Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy to be in the wood, by a lake, with her human pack. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Poisonous Mushrooms

Part of the backyard stash.

This has been a fantastic year for mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest. Hiking has been wonderful for all the varieties one can see and if you're knowledgeable, great for picking and eating. However, while 'shrooms can kill you if you ingest the wrong variety, they can likewise poison your dog. I was at a recent pet first aid class put on by our local emergency vet hospital, ACCES. The vet tech conducting the class said they have seen a large influx of dogs poisoned from eating mushrooms. 

A local TV station recently posted this article which has some great links at the bottom. Please read the article and check your yard for mushrooms, protect your dog. I removed a large bowl from mine.

First Snow of the Season

Bella feels strongly about the snow.

Our camping trip into Colorado was fun, but cold! In fact, the snow turned us around as we just couldn't stay warm. Bella, however, had a ball!

Car Travel Safety

I've had my dogs in car harnesses for over 10 years. I began using a walking harness (see this earlier post) and have since graduated to a Bergen harness as I felt it provided better protection, offered more chest coverage and therefore, less impact harm to my pup. Bella is never in the car without being in her harness. But today, I came across an interesting article that relayed test results from different dog harnesses and the Bergen was not a leading contender. In fact, for a 75-pound dog, it proved catastrophic meaning the restraints broke, launching the dog.

With a bit more scurrying around the Internet, I was able to locate the actual study and am linking you to it, so you can see how the testing was done. This is the first time I've read that a study was even conducted. It seems the Sleepypod Clickit harness was recommended in all dog weight ranges (small: 25; medium: 45; and large: 75 pounds).

The Clickits are not cheap, but it could save your pup's life.

Lost & Found

Heaven forbid your dog runs off. As careful as we all are being mindful of our dog's location, things happen. Unfortunately for some owners, their dog take off without the slightest provocation. Lucy was like that. Any opportunity was golden. Luckily, the majority of the times she "left," she went to one of two neighbors who would bring her in and call us. How could we be so careless with her?

For the first five years of her life, she made no attempt to leave our fenced yard. Then, one summer a new family moved in with a passel of kids. It was late June and the kids had gotten a hold of "squealer" fire crackers and were lighting them off in the alley behind our house. Lucy panicked and jumped the fence in fear. Luckily, we saw it happen and were able to race after her. Long story short, once she discovered this access to the world, she made the most of it until we could eventually build a taller fence. She learned to open the gate latches with her nose, so we installed locking handles.

Bella stays close by, but she is a normal dog and an open door is...well...so beckoning. If my husband doesn't pay attention and the garage door to the alley is open, she trots out. Luckily she only goes across the alley to our neighbor's garbage. (Not so good for her tummy and our carpet, but usually we catch her before she devours the pile.)

All our dogs have been licensed. All have had tags. (My favorite tags are Boomerang. They slide over the collar, don't clink and more importantly, don't get stuck on things. Bella once caught her tags in the slit between deck boards. I've used Boomerang since then.) All dogs have been microchipped. Every year when we go for Bella's annual checkup, I have the vet scan her to make sure the chip is still reading. When we travel, which we do a lot, I carry recent pictures of her and her medical records.

But what to do if your pup bolts and isn't found? I came across this article today in the Huffington Post, How to Find a Lost Dog: Things You Haven't Considered, by Nicole Wilde. It covers the basics (posting flyers, walking your neighborhood, eliciting help from neighbors, checking at local shelters), but also covers some ideas I hadn't considered. It hadn't occurred to me to give a poster with my dog's picture and our phone number to the mailman and UPS/Fed Ex guys that regularly drive the area. Wilde also recommends posting the flyer at local vet offices and stores. Again, a great idea. If your dog is hurt, perhaps a good Samaritan took your pup to a vet. Perhaps a shopper at a store you don't frequent, has seen your pup.Not only should you post with local groomers and pet stores, but at any local shop. Take your search on-line. A local dog, Harley, was eventually found after four months, because his owner took every avenue to search for his beloved dog. Don't give up on your pup!

