there isn't paper documentation that a puppy has been vaccinated, new owners should assume the dog needs to be inoculated."

I am skeptical of dog parks anyway. I've seen too many incidents of people who bring dogs, but do not monitor their behavior (dog fights) nor do they pick up after them (disease). I am leery of dogs who may not have been vaccinated spreading disease, not to mention fleas. Those reasons, combined with the fact that Bella only wants to chase a ball (versus play with other dogs), means we never go.

What is the Difference in Similar Drugs?

I was with my niece today who is a temporarily retired vet tech. I was talking to her about the drugs I have for Bella for Mexico—Trifexis and Frontline Plus—and she asked where I got the Frontline. Costco. Her take was that is was more efficacious to buy via the vet for the same reason my vet mentioned. Her drugs are guaranteed and trackable from the manufacturer. Costco's are not. I don't know that for sure and need to check with Costco to verify.

She also said before she left her clinic (to become a full-time mom), they were seeing many dogs for whom Frontline was no longer effective. Hm. Very interesting. I'll have to check with my vet about that. My niece recommended using Advantix.

So it got me to wondering, what is the difference in these products? I came upon an interesting website that spelled it out. If you're curious, take a peek. I think it's worth it.

Threat of Parvo Closes Local Dog Parks

Last night on the news was an entirely too short of a clip about a nearby city closing its dog parks because of a recent spike in parvo virus. For those of us with dogs—who happened to watch the news—this was a high alert. I recall last year in Baja, the family from whom we rented our house, nearly lost their dog to parvo. Luckily it recovered. However, that didn't stop me from bleaching the tile floors after they left (sans dog) from visiting us. Parvo can be found in the ground, on shoes and on the clothes of owners. The virus can survive not just days, but up to two years in favorable conditions. I didn't want Bella near it, despite the fact she's had her shots.

The city earns my applauds for being proactive and closing their dog parks. It seems vets were aware of this recent local uptick and unconfirmed reports had been linked to the parks. Parvo is shed via a dog's bowel movement and can still be present two to three weeks post exposure.  Just because you dog is vaccinated, doesn't mean he is completely off the hook either. An article in Whole Dog Journal states that even vaccinated dogs may contract the disease, although this is not normal.

Unfortunately symptoms of a parvo infection begin no differently than a myriad of other dog ailments: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite.

PAWPRINT: This just in from Bella's vet:

We wanted to make sure all of our clients know that there is currently a community wide outbreak of Parvoviral Gastroenteritis/Parvovirus in dogs.  There has been a sharp increase in cases of Parvovirus in the past few weeks and an increase overall in 2012 compared to 2011.  

Puppies are most susceptible to Parvovirus and most die unless they are treated with aggressive medical care.  

With proper medical care, 90% of puppies (and almost all adult dogs) will survive, but treatment is costly ($2,000-$7,000) and many dogs require hospitalization in a 24 hour critical care hospital for 6-8 days.

We are especially concerned that several recent cases in our area have been in adult dogs and well vaccinated dogs.  (My emphasis.)

It is critical to ensure that your dog is current on his or her Parvovirus vaccination!  Parvovirus is part of the DHPP vaccine.  The DHPP vaccine should be given every 3-4 weeks to puppies until they are 16 weeks old, boosted 1 year later, and then boosted every 3 years (or less often if vaccine titers have been performed).  Please contact us to check on the status of your dog's DHPP vaccine and to discuss whether a booster or a vaccine titer may be indicated.  We are especially concerned about our dog patients who are less than 2 years of age, but all dogs may be vulnerable.  

Signs of Parvovirus include decreased appetite, decreased energy, vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody diarrhea.   

PAWPRINT 2: I stopped by the vet's today and she said the dogs that had contracted parvo were young, but not puppies, who had received their puppy shot and first booster. She didn't know why the uptick in parvo cases. I speculate here, but hope it isn't that there is a strain out there resistant to the vaccine!

Healthy Girl!

One healthy, happy girl-dog.

A quick note to say my B-girl is healthy again! I am thrilled—and I'm sure, so is she. Swelling was almost completely gone by early last week. (Only a mother would have noticed!) Her energy is back and this morning was the last of her mild-mannered diet. I had been working her kibble back in throughout the week. She's doing very, very well. Her latest stool sample came back clean, no coccidia and done without that suspect, face-swelling drug, Albon. Yahoo!

LA Votes for Rescued Dogs

I came across this article , (published 7:35 p.m., Thursday, November 1, 2012) in the San Francisco Chronicle. The Los Angeles city council recently voted to require pet stores to sell only rescued animals. It was a vote precipitated by the overpopulation and high euthanasia rate at local area shelters. A group called Best Friends has been working for the last couple of years with interested community and governmental figures to enact this. Yahoo LA!

The article states:

“More than 70,000 animals are euthanized in Los Angeles city and county shelters every year—at taxpayer expense,” said [Elizabeth] Oreck, [national manager of Best Friends puppy mill initiatives]. “To continue importing puppies and kittens from mills in other states while we are killing the surplus that are already filling our shelters simply doesn't make sense. Today, Los Angeles took a reasonable and progressive step to addressing these issues in our city.”

[T]he ordinance will not affect responsible, hobby breeders, who will remain a source of purebred animals for those who are not able to find the purebred of their choice through shelters, purebred rescue groups or online databases such as Petfinder.com.

“We are witnessing a cultural shift that comes from true grassroots advocacy in action. It is only a matter of time before there will be very few places where one will be able to walk into a pet store and purchase an animal from a puppy or kitten mill."

Another step forward for animals! The Best Friends website lists several different ways you can become involved (via donation, volunteering or taking political action) to make positive changes in your community.

It's Not Over Yet—Drugs, Drugs, Drugs

Bella was sick again last night. Needless to say, I feel helpless. I can't ask her what's wrong; what I am giving her (medications), I can only hope are aiding. The vet took her off the Albon for the coccidia. Some of its side effects are rashes and itching.

I spoke with the Saturday fill-in vet this morning and asked why I must continue giving her drugs for pancreatitis when coccidia was diagnosed. She was great. She said that though the blood test was negative for pancreatitis, it is not definitive; only an ultrasound would undeniably confirm...and of course we don't want to go that route at this point.