Are You Coming Home Tonight?

Are you coming home tonight? You can 100% guarantee that? What if your car breaks down? Or heaven forbid, you're in an accident? What if you aren't able to make it home and your pup is home alone without access to food or water and no one knows? What plans do you have in place in case you aren't returning soon?

I came across this article today that lays out just this scenario. The author was biking when—whoa!—an accident caused an unforeseen delay in getting back to their pup.

One sad puppy...because you aren't coming home.

In the old days, before our house was burgled, we had a dog door that allowed Lucy access to the fenced yard. This gave us peace of mind for the dog if we were delayed in returning. (Of course, we weren't thinking our delay would be anything but what we had control over.) Luce had water inside and out, so the only absence, besides us, would have been food—and she could have made it for a while with an empty bowl.  (Lucy wasn't much of an eater and would literally go days without touching her food. I think her tops was four days, her choice.)

Today, post burglary, we no longer have a dog door, so Bella does not have that same freedom. And like the author of the article, we never leave the house thinking we aren't coming back. She brings up great points and stresses her plans aren't for permanent contingencies, but a shorter period of time—24-72 hours.

I am a cyclist also and identified not only with the possibility of an accident, but just the fact that "stuff" happens. I immediately checked my phone's ICE contacts and realized the woman who looks in on our house when we travel was not an ICE contact. She is now, as she as complete access to the premises and loves Bellie to bits. I know she would take excellent care of her. Next up, a list where we keep food, treats, poop bags and leash for our neighbor, and vet notification that said neighbor, knowing our desires, is authorized to make medical decisions for Bella, should they be necessary.

What are you contingency plans?

Snail Bait—Not So Pet Friendly

When Bella was a pup, my husband put some moss kill on the lawn. I don't remember the brand, but it had iron in it—and Bella loved it. Her tongue turned orange (which was how I knew she'd been lapping it up). Although she didn't act sick in the least, I took her to the vet just in case. Luckily, all was well and those products are no longer used in the backyard where she hangs out.

Today I received an email via a gardening group to which I belong. In it was an alert about iron toxicosis in pets that had consumed slug bait containing iron phosphate. Symptoms of consumption are typical: lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea.

Although slug bait containing metaldehyde is more toxic, iron phosphate is not benign. If you live in slug country, as I do, battling those slimy garden decimaters is an ongoing job. There are less lethal methods of controlling slugs (beer traps), though they may not work as quickly. However, better safe than sorry with your beloved pets.

You can read the AVMA notice here.

Remember, although a product may be organic or natural, it doesn't mean it's safe when consumed. Be sure to:

1. Always read pesticide labels carefully and follow the directions for recommended dosage. More is not better!
2. If the product is dry (i.e., pellets), don't create bait piles. (If you must, but it in an enclosed container that only a slug can enter.)
3. And of course, store the product somewhere out of reach to pets and children.

ALERT! Dog given away during soldier's deployment

Picture of Oakley

A soldier returns from deployment to find his dog has been sold or given away by its caretaker. The soldier was not informed of this until May, but he states he could have happened anytime between February and June of this year. I've seen this sad news in several different places and on Facebook. This Craigslist ad is circulating through the local dog news in the State of Washington. If you know where this dog may be, please contact the soldier through his Craigslist listing.

Baby Kisses Dog

I have seen tons of pictures recently showing babies and toddlers face-to-face, lying on top of, or tightly hugging their dog. Babies and dogs together aren't anything new—and the photos are sweet, but have you ever noticed how uneasy the dog often is? Perhaps these photos stand out to me because I am both more aware of how a dog communicates and I have two new grand-(great?) nephews (1 year and 9 months). More often than not, the poor dog looks like it is tolerating the interaction and gratefully, is well-behaved enough to suffer through the interaction. But how many people unknowingly subject their dog to the discomfort and their child to the danger? It seems like a lot.

I came across this video showing very subtle dog communication around a wee one. I sent it off to both new sets of parents. They may be comfortable with the interaction between their baby and their dog, but do they know their friends' dogs as well?