My question was why continue the pancreatitis drugs when we're discontinuing the drug for coccidia? Aren't we supposed to be concerned about the latter? The vet said if Bella's gut gets regulated, the coccidia will take care of itself. The Metronidazole is an antibacterial/antiprotozoal which will calm her stomach. Sucralfate is used to treat and prevent stomach problems caused by other drugs as well as irritations in the intestines and stomach. The Proviable is a probiotic that will help re-establish intestinal health. The Benadryl is to be given for one more day.

She's to continue with the I/D diet for two weeks. Poor girl...at least the facial swelling is diminishing.

Enough with the Vet!

No peace. While I'm shoveling pills down Bella's throat for a balanced, healthy gut, she pulls a winger on me. Somehow, somewhere on our walk today she was bitten/stung by an insect. It started around her eye. I noticed the tissue was swollen and she was itching, scratching, dragging her face across everything. It spread to her other eye, then down her muzzle and seemed to settle in her jowls or salivary glands. Now Bella has some pretty impressive jowls that produce, with little provocation, enormous amounts of drool. Those jowls are now huge, beefy and solid. She looks like Jabba the Hutt.

I gave her a couple of Benadryls to no affect and was concerned about the rapid inflammation. We are very lucky to a great 24-hour, emergency vet clinic (Acces) not too far away, so we trundled her up there. Because of the drugs she is taking for the parasites, they chose not to give her a steroid injection that would have sped the loss in swelling. None the less, they did inject her with Benadryl. Still, an healthy hour later, I see no relief. Her personality, however, is intact. The minute we got home, she got her ball and asked to play. A good sign.

Good Use of Facebook

A Facebook page has been set up for found and lost animals because of Hurricane Sandy. What a great resource for reconnecting! Remember to have a current picture of you with your pet(s) to authenticate ownership.

Pancreatitis or Coccidiosis?

Bella was very sick on Sunday, throwing up many, many times. She was lethargic all day and most of Monday with horrible diarrhea, but no more vomiting. Tuesday, she was a tad spunkier, but still not normal and her stools, liquid. Into the vet we went and left, one hefty bill later, with drugs to treat pancreatitis. Blood was taken to verify, but the vet felt all her symptoms pointed in that direction and she wanted to get on top of it immediately. Bella had eaten bird suet as evidenced by all the seeds that run through her and the vet felt the richness of the suet might have precipitated pancreatitis.

The results came back today. Nope. Not the big "P" which I am very happy to report! However, she does have coccidiosis which is common in puppies, but not in older dogs. (Does a three year-old lab mix still constitute a puppy?) Bella's intestines seem quite susceptible to parasites. Many of our vet visits have been because of something she consumed.

So it is back to the vet we go for more drugs, this time Albon (sulfadimethoxine). She is already taking Metronidazole, Sucralfate, and Proviable not to mention several days of canned Hill's Prescription I/D for gastrointestinal fortification! In 24 hours, her improvement has been remarkable.

Are YOU Ready?

With Hurricane Sandy wrecking havoc on the east coast of the US, it isn't surprising to see a glut of information about what to do with your pet(s) if you have to evacuate. This is a reminder for me also as I have a traveling bag for Bella, but still lack a crate.

My excuse? She's a big girl and needs a big crate—where would I store it? But when an emergency happens (and there is no area in this country that isn't plagued by recurring natural disasters), you won't have the time to prepare, nor can you guarantee you'll be thinking logically in a panic situation. Being prepared is the only way to safely care for your pet in a time of need. Although Hurricane Katrina was a turning point in evacuating and sheltering with pets (more shelters now allow them to come with you), you are still required to have your dog sequestered in a crate.

I just read Pet Care During a Natural Disaster from the Sun Gazette.com. I always read these articles as there is usually something I haven't considered. In this article, author Dan Boyles, had a couple of really good ideas. One is to have two bags prepared: a large pet bag if you and your pet will be staying together at a known location and a smaller bag for immediate evacuation to points unknown. Of course the requisite items were covered: food, water, medications, toys. Another great idea is to have a picture of you and your dog together. I always carry a picture of Bella in her bag, but the author says a picture of you together helps corroborate ownership should you be separated.

I guess it's time to start scouring Craig's List for used, large dog crates. I don't want Bella left out in the cold if a disaster shakes our area.

Military Dogs Part 2

Once again military dogs are in the news. I am glad they are getting continued recognition for the part they play in the safety of our troops. It also corroborates the roll dogs have always played in our lives as part of a working team whether it's hunting, herding, protecting, aiding or just being there for us.

In this article, they tell of two men and their dogs, following their course. In one, the dog loses his partner and is currently being retrained with another. Considering the intensity of the work and trust in their partner (and here it could be either way—man to dog or dog to man), it is no wonder the transfer to a new trainer would be difficult for the dog. The second soldier loses his bomb-sniffing dog to a bomb, the loss devastating.

With your own dogs, in day-to-day life, think how intense the relationship is. The quirks, frustrations, trust, joy, training, bonding are all integral parts of the whole relationship. Then add a life and death situation. My heart goes out to the soldiers and the dogs who have lost their closest companion.

Military Dogs

And so as not to forget all the dogs serving bravely—medaled or not—please take a look at this great website: Rebecca's War Dog of the Week.  There are many heroes and heroines here!

Medal of Honor

I knew animals, on occasion, received a Medal of Honor for bravery, but hadn't heard anything regarding this in a while. Today I came across an article about a spaniel mix, Theo, who was recently awarded, posthumously, Britain's highest award for animal bravery. The Dickin Medal. (The medal is named after Mary Elizabeth Dickin (1870-1951) who was a pioneer in animal welfare advocacy. She founded PDSA—the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals—to aide sick and injured animals owned by the poor.) Here is a picture of Theo.

This medal was first awarded in 1943 and continues to this day. Lots of pigeons have been awarded which I think is rather nice (also horses and a cat). But the nicest part is that animals are being recognized for the important, strategic part they play in keeping us safe.

Oops!

In an attempt to add labels to posts to make it easier to find like-minded topics, I realize the order of the posts has become quite jumbled. Arg! I apologize for making sequential reading impossible! I think the error probably resides in the way I did it. So sorry!

Losing a Friend

A friend has a 10-year old lab whom Bella adores. Amber was a young pup when she befriended my previous dog, Lucy, and Bella and Amber have a similar relationship. Bella LOVES Amber. Amber thinks Bella is special, but sometimes a pain in the neck. TOO MUCH ENERGY! But each time they see each other, it's joyous for both of them.

Amber was recently diagnosed with Mast Cell Tumors. These are common skin tumors that can pop up anywhere, at any time and for Amber, this has been the case. Her owner has tried an experimental chemo therapy treatment that eradicated a set of tumors, but new tumors appeared in other locations. The new regime is a daily chemo pill and my friend says the only indication she has that Amber may not be feeling well is she seems a bit more tired. Whether this is factual or my friend is super sensitive is moot.

We haven't allowed the dogs together since the diagnosis as we were both concerned Bella's exuberance to see Amber might be too overwhelming for the old girl. But now, knowing Amber seems to be feeling okay, I want the dogs together for both of their sakes.

Low and behold, as the universe always provides, Patricia McConnell's recent two-part blog entry speaks to dealing with a dog's grief. I have never had more than one dog at a time, but I know from my sister that dogs most definitely grieve. She had two lab mixes and though one was substantially larger, he was definitely not the boss. When his "sister" died, Amos went into a long a profound grief, expressed by lack of energy and enthusiasm; no desire to eat; no inclination to interact. My sister said one day she was walking Amos when ahead of them appeared a black lab that looked like his old compatriot. For the first time in weeks, his ears perked, his tail went up, he picked up his step to get closer, but on a single sniff, his ears and tail drooped and he turned away.

I believe animals do grieve. I want Bella to be able to spend time with Amber while she is still here, and luckily my friend agrees.

Tricks & Commands

Our weather has been inordinately cold. For a full week, day time temperature have not cracked freezing. Even the office, which is normally the warmest room in the house because of the heat generated by the computer, is cold. It's sunny and beautiful outside, but I just don't have the clothes to stay comfortably warm outside for very long. This creates a puppy occupational hazard.

To combat bored puppy syndrome, I decided to work with her on different tricks and commands. There are two I'm concentrating on at present. The first is the command "out" so that whatever she has in her mouth she spits out. She is actually pretty good about it, but I want it to happen instantly. If Bella has something she really loves (her tennis ball) or something she really wants (food) in her mouth, spitting it out won't happen immediately. In the case of food, I may have to "dig" it out. Here's a great video showing an example. Now if I can get Bella to do it as quickly as Pip, I'm in luck!

The trick we're presently undertaking is weaving between my legs. At this point, with luring, she's doing great. Luring means you walk a dog incrementally through the steps by having them follow food or a toy. The holdup is our ability (or lack thereof) to maneuver our hands and treats effortlessly to get Bella moving smoothly. (We are finding ourselves not quite agile enough!) This will be great for later if I choose to take her through agility. Basically, you hold food between your legs with the dog facing you. Guide the dog in between your legs, sweeping your arm around the back side of your leg to the front. Transfer the treat quickly to the other hand and guide her through and around the other leg. Here's a good video showing the technique. Eventually we'll stop luring and work with hand gestures.

These are as good for Bella as they are for us and as always, if done correctly, she’s learning and mentally stimulated and we’re bonding. Gotta love that!

Quick Toothy Update

Bella was slowed down for several days post surgery. She didn't seem to mind the absence of toys...until two days ago and then it was a battle to keep things out of her mouth. No toys were available, but she raided our backyard wood pile several times and ran south, happily crunching through a plastic plant pot I was about to wash from transplanting veggies to a bigger container.

To keep the both of us sane, I decided it was time to ease dry food back into her diet and began reintroducing toys. None of her harder toys are available, but anything that is soft-edged is back in her toy basket. Her biggest joy? Her very-most-highly-obnoxious Good Cuz squeaky toy. This toy (she has two—I don't know what possessed me) has an awful, high-pitched squeak that she goes crazy over. She immediately de-limbed both of them which makes their bounce even more erratic (another selling point for Bella). We only allow her to have it for a couple of days as my husband and I turn into loonies from all the squeaking.

It is a joy to see her so happily jaw-boning again. You just can't keep a good chewer down!

Dogs versus Drugs

Anyone who truly loves their dog understands the benefit dogs provide for stress and healing. Growing up, my mother's mother lived with us after my father passed away. When my grandmother died at the ripe, old age of 103, we knew my mother would make it through her grief more easily because of her dog. When her dog died, our concern went way up. I don't mean that losing her mother wasn't traumatic; her mother, my grandmother, was one of the most wonderful people I know. But my siblings and I knew that being able to pat her dog's head, kiss her ears and rub her belly would be the best "medicine" my mom could have.

Dogs, beyond  family pets, have many different jobs—entertainers (movies, dock divers, etc.), sniffers (bombs, drugs, disease, etc.), helpers (disabled, blind, and so on) and now on another field, for soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A program, Paws for Purple Hearts, was started in California in 2006, to offer "therapeutic intervention for veterans and active-duty military personnel by teaching those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to train service dogs for their comrades with combat-related physical disabilities."

A recent Smithsonian Magazine article said researchers have learned the benefit dogs have over drugs in helping veterans cope with the debilitating effects of PTSD. As stated in the July-August issue in the article, How Dogs can Help Veterans Overcome PTSD, author Chris Colin states:

The animals draw out even the most isolated personality, and having to praise the animals helps traumatized veterans overcome emotional numbness. Teaching the dogs service commands develops a patient’s ability to communicate, to be assertive but not aggressive, a distinction some struggle with. The dogs can also assuage the hypervigilance common in vets with PTSD. Some participants report they finally got some sleep knowing that a naturally alert soul was standing watch.

Not only do the soldiers training the dogs benefit from the dog's presence, but they also know they are helping other vets. There is a wonderful video that accompanies the story that further corroborates the value that the presence of a dog provides both to the training vet and the soldier receiving the service dog.

There is a petition available to sign asking the U.S. Senate to provide service dogs to vets with PTSD. Now that's good medicine! (I don't know if this was something incorporated into HR 1627 or is separate.)

PAWPRINT: Here is a lovely story about a vet suffering from PTSD who was reunited with the dog he worked with in Iraq.

PAWPRINT 2: Using dogs to aide soldiers is a big deal right now. Just recently the U.S. Senate passed bill HR 1627 that helps with some of the obstacles vets run into. Here's another story.