After Lucy passed away, we briefly trialed-for-adoption, a male pup around a year old. He was a sweet, young thing, but I realized almost immediately he harbored more issues than I was skilled to deal with. Although he suffered several bizarre personality traits, the clincher for his return was nipping a neighbor's young daughter. The little girl, around eight at the time, came over to see our new pup. She was shy and stood quietly by her mother, when Jake came up and nipped at her shirt. No one had anticipated that. He didn't touch skin, and neither the mother nor her daughter was bothered by it. The little girl was unharmed. However, I was greatly concerned! We travel a lot and are in many different situations which include children. I did not want a dog that needed constant monitoring; I had already experienced that with Lucy. After much distress on my part, the young dog was returned to his foster home for more evaluation.

Lovely Bella is as sweet as can be, but she isn't used to babies who grab her fur for balance or grab her neck to hug or topple accidentally on top of her. Whenever we are around small ones, I monitor her and the babies like a hawk and do not allow close interactions. I am guarding Bella as much as the baby. Bella is far more quick than I and a baby's face is far closer to Bella's teeth.

On the street, there are several things I do when a child runs up to Bella, as often, the parent with the child does nothing.

• First, I safeguard Bella. I make sure she is not anxious (never the case) and next to me. 
• I explain to the child they should never run up to a strange dog. 
• They should always ask the owner permission to pet the dog.
• They shouldn’t shout or grab at the dog—all things that can frighten it and precipitate a bite.
• When greeting a strange dog, they should extend a fisted hand, fingers down, for the dog to sniff (safe-guarding small, tasty fingers).
• When leaving, it is wise to walk, not run, from the dog.
  
  

A bit of overkill, perhaps, but if the parent is non-responsive, I assume the child hasn't been taught how to behave around an animal. Better to know how to approach an animal safely, than risk a bite.

Recently I read the article, Why Some Pet Photos Make Me Nervous, by Dr. Nancy Kay, DVM. In it she advises parents to:

• Actively teach young children how to interact with animals in a gentle, respectful fashion. Role model this behavior every chance you get.
• Be reminded that every animal is capable of unpredictable behavior. Never leave a young child unsupervised with an animal, even if that animal happens to be the beloved family pet.
• An eating or sleeping animal is wearing a “do not disturb” sign which should be respected.
• If your pet enjoys spending time in a crate or other small, enclosed shelter, consider this to be their sacred space and bar young children from entering.
• Avoid subjecting your pet to unnatural, uncomfortable poses for the sake of a photo!
  
  

Respect a dog's sense of space—and be responsible for your child’s interactions with pets.

"Part Wild"—What Do You Think?

I just finished the book, Part Wild, by Ceiridwen Terrill, which chronicles four years spent with a wolf-dog. She adopts Inyo as a pup for the wrong reasons and without doing any research regarding the difficulties faced owning a dog that is part wolf, part domesticated dog. Her life is full of bumbling relationships with men and her wolf-dog, but also contains some magic moments. When she and Inyo are in the mountains and civilization is remote, both are free and happy. Not so the case when confined in a city. Terrill writes well and some of her tales are quite funny. Most, however, are sad—a tragedy because Inyo is neither a wolf nor a dog and fits in neither world.

A good friend has also read this book and we had very different takes on it. Both of us are dog lovers and spend much of our time discussing our dogs in particular, but also other dogs and dog owners. She felt Ms. Terrill was initially ill-informed (she was), made many mistakes with the care of Inyo (some will make you cringe) and felt the author saw herself above others (I disagree). But how many of us got our first dog with no more to go on than love of a pretty face? Some of us were/are lucky, but the over-crowding of animal shelters is testament that Ms. Terrill isn't the first to be ignorant of what's involved in owning a dog, let alone one that is part wolf.