PAWPRINT 3: This post just isn't going away. I came across this article today (10/18/2012)on a military dog with PTSD. Luckily it found a good, supportive home. Now if we could just honor and care for all men, women and dogs suffering from this...

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UPDATE: This bit of news just came through our paper today.n The VA (Veterans Affairs) will no longer pay for service dogs for vets with mental disabilities such as PTSD.

Hiking!

I bought a new day pack for myself after 20 years of using a bomb-proof school back pack. I can't throw the old pack out...it really is impervious to wear and tear...but I can't get all I need into it. The new pack is a dream (Gregory Jade 28)—light weight, nice-sized compartments, and comfortable to wear. The purchase was prompted by my desire to do more hiking alone and therefore needing to carry more things for safety. I dug out Lucy's old dog pack and with some tweaking, it fits Bella! Huzzah! She can carry her own water!

The last two weekends have been gorgeous and provided the perfect weather for an outing.

Heading to the gap above the center of a snow field.

Sniffing who was here earlier.

I've noticed hiking alone with Bella makes her far more attentive to where I am than if we are with others. I think this is because she doesn't hear me talking, so is constantly stopping and waiting for me. I love this! Good dog, Bella!

I am also aware that if I follow her route through an iffy bit of trail, she invariably picks the easiest path. A third plus is though I am directionally challenged (I never hike without a compass and map), if I'm back-tracking and come to a confusing trail intersection, I wait for her to pick "our" trail. She's never wrong. With last girl-dog, Lucy, none of this was the case—not to mention a whistling marmot was her siren song to leap into the unknown and give chase. Not Ms. Bell. She stays close and on the trail.

Bella also prefers not to drink from a bowl, but directly from the water bottle. Also a plus! One less thing to carry! She is very good at capturing the dribble and wastes little, which was great for today's hike. The trail had excellent water flow in June when I hiked it with a friend, but next to none today.

I'm hoping we can get several more hikes under our belt before we head out with a friend for a several day back-packing adventure mid-fall. It's been many years since I've "over-nighted" and want to make sure I have the stamina to carry more weight. I will continue to load the new pack until eventually moving over to my large pack carrying 35 or more pounds.

This is Not the End, Just a Temporary Leave of Absence

I know I've been silent, but it hasn't been that I haven't thought about writing. In fact, I think about it daily. But what I have discovered is that if I write here, I write no where else and writing only about Bella is not where I want my sole writing focus to flow...though Bella, herself, is pretty much front and center in my life (after my lovely soul mate, of course). So I've decided to take a breather so I can prioritize how and what I want to write about.

Dogs are a central part of my being and Bella has become my "heart" dog, which I thought impossible after Suzy. Lucy was my workout dog and to be honest, though I loved her, I don't ever want to repeat that relationship. It was too problematic and governed my life in a very non-positive way.

So how to write here and other places. How to write about dogs, my girl Bella, and keep things interesting, instructive and entertaining both for you, my dear reader, and for me. Hm. What makes a dog blog enticing to you? Are pictures more important than content? Would you read if there were few pictures? Things to ponder. Please let me know. I need to know if I am going to continue.

So without further adieu, I bid (I hope) a temporary adieu while I reconsider and reconstruct my writing priorities.

Dog Communication in a Nutshell

Here's a great doggie posture chart drawn by Lili Chin and posted on City Dog Country Dog facebook page. The chart is a cartoon, but definitely worth reviewing as it shows different postures that are worth knowing! I saw this first through Grisha Stewart's book on Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) for aggressive dogs. Lili is a great illustrator!

Lili Chin Dog Postures

What? Another Class?

This is the question I was asked the other day. Yep. Another class. This one is called "Clicks and Tricks" and it's offered at my favorite facility, Seattle Agility Center. I've found a wonderful instructor there (although they all are great.) Tawnya, the woman from whom I've taken several classes, said something that clicked at the end of our Rally class. I knew it intuitively, but I hadn't verbalized it. She said, "I'm glad you are taking Bella through more courses. It keeps her thinking and helps with your bond." I might add that it keeps me thinking also! I love working with Bella and enjoy learning more—and better—ways to do things with her.

I find this particular clicker class exhausting for both the B Girl and I. I am not adept at it yet (a little slow on the click and treat) and I'm sure this causes confusion with Bella, but we both like it and Tawnya is great. She drops little comments that are spot on and like all instructors, I'm sure she is thrilled when she sees a student "get it."

I am presently working on not using Bella's name as a correction. I think dogs are intelligent enough to get your tone of voice and know that their name said in "that" tone means they had better pay attention and toe the line. Yet I also understand Tawnya's advice that giving verbal instruction instead of just using the name as a correction is more positive and pro-active.

I'm ready! I'm ready! Whaddya want? High five? Spin?

Bella and I are clicking our way through rolling over (so far she is merely laying down, no "over" so far), high five with both paws (my girl is definitely right-pawed), spin (check!), grabbing and retrieving a basket (she nudges it, but has not mouthed it yet).

Old Fears

Lucy, our last dog, was attacked on three occasions by three different "packs" of pit bulls—always a gang of two. Although I don't blame the dogs (but the horribly negligent owners), I have an ingrained fear of pits because of those incidents. And it is the last attack where one dog took on Lucy's front and the other her rear that is seared into my brain.

So imagine my fear while walking Bella and K2 (whom I was caring for), when two pits rushed us. One backed off immediately, but not the other. K2 was at the end of her leash trying to distance herself while Bella was the target. The dog did not attack, but was growling, aggressive and kept his head over her shoulders. Bella's tail was tucked and in no mood to argue. I was trying to position myself between them (not smart), screaming and kicking at him while the owner was yelling and trying to grab him.

When the owner was able to separate him, I told her she had better leash her dogs; she had no business allowing them loose. She told me to get off her property. Huh? I'm walking in the middle of a city street with two leashed and licensed dogs. This is public property, ma'am, and your dogs are loose and aggressive. Déjà vu. It was too scary to relive this kind of scenario with Bella. I have woken each morning since and that dog is the first thing that comes to mind.

Dealing with Injuries

When we were in Baja, Bella injured herself several times. Having your best buddy hurt is hard in any situation. Down there, it was doubly traumatic for me as we were so far from the "big city." Compound that by the day of the week (did we have to wait through the weekend?) and potential language snafus, and Bella being hurt became a big issue.