The book is well written and quite honest about the difficulties for the wolf-dogs and owners, most of whom, like herself, get the dog for the worst reasons. She went into the relationship ignorant and left heart-broken. She interviewed (canine) geneticists, dog trainers, wolf experts and wolf rescuers attempting to understand the difference between a wolf and domesticated dog. Ms. Terrill does not advocate owning a wolf-dog, far from it. She spells out all too clearly how heart-breaking it is for all. In the end, she had to make an excruciatingly difficult decision.

Here's a bit more about wolf-dogs from one of my favorite (dog) authors, Patricia McConnell. Again, not a pretty story.

Just Plain Cute

I came across this photo blog today Find Momo. Can you find Momo? Love it!

Great Point of View Regarding Training

I came across this article today and had to share it. I couldn't agree more with the author! In Common Misunderstandings About Training and Behavior, author Kelly Gorman Dunbar writes about two important facets of our human-dog relationship. One, the use of treats—to use or fade out, and two, our misinterpretation of dog behavior—are they being willful or are we being unclear.

I'm sure you've noticed that after you've phased out treats, and months (or years!) have passed, your pup seems to ignore or forget basic behaviors. "Oh! You want me to stay (sit, heel, etc.)?" And meanwhile, you are thinking, "Wait a minute! You learned this years ago!" Ms. Dunbar hits the nail on the head when she writes:

"Yet it seems that people want their dogs to do their bidding without getting some sort of reinforcement in return. It’s interesting to me, because this is not how we humans operate; we expect to get paid for a job well done. Nor is it the way of the rest of the natural world. We mammals do what works for us to keep us healthy, happy, and alive. Behavior is driven by its results or consequence; life is inherently rewarding or punishing."

I know Bella loves "payment" and as soon as it arrives, she is more anticipatory to the next command. Sometimes that payment is food, sometimes a bit o' loving, or maybe some ball time—but the point is, the reward works. I don't always have food with me, but I consciously bring training treats with me on certain walks or adventures, just to reinforce heeling, sitting at stops, paying attention. It works!

Ms. Dunbar goes on to write about what some owners say is their dog's willful behavior. She counters with:

"I often say that dogs don’t generalize well and that’s why we have to painstakingly break things down into tiny exercises to teach with clarity. However, there are other reasons a dog might not be learning what you are trying to teach. Or perhaps it’s not that they don’t generalize well, but rather that they really just aren’t getting clear instruction most of the time. We humans are incredibly inconsistent. We have such terrible and confusing habits as changing verbal cues (is it Off or Down?), changing the reward marker if we have one, and not telling the dog when she’s got it right."

Early on, my husband and I were wondering why Bella wasn't "getting" a couple of commands and we realized we were using different words. I was using "down" for laying down and "drop" for spitting something out of her mouth; he was using "drop" for both the former and latter command. Oh boy! So we agreed to use "down" for laying down, "drop" for downing at a distance and "out" for spitting things out. But I've noticed we occasionally use "out" for when it's okay for her to proceed us through an open door. No wonder she doesn't always respond—she's confused about what we're asking of her!

Training us is much more difficult than training the pup. Not only do we need to be consistent with the words used, but it's necessary to use clear markers when a command is executed (timing is so important here), when training is over, or when we're just talking/working with her. I wish I had not used "OK" as completion, as that word has come back to bite me several times. "Release"...or another uncommonly used word, would have been much better. Perhaps a reason for another training session for us!

Sitting in a Parked Car

We've all heard it—don't leave your dog in a parked car on a warm (notice I'm not even saying "hot" here) day. I'm sure this video will go viral in the dog world. A vet, Dr. Ernie Ward, takes a video of himself sitting in his car for 30 minutes. His windows are ajar. Unless you can do the same and be comfortable, don't expect your sweet dog to fare better. Leave your pup at home.

Water Intoxication—No Joke

Having suffered this myself, I can genuinely say water intoxication is no joke. I passed out and ended up in the emergency room. They thought I'd had a stroke. I was completely dysfunctional—all from having drunk too much water. Drinking too much water (hyponatremia) dilutes the sodium/electrolytes in your body causing swelling of cells which can impact your brain and other organs in your body.

So when I saw this article stating the same thing is possible for dogs, I knew I needed to address it. A couple of years ago, I think Bella was close to experiencing this. We'd gone to a friend's lake place and Bella was in heaven. Not only was there water to play in, but the gathering hosted nearly 20 people—all of them more than ready to toss a ball for the B-Girl. I was watching her pretty closely and was concerned about the length of time she'd been retrieving the ball in the salt water. Her swimming had slowed down, but not her drive.

Nothing like water and a ball to make a puppy happy, but it
can be a dangerous combination if not monitored closely.

I finally called a halt to the play despite the fact that everyone thought I was over-reacting. It was a good lesson to always trust my gut instinct when it comes to my girl. I am with her more than anyone else and was aware she wouldn't stop until she collapsed. I have never seen her quite so worn out. She was definitely feeling the effects of ingesting a lot of salt water. She vomited several times and had diarrhea—both signs of water intoxication—and her coordination was slowed. Dilated pupils? I don't know. Excessive salivation? That's one of Bella's trademarks.

Luckily, she didn't succumb to water intoxication, but I can attest to how quickly I deteriorated, so I don't doubt it's as fast, or faster, with a dog. So while you have fun with your pup in the water this summer, be mindful. Don't let her stay in too long and be sure to give her plenty of breaks.

The Benefits of Knitting While Owning A Chewing Dog

Bella catches new toy.

Bella destroys most of her toys. At four, she's slowed down on that destruction only a little. I've spent more money on toys for her in four years than I spent on our last two dogs over a 29 year span.

I heard about a company called Bionics that sounded really cool and got Bellie a toy from them. (Friends gave her two more). If she destroyed them, they'd send me a new one. If she destroyed the second one, she could become a life-long tester. How could you argue with that? Problem is, Bella doesn't like their toys. She rarely even mouths them. So I continue to buy toys knowing their life span will be short.

Sputnik minus some niks.

I recently got her a new toy that looks (looked?) like a Sputnik. Now you might ask, "What does this all have to do with knitting? Good question!

Future knitting needle stops.

If you are at all into knitting, you know one of the foibles is your project might fall off the needles when put down for the night. Usually this is because your project is too big for the length of the needles and no matter how much you push it back to one side, it o-o-z-e-s to the other and just drops into space. This probably elicits a lot of colorful language from you the next time you pick it up to work on it. Hence, the invention of needle stops. (Of course, you can jam the needles into a ball of yarn and hope for the best, but this isn't always successful.) Those little point protectors don't fit all needles, so you need different sizes and after a while, you realize you are spending money on something that you shouldn't. (I've also twisted rubber bands 80,000 times around the tip. Tedious.)

Back to Bella's great chewing capacity. She is working on chewing off all the sputnik extensions at just the right length. I'm collecting them and they will become point protectors/needle stops. I'll just drill different sized holes into the chewed end. Oh the joy! This isn't money wasted on toys; I'm saving money in knitting!

Loose Dog—"Oh! He's friendly!"

This kind of situation would not have been an issue for me had we not been blessed with Lucy. Lucy was aggressive with any dog who approached her—unless it was a puppy or a dog she knew. Lucy was always on a leash, not so other dogs, though some were on equally unmanageable flexi-leads. Somehow, dog owners assume that because their dog is non-aggressive, all will be well, but they don't consider the other dog. Lucy was beautifully behaved on a leash—unless charged by another dog.

I can't tell you the number of times people allowed their dog to zoom in our direction with the shout, "Oh (s)he's friendly!" (The flexi-lead walkers were almost always oblivious to the location of their dog.) No one ever bothered to ask if my dog was friendly. Usually, I could maneuver Luce away or yell to the owner to grab their dog before things got out of hand—but not always. A fight would occur and who was considered the guilty owner? I always felt horrible that Lucy was in a situation in which she clearly felt threatened. Her psyche was so fragile and I did my utmost to avoid those scenarios.