All her injuries were play/exuberance induced. Chasing a ball while not looking where she was going, she ran into the front of a parked car hitting it hard enough to visibly move it. I thought she'd dislocated her shoulder. Luckily, with a couple of anti-inflammatories under her belt and a few days of rest, she was fine. Best yet, she started looking where she was running!

Then she cut some pads on her back paws. We were told that the yard, all sand, had once been a neighborhood dumping spot. For two months I raked the yard daily, always uncovering shards of glass. I figured I pulled out over 20 pounds of glass, rusted nails and wires, broken pottery and other sharp objects—but most was glass. One pad was cut severely enough that I wondered if it would ever heal back to a normal shape. And what about infection? Luckily, infection didn't set in and her pads are fine!

This was followed by another injury where she stopped putting any weight on a back foot. (Her poor back paws!) There is a ubiquitous, little grass in Baja that several dog owners warned me about. Of course, it is most problematic when it dries because its color becomes even more sand-like. And like foxtail here, this grass can also kill. I looked at Bella's paw (which is also sand-colored) and found nothing. My husband did the same with a magnifying glass. We even tried to clip the fur which was tough as her fur is already short, but we found nothing. I wanted to take her to a vet in the city, but we had to wait until Monday—two days away.

Luckily for Bella and us, a neighbor was a retired veterinarian from the states. Although he wasn't interested in practicing anymore, he was willing to look at Bella. The way he did it was interesting. Where we went right to the source—her paw—he said he always starts further away. One, he wants to calm the animal, but also, the injury may actually be elsewhere. He started at her hip and worked his way down to her paw assessing leg movement as he went.

The vet looked both at the bottom and the top. Bingo! Looking at the whole foot from the top (not just between toes), you could see how swollen one toe was. He surmised she had probably sprained a toe and suggested we put her on anti-inflammatories for a couple of days. He said if there was any abscessing to let him know immediately as that could mean the grass seed was an issue. However, after several days she was fine.

On our drive back home in the states, late one night before bed, she jammed a stick into the back of her mouth, slicing skin open. Awful! Blood everywhere! I was frantic, but luckily we were back in the states and I knew we could get to a vet early in the morning.

All her injuries were from play though that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. But wonder if your pup is seriously hurt? Considering how I hate the sight of blood (fainting would not be too off the mark), how does one handle a pet's injuries?

I feel lucky that none of Bella's incurred injuries in Baja were life threatening. Quite a few years ago, I attended a Pet First Aid class put on by a local shelter. It was brief, but a good class; we each received a pet first aid booklet that I keep in Bella's traveling bag. Recently I learned that a neighbor teaches a more intensive pet first aid class and is trying to put together a local offering this spring, which I'd love to attend.

Today I received a link via Bark Magazine on how to deal with a bleeding pet. Because many of us take our dogs traveling and those dogs participate in many of our sports—hiking, mountain biking, skijoring, etc.—the chance of a pup getting hurt is not all that unlikely. I urge you to look into pet first aid classes offered in your community. It's a great feeling of security knowing you are better able to help an injured pet until you can get it to a veterinary hospital.

Choosing a Day Care for Your Pup

Some good friends recently adopted a young rescue dog. This pup is very lucky as she is with her pack 24/7. The owners are self-employed, so their new dog, K2, is at work with them all day. They are also quite active, so K2 gets to jog, hike or play daily, plus her owners set up play dates with neighborhood dogs. K2 arrived at their house with beautiful doggie etiquette and the ability to communicate well with her other four-legged friends. This pup doesn't need doggie day care, but we did discuss how valuable it can be. There are now so many available, the question is how do you choose the one that is most appropriate for your favorite four-legged friend?

I wrote about my experience with doggie day care when Bella was a young girl. My husband and I are retired so Bella is rarely alone, but I was concerned she wasn't getting enough time with other dogs.  The first place I checked out, though less expensive and closer, didn't have a large enough people-to-dog ratio. It seemed a recipe for disaster. The place I ended up taking her I liked a lot, but with two exceptions: it was too far away and its policy for a mandatory four hour stay was inconvenient. Bella went once and that was it, although I would have continued if they were closer. She hasn't been back to a day care since.

However, if you are away from home for long stretches of time and your best buddy is on his own, doggie day care might be the perfect solution to relieve his boredom. Recently I've come across a series of articles on the Internet with guidelines for choosing day care that suits your wallet, peace of mind, and your pup's temperament. Bark Magazine has an excellent article and a great tip sheet that is definitely worth perusing if you are thinking of this activity for your pup. I feel the people-to-dog ratio is critical and Riverdog, where Bella went, was great with this—around 10-15 dogs to one person plus an office staff that was available should the need arise. In addition, they "matched" Bella's playing style with other dogs so she was neither overwhelming or overwhelmed. They also had "quiet time" interspersed in the four hour visit so dogs had an opportunity to cool their jets.

The different articles I read also encouraged prospective doggie day care-ites to watch the day care in action to see how activities and interactions are handled. If you are not allowed to observe, go elsewhere. (Many also have cameras in the rooms so you can watch how your pup is doing while you're at work.) If they have a breed exclusion policy—put on the brakes—it indicates misunderstanding the difference between behavior and breed. The facility should require all dogs be current on vaccinations, are in good health, are sociable and well-behaved. What is the training and knowledge of the staff working with your dog's group? How do they handle a medical emergency? Not all dogs are good candidates for day care. The energy level and commotion of multiple dogs running around may overwhelm your buddy. Obviously, finding the appropriate doggie day care for your pup is critical if you want your dog safe and happy!

Here are some other articles I liked:
Selecting a Dog Daycare
How to Choose a Doggie Daycare
Choosing Doggie Daycares and Kennels
Choosing a Good Dog Day Care

Good luck in your hunt; your pup will thank you for it!

Happiness is Digging in Sand

One of Bella's favorite occupations in Baja was digging. Sand is so easy and she would dig for long, long stretches of time! The nice thing was how easy it was to refill the hole. My husband was worried she would try the same antics at home. No. Not even interested. Too much work!

Food Again

Anyone who has followed this blog knows that over the past year I've been poking my nose into improving Bella"s diet. I've researched raw and home-cooked until I'm more confused than ever. My final straw was a friend who remarked to my lamenting, "What's wrong? Is Bella sick? Is she not eating? Does she have allergies?" To which I could happily and honestly say, "No, she's fine; I'm just curious." This, of course, is why we have good friends because they cut to the quick. Her departing comment to the conversation was, "Why are you so worked up about it if buying good commercial kibble works?"  How can you fight that argument?

But still, I was unsettled. Since we returned from Baja, Bella has had what I call a "bothersome butt." She licks it frequently. She's been on Trifexis since before we left. I've seen no evidence of worms in her stool, yet something is bothering her. She has always farted when she sat (a somewhat oddly charming personal trait of hers), but is doing more so now. If the bottom licking continues into next week, I'll take a stool sample into the vet, but until then, I've been focusing once again on her food.

When we hit the border coming back into the US, she was nearly out of food (Acana), so it was necessary to get more. I stopped at Costco to pick up some things for us and noticed they had a grain-free kibble and got that. But is it as good for her as Acana? I doubt it (though it is given 4 out of 5 stars by DogFoodAdvisor). To help with her "issues," I picked up a couple of cans of organic pureed pumpkin, thinking some extra fiber may help. And then came across some videos on choosing good food for your pup by Dr. Karen Becker, a holistic vet. I approached the videos a bit skeptically as she is affiliated with a site which sells products, but I was quite pleased that she doesn't promote any brand in these videos. The argument she made for raw that I found most compelling was that kibble is dry and dogs need around 70% moisture in their diet and they receive that from eating raw. My vet has said several times, despite Bella's huge water slurping consumption, that my favorite girl-dog is a bit dehydrated. Dr. Becker's comments along with my vet's persuaded me to get more serious about introducing raw food into Bella's menu. At this point I am not going 100% raw, but am certainly willing to incorporate it into her daily food regime—along with going back to Acana when her present kibble is gone.

Take a look at Dr. Becker's two videos and tell me what you think. Are you already feeding raw? What results have you seen in that food move? If you aren't presently feeding raw, are you toying with moving that way—and why?

Video 1: Choosing the Right Dog Food/Part 1

Video 2: Choosing the Right Dog Food/Part 2

Poisons, Breeds and Names

Oh my! I found a series of stories regarding common household poisons your dog might ingest, along with the most common name of said dog and most common breed called in for suspected poisoning. Bella is the most common name and a Lab is the second most common breed. Can't say I'm surprised on the latter. I remember chatting with a cashier after I purchased a sealable container to store Bellie's food. (This, of course, was after she ate nearly half a bag and had a stomach that did not return to its normal shape for days.) The cashier's Lab ate a Costco package of light bulbs leaving only the metal twist bottom behind. Unbelievably, her dog was fine. But having witnessed Bella's mouthy penchant, I know she will eat nearly anything if it entices her. (Think brillo pad.)

Here is a list of the most common household poisons (for 2011) your pup may ingest and what to do if you suspect poisoning. (It is from this article which carries more detail and is a good, if short, read):

1. People Food (think chocolate, raisins, etc.)
2. Insecticides
3. Rodenticides
4. NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Advil, etc.)
5. Household Cleaners
6. Human Drugs (anti-depressants)
7. Garden Fertilizers
8. Heavy Metals
9. Acetaminophen
10. Veterinary Pain Relievers

The most common breeds and names of dogs to be called in to the Pet Poison helpline last year can be found in this article. It seems Labs rank right up at the top (second to mutts). My girl is a LAB/Aussie cross, but personality-wise, she's all Lab, but it gives her a double whammy of being a mutt mixed with a Labrador Retriever. Oh my! The most popular name? Bella! Of course, name has nothing to do with anything, and because you have a particular breed, doesn't mean it is more likely to be poisoned. However, if your pup is a chow hound like my Bella, beware and keep those poisons well out of your dog's way.

Does Your Dog Really Understand You?

I ran across this article on canine communication skills which I found very interesting. I particularly like this sentence:

"...evidence that humans and dogs may be undergoing cognitive convergent evolution with each other based on our close social relationships over the millennia."

This article targets another which goes into more detail about the convergence of canine/human understanding.

"However, although wolves are generally equal to or better than domestic dogs at memory tests and tasks involving general problem-solving abilities, wolves (even those raised by humans) are simply unable to match the performance of dogs at spontaneously using human social cues to solve problems."

We often take it for granted that our pup "gets it" which is expecting an awful lot from a different species. Yet it's a two way street in that you know when your dog wants something, isn't feeling well, that something is going on. Without an awful lot of sleuthing, you can usually figure it out—not much different than your pup trying to perceive your desires.

I find it exciting to think that we (humans and dogs) are able to communicate and that it will only get better (my extrapolation). When I talk to Bella, she cocks her head. I know not all dogs do this (Bella is my first pup that does), and that doing this doesn't mean that she truly understands what I'm saying. But the action makes it look like she is concentrating and trying to intuit my conversation. I know I've asked her numerous times, "What is it that you're trying to tell me?"

Right now she's telling me it's time for our morning walk.

Home!

We returned from warm and sunny Baja to a cold and snowy northwest. It doesn't seem fair although the comforts of home outweigh the frigid temps! It took a little over a week to get home.

We camped at three new places coming up the peninsula—each beautiful in their own right. Our first stop was in San Ignacio; Bella was in heaven. We stayed at a tiny little campground right on the river. I'm sure in warmer, calmer weather the bugs would be incredible, but we were blessed by a stiff wind that kept them at bay. Bella was able to run around (no one else was there) and swim. Lots of chuck-it in the water.

Rediscovering the "white stuff."

Our second stop was in Scammons Lagoon on the Pacific. Again, it was deserted except for the whales. We spent hours watching them spout, spy hop and surface. It was beyond thrilling. Our last night in Baja was also on the Pacific. A couple nights in San Diego with family and friends and then on to the eastern California route north.

Ha! We got to Lone Pine and learned that a huge storm was coming in, so our desired route was 86'd by weather. The reports threatened up to five feet of snow in the Sierras with gusts nearing 100mph! Talk about taking the excitement out of the drive! We camped south of Lake Tahoe and Bella got to run in the snow, but the winds started during the night and rocked the van so severely, that we got up before 4AM and started driving. We made it over the Sierras before the brunt of the storm hit us, so although it was a boring drive up the interstate, we made it back without incident.