So I was quite taken aback the other day while walking mild-mannered Bella. A loose Golden Retriever, hackles raised, came rushing at us from behind some shrubs. What did the owners yell? "Oh, he's friendly!" In fact, there was no problem because Bella reacts beautifully in those kinds of circumstances, giving just the right doggie "I am not boss" signals. But that's besides the point as I don't want my girl to have to be in those situations. I had no time to extricate her or avoid the oncoming Golden. Had it been Lucy, there would have been no question of a fight.

The owners were walking their dog off leash. Mistake number one. Two, they assumed because their dog was friendly (although his approach was anything but), there would be no issue. Three, they made no attempt at calling their dog to them, but let the situation unfold. Trying to be as calm as possible, I explained why it was very unsafe for them to allow their dog to do that. They looked at me like the problem was mine. I feel very, very sorry for their pup. He may not be so lucky the next time he charges a dog.

Garbage Hound

We have a dilemma. There is a member of our family who doesn't pay attention to Bella and open doors. Bella normally stays close, although I wouldn't put money on that always being that way. However, a neighbor buries his garbage—shallowly. I am not sure why he doesn't use the recycling we have available, but he doesn't and Bella is delighted. She has non-discriminatory taste buds and the appetite of an elephant.

So when unsaid family member isn't paying attention, Bella crosses the alley to the delicious pit of rotting scraps and gorges. And then gets sick. At home. This could be funny, but isn't. And it could be deadly, but thank heavens, hasn't been so far. She has upchucked all sorts of undefinables, which have included chicken bones. Unsaid family member didn't seem to get the seriousness of this and luckily our neighbor is unaware of the rat issue and hasn't used poison.

I think this errant family member, after the last binge-eating repercussion, may finally realize the seriousness of what his inattention brings about. I hope so. I love Bella and want her to live to a ripe old age, but cannot be here 24/7 monitoring the both of them. This is a big issue.

CGC Certified!

I am interested in taking Bella through some therapy dog training to see if I can combine my love of Bella with my desire to volunteer. It seems to do any therapy work with your dog, your dog first has to have his or her CGC certification (Canine Good Citizen).

Yesterday I went to a great training facility, Riverdog, to get an evaluation. The trainer said we could just go through the test instead. Yahoo! Bella passed with flying colors! Now it's on to therapy classes to see what good we can do in the world. Good dog, Bella!

Dog Visitors

Amber

Bella's buddy Amber stayed with us for a few days. Bella is very respectful of Amber's age (11 1/2 years) and doesn't badger her, although I know she wants to play with her. Amber looks fabulous: her coat is shiny and thick and gait is steady, but I've noticed that our linoleum floor is hard for her to negotiate. Her back end slipped frequently. It made me sad. Amber has gone through two ACL surgeries and is now on steady chemo meds for mast cell cancer yet seems so young at heart. The slipping makes me realize that she's old. I kept her on the carpet as much as possible and nothing from her in the kitchen the required speed. Next time, I'll have rubber-backed carpet for her.

Amber, as with all good dogs, never complains. You have to scratch your head at dogs' adaptability. Yes, she know our house and us, but her owner comes over and leaves her. (Emphasis from the dog's point of view.) Amber just fit right in to our schedule. She even learned to wait with a biscuit on her paw before chewing. What a good girl!

In a couple of weeks, we'll be taking care of another dog, K2. Bella and K2 will play hard and have a fabulous time. Bella likes the company and doggie interactions.

Who Bella does not like is our neighbor's maltese-cross, Misu. Misu is not very well socialized, but sweet (if ill-behaved). Yet she must have done some bad dog thing to Bella, because she is the only dog Bella cannot tolerate. I was concerned yesterday when I let Bella into the back yard and realized Misu was there. Bella assumed the pose: rigid, standing over Misu. Misu peed all over herself. Luckily I could remove Bellie from the scene without incident and leash Misu (because she doesn't know the word 'come') and return her home.