Our first morning home, we woke to snow on the ground and this morning, Bella refused to go on a walk. So much for a warm sun! We have a fire going in the stove; Bella is tucked up close and I think I'll bake some bread despite the desire to start gardening.

Hurt Again!

Arg! This is driving me crazy. Bella did something to her back foot again and is putting no weight on it. We have checked it multiple times for thorns, but cannot find anything. There are no cuts. I've extended and contracted her leg to see if there is an issue there. I've moved her toes and her foot around. All of these are coming up with nothing. I'm beside myself with worry. She isn't licking any part of her foot or leg, but she also isn't moving around. FOOTNOTE: There is a local retired vet in the area and though we did not intend for him to look at Bella, we sought his opinion on whether we should take her into town. He was kind enough to give her a brief examination and determined that she had probably sprained her toe. Luckily nothing was broken and there were no thorns. It was one of those head-slapping moments that when shown both her back paws, it was obvious one toe was quite a bit larger. My vet had sent me down here with some anti-inflammatories and he suggested I give her some for a couple of days. After a quiet day yesterday and one pill, she's doing much better today. Although still favoring the foot, at least she is putting some weight on it. I didn't take her on the morning women's walk, but will take her on one short one today and maybe two small ones tomorrow.

How to Speak "Dog"

I am always surprised when a parent allows their child to run up to pat my dog without first asking me if my dog is friendly. The child's pell-mell approach shows lack of training on how to safely approach an unknown animal. Bella is patient and tolerant, but every dog has a limit. When I see a child approaching, I intercept and explain the proper way to introduce oneself  to an unfamiliar dog. Rarely do I get thanks from the parents. My guess is the information is new to them also.

Recently there have been a plethora of articles on the Internet regarding the bite incurred by Denver's KUSA TV anchor, Kyle Dyer. Here is an individual who is purportedly a dog lover, so we assume that she'd be knowledgeable about handling a strange dog. Apparently not. An article in Huffington Post by veterinarian/animal behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin, goes through the progression of errors that were made by both the owner and the anchor. In another article, author Michael Curran goes a step further. In his blog entry, he states that in a series of articles, he hopes  

...to answer some of your questions, pique your curiosity in regards to dog behavior and communication, discuss why dogs bite, and finally how to be a friendly stranger and more responsible dog owner. 

Mr. Curran gives some background information (number of dogs that annually fall through the ice in the Denver area) and more details about the specific bite incident, including how the TV channel and animal behaviorists handled the situation after the fact. He brings up some very good points and I look forward to reading the rest of his series.

Depending on the sources you read, annual dog bites in the U.S. is a big deal. One site, dogbitelaw.com, states:

In 2010 there were 34 fatal dog attacks in the USA. More than 350,000 dog bite victims are seen in emergency rooms every year. Approximately 800,000 victims receive some form of medical attention annually. Based on data collected in the USA between 2001 and 2003, the CDC concluded that there were 4.5 million dog bite victims per year.

The American Humane Association has a long list of bare statistics that on their own are quite staggering. However, the National Canine Research Council (NCRC), counters with how difficult it is to gather accurate information. (Is it a playful nip from a puppy or an unprovoked, angry bite that breaks the skin? What is the difference between a good Samaritan being bitten helping a dog or a police dog stopping a criminal?) Adding to the confusion on gathering accurate bite statistics, the NCRC states that for animal control, the impetus is to assess if the biting animal is current on shots rather than the circumstances surrounding the bite itself. They go on to say:

[A] form used to record an animal exposure, probably called a bite report, will usually include space for a description of the circumstances. Did a dog scratch his owner during a playful romp? Did a dog chase and bite a child riding a bicycle?

Unfortunately, when animal exposures are tallied up, they are released to the public as simple bite numbers. The circumstances of the incidents have been stripped away. In consequence, bite numbers are not an accurate representation of canine aggression, which is, in itself, a general term that is applied to range of different behaviors.

This leads me to believe that we are woefully ignorant of the signals our pets are continually giving us. We expect them to understand us, but too many of us—even those of us who have always owned a dog and feel we "understand" our pet—are clueless at truly comprehending them. Wouldn't it be nice if new pet owners had to take a class on doggie communication? How about teaching people (of any age) how to approach a strange animal? Wouldn't you think parents would consider this a mandatory lesson for their child?

In writing this post, I came across a site called Doggone Safe that has good information about dog communication and recognizing signals given when a dog feels stressed or frightened...or ready to bite. I urge all of you—particularly any of you with children in your home—to look at this site and learn to recognize a dog's signals. The information isn't terribly in depth, but it is a good start in understanding our pets. We all suffer from miscommunication at times, but the more we are able to speak "Dog," the safer all of us—including our dog—will be.

Let me add one more thing. Here's a great cartoon poster of some dog signals from Dr. Sophia Yin. It might be worth printing out for your kids and posting on the fridge!

Glass and Paws

The house we are renting has a huge, fenced yard that is planted, with one exception, only around the perimeter. It doesn't make for a pretty yard, but it does make it pretty good for a game of chuck-it. There is no grass, which is not unusual here. Most yards, even those with fairly intense plantings are sand, and ours is no exception. Where people may mow their lawn at home, here people rake the sand regularly to clean up debris. I don't know how old this house is, but I think it's a fair bet to say the yard has seldom, if ever, been raked.

Waiting for the ball to move.

I haven't done much of a survey of the property beyond regular pooper-scooping and playing ball with Bella. But when she sliced open a pad on her back foot, I began to pay attention. The yard is littered with broken glass, rusted nails and wire, pieces of plastic and broken ceramic tiles. It changes each day as we drive across it or Bella runs through it. New debris surfaces regularly. Every couple of days, I'd make a circuit with a grocery bag picking up shards, nails and anything looking sharp. When Bella cut another pad, I declared war.

I found an old, rusted (what else?) rake and began raking the yard. With each small scratch of the surface, handfuls of glass appeared. It has been hugely discouraging. In five days, I have only covered a third of the yard and when I finish, I realize I'll need to begin again. And I am not the only one doing this. A good friend has come over three separate days and helped me for hours. My husband took over raking today and only did a small section. He was astounded.