Spring is Here

The Mallards are back! Bella and I were in the back yard when we heard quacking and there on the roof sat Mr. and Mrs. Mallard. (Believe me, seeing ducks on a roof is an odd sight! Their feet aren't built for that platform.)

I put Bellie inside and snapped some pictures (one much better than the other), as they strolled our backyard. Unfortunately our yard doesn't provide good nesting sites with only a water bowl and a dog to contend with. They ate some slugs, drank some water and moved on. Sigh.

Bella Turns Four

Yesterday was Bellie's fourth birthday. I have never owned a dog where I knew his or her birth date. It's a cheap thrill. For Bella, each day is wonderful and I feel silly doing doggie birthday cakes, so any celebrating was more for me thanking the gods for bringing Bella into our lives.

She got to clean out the plain yogurt container. Oh boy! Had two games of chuck-it. Thrilling! Received some meat in her evening kibble. Oh joy!

I did take her on a new hike. At this time of year, it has to be local and low because of weather. There is a river that was paved over a hundred years or more ago and is now a pond. There's a trail along side it that I had never walked before. The trail was mucky in parts from all our recent rain, but the salmon berries were starting to bloom and the pond was thriving with ducks and geese. Bella got to swim. Happy girl.

Happy Birthday, my lovely puppy!

Hot Weather, Ants and Dogs

Hot girl-dog starting a hot walk.

The weather has spiked here. It's in the 80s early in the day and mid-90s by mid-afternoon. The older I get, the more I am aware of the narrowing of my personal temperature comfort range. I am not comfortable when it is higher than the 70s. Activity brings on an instant, dripping sweat. Bella is also miserable and seems content to just be on the cool tile floor or in the shade of a palm.

Along with the heat, we've seen an enormous influx of ants—in the bathroom, in the kitchen, around the perimeter of the house. Counters are cleaned several times a day, but still they come. The concrete house is porous and we've found several spots we think are their entry by watching their trail.

The only thing available in our rental was Raid and my husband used it. (Effectively, I might add, but reluctantly.) We were concerned for our health, naturally, but more concerned for Bella. Some of the spray was at her level and we didn't want her anywhere near it.

Our neighbor, a long time Baja resident and knowledgeable ant remover, had the better solution: some liquid dish detergent diluted enough to use it in a spray bottle (which she was kind enough to lend us). Eureka! It stops them dead in their tracks without us resorting to pesticides. We can now go on the attack, without fear of the "bad stuff."

Dog Buddies

I've written a lot about our last dog, Lucy, and her selective friendships. She had a hard time with other dogs and only allowed a few into her life, but she played with none...except Kita. Kita was an Akita mix and she and Lucy were so obviously best friends. They could see across the street to each other's home and when they spotted each other, oh! The volume went up! Kita's owner moved away after a year and Lucy went into a huge slump. Kita was far enough away that get togethers weren't possible.

So you can imagine my delight when I read a story of two stray dogs in Indiana that had bonded, but were caught and taken to a shelter. One was adopted out and lasted with his family only three weeks before he made a ten mile journey back to the shelter to see his buddy. The end of the story is even better. Read it here.

Do you know what's in your dog's dry kibble?

I came across this article today from Reuters regarding contaminated corn in kibble.  Wikipedia states in its description of aflatoxins:

"Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known."

Aflatoxins flourish in dry conditions like the Midwest had last year. In drought years, corn is more susceptible to mold, from which aflatoxin is a byproduct. Many kibble products contain corn. DogFoodAdvisor.com lists a recall of Hy-Vee pet foods from Midwestern states.

Check your dog's food label. Symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning are similar to so many other signs: lethargy, vomiting, lack of appetite, diarrhea—and a new one, yellow tint to eyes and gums.

How Often is Your Dog Vaccinated?

I am not even going to go into this other than refer you to this recent article in Bark magazine regarding vaccination frequency and amount. It is a HOT topic with many pet owners and something my vet and I have struggled with trying to walk a fine line between US and Mexican requirements for pets crossing borders. Bella is healthy and current on all her vaccines, but Mexican law requires yearly rabies shots, where my state has a 3-year interim between boosters.