I think when the house was built, the workers just threw their beer bottles into the yard. Because this is a rental, perhaps people coming through the neighborhood have recognized that the house isn't constantly occupied and have done the same. Perhaps the owners and other renters have tossed their bottles into the yard because that is culturally not an aberrant thing to do here.

But however they got here, the bottles have broken into zillions of tiny, sharp, paw-cutting, brown, green and clear pieces. Driven or walked over, the glass gets pushed into the sand. With Bella running around the yard, she's churning it back up. I'll finish raking and picking up a section only to have the light play over an area I have finished and it will sparkle with hundreds of missed shards.

My friend says I should leave all the bags for our landlord to see. I'd rather see the glass gone, but perhaps she's right. At least for now, they are a sign of progress for me. I am still hesitant to toss a ball for Bella, but feel slightly better that a very large portion of debris has been removed from part of the yard.

My poor girl. She gave little indication of what had happened. With the first slice, which was the deepest, she neither licked her paw nor limped, so I had no knowledge of what had happened to her until I spotted it. With the second slice, I knew. We cleaned her feet and applied Neosporin. She spent an unhappy day inside with her back foot wrapped up in a sock.

We haven't taken her biking in a week; tomorrow morning we'll take her on a small ride. Tomorrow afternoon, you'll find me back at raking and picking.

Puhleez!

Girls just want to have fun.

Bella has been on a long walk, a short walk, a medium length bike ride, enjoyed a moderate chuck-it session and still she says, "Puhleez! More playtime!"

Some Realities of Baja

Baja is beautiful in a stark and prickly way. There is no "lushness" in the area we are living beyond the  bougainvilleas and other flowering plants some people have added to their landscape. Even though desert plants can be beautiful, they all have a defense system with poison, prickles or spines. The wind is harsh, the sand, sharp edged, the terrain hot and unforgiving.

Culturally, recycling is a new idea and practiced by very few. There are only a couple of outlets where one can recycle and they are tiny and infrequently used. Litter is everywhere (oh the bane of plastics!) and though "No Mas Basura!" (No More Garbage) has an annual community pick-up day, it barely puts a dent in what is flying about. We watched a neighbor dutifully raking her sand yard of bags, cups and plastic bottles and depositing them in a garbage bin outside her gate. The next morning, the bin was tipped over and garbage was everywhere for the cats, dogs and cows to eat. It remained that way until later in the week when the garbage man came by to dump it in a designated arroyo.

In my thrice weekly walks towards the mountains with a group of women and their dogs, we joked, tongue in cheek, about finding our way by certain garbage that has blown into or placed on the cactus. A discarded and broken plastic chair, a worn backpack, a t-shirt tied to a branch, a dead cow. Seeing cow legs, hide or bones is not at all unusual. They are free range and have little to eat or drink. They look skin and bones anyway. Our neighbor's garbage must have been a boon.

Last week I took Bella on a walk different than our normal one with the ladies, but still heading towards the mountains. There, a ways into the bush by the side of the sandy road, tucked at the base of a cactus, was a large, dead dog. I didn't recognize it, but also couldn't approach it. It had not been there the day before. Was it hit and crawled there to die? Had it been poisoned and this was it's final resting spot? Had it died at home and the owner brought it here for the vultures to take care of? Any of those were possible.

The next day when we went by that spot, Buddy was with us. Buddy is the name we've given to a local, large lab/German Shepherd cross. She lives somewhere in our neighborhood and often appears out of the scrub to join us on walks or bike rides. She's sweet as can be and is obviously loved, though allowed to scrounge and roam. The vultures had settled in to their job of clean-up, but Buddy chased them off and I wondered if she did it to "protect" the other dog or for the fun of the chase. Either way, it reminds one of how humbling Baja can be.

New Baja Buddy Moves Stateside

The dogs in Baja are incredible. There is no select breeding going on here. In fact, the dogs are shining examples of not being bred for looks—they are mostly scruffy, bunches of mix and match pieces. Neutering is not a consideration. Certainly male dogs would not be neutered (a macho thing still very prevalent here) and the females are viewed as somewhat of a nuisance as they seem to get pregnant all the time. (I wonder why that is?) Unfortunately, females are often killed because of this.

What these dogs do have, however, is smarts. Most are raised outside and left to fend for themselves, so they either make it or don't. (One friend said they must know not to eat sea slugs. Nope. It's just that those that do, die.)

Since garbage is everywhere and dead cows on the side of a road are not uncommon, there seems to be enough for them to survive. They are savvy to cars, people and other dogs. If they aren't, they don't last. They aren't fighters as it serves no purpose. Not all seek people out, but they aren't skittish either, and will often come over for a pat. I've seen a couple with mange, however, so I always looks before I pat!

Of course, not all owners are oblivious. You can tell some are well loved, if somewhat neglected. Every once and while, you'll come across a little mongrel that is beautiful and you wonder where are its parents? Most of the dogs are on the small side (40 pounds and under).

The gringos have been instrumental in caring for many of the strays—of which there are too many. There is a loose organization of people who take in and foster them, paying for medical care and neutering as well as trying to rehome them.

A friend here is one of those people. She found a beautiful little girl with Dobie markings who at around a year old had already had one litter and when spayed, had eight little pups in her. But the dog, named Lola, was wonderful. Definitely smart, interested in people and in pleasing, with great doggie communication skills. However, Jeanie already had a dog and because of her current circumstances, couldn't have two, so was trying to find a forever home for Lola. Enter stage left—ME!

Meet Lola/K2, our new neighbor!

We have some wonderful friends and neighbors back in the states who lost their dog about three years ago. This past year they have hashed and rehashed whether to adopt or not. Their past dog was a handful, aggressive with other dogs and dangerous around children, so they wanted to be very careful before accepting another pup into their home. They do not board their dog, but depend on friends to care for their companion when they travel, which they do a lot and for extended periods. I told them I'd be on the lookout for just the perfect Baja dog for them.

I emailed them about Lola and sent pictures and added the kicker that in three days the foster parent was flying back to the states and could bring Lola with them. Quite an abrupt decision-making period, but with pictures and videos to view, and a time constraint on deciding, they chose to buy dog food, bed, toys and leash and welcome this sweet little girl into their hearts and home. They have renamed her K2 (they are climbers) and are blissfully in love.