I spoke with another U.S. vet who lives in Mexico six months of the year. I asked him how he manages his dog's rabies shot. He observes the standard for his state. I have not asked him about vaccinations in general and plan to do so the next time I see him.

Have you talked to your vet about this? What have you discovered?

Giving Table Scraps

We have a fairly strict policy at home about treating Bella with human scraps. Depending on what the food is, we are okay with it as long as we aren't cooking or eating. I don't want her drooling while I cook, hoping she'll get something, or begging at the table.

Recently I had an incident with a house guest who was liberal with handouts. Although I give her kudos for telling me, she mentioned she'd fed Bella some avocado and did I mind. I know there is controversy around avocados, but I was not concerned about the little bit she gave her. However, that she gave Bella anything without asking me first, did concern me. Not only for health issues (did she know about grapes, for instance), but for the fact that I don't want our four years of training to go down the tubes in a single week! I asked that she please not do it again.

Case closed I thought, but then saw her giving Bella bread and cheese. I asked her please do not feed Bella scraps. She apologized and laughed, "Oh! Her face is so cute and she looks so hungry!" I agreed to the cuteness (of course!), but assured her that Bella wasn't starving, but a bottomless pit.

The next day, same story, different page. Stop! Feeding! My! Dog! She was contrite, but not apologetic.

Lucky our guest has left–but she's left us with a dog who now puts her face too close to plates, food, compost all the while sniffing and drooling. It will take some undoing, I fear. Before where Bella would lie in the kitchen, out of my way, and watch, she's now underfoot. Each time I have to remove her to a further corner or put her on a down/stay while eating. What a bother to continually remind her one week of a bad guest and free handouts does not mean a perpetual license to beg.

Have you experienced this with others trying to ingratiate themselves to your pup via free food?

Hard-Working Dog Honored

I love these kinds of stories. I particularly like them when the animal, in this case, Rusty, the dog, can be honored and is alive to see it, versus posthumously. Not only has Rusty served his community well, but he gets to live out his life with his coworker as a regular family dog.

I wonder if after a life of work, if he'll be bored or able to enjoy his retirement with walks, ball tosses and swims?

Multilingual Dog

Bella is multilingual. I'm quite proud of her. Of course she speaks Dog. Here, in Baja, I don't know if the other canines speak a different dialect, but she seems quite at home with them and has had no problem making herself understood.

Then of course, she understands (though cannot speak) English. Her vocabulary is large. When she is being pesky with her ball wanting someone to toss it, she knows the command "be self-entertaining" and goes off with the ball to play by herself.

She often stays with some friends when we can't take her on our travels. I know they speak German to her. I don't know what she knows, but they say she's got the basics down. Maybe I should learn German...

And now she has some Spanish under her belt. I am working with the program Rosetta Stone to improve my Spanish and each unit starts starts and ends with "hola" and "adios." The first time I said "hola" she ran to the door and barked. I didn't get what the connection was until the second time. Now, if we're inside, and I say "Hola," she always runs to the door or out into the yard to see who's there!

How many languages does your dog understand?

Carbs? Low Carb? No Carb?

In the same day, I received an article from a friend and my brother regarding a new DNA study on wolves and domesticated dogs.  My friend sent it thinking I would find it fascinating, my brother because of the last paragraph in the article he sent. The author, Rosie Mestel, of the Los Angeles Times writes in that paragraph:

"Dr. Oscar Chavez, director of the veterinary technician program at Cal Poly Pomona, said the findings serve as a reminder that dogs don't eat like wolves. He said he and his colleagues are befuddled by the trend toward pricey low-carb dog foods and raw diets, which could stress dogs' kidneys with their extra protein load."

I had told my brother I was feeding Bella no grain/high protein kibble and that her coat was glossy, her stools (a dog owner's odd focus), and her demeanor even keel. He switched his young Wheaten to a similar diet with similar results. However with this news, and his understanding that Wheaten's can have kidney issues, he was concerned he might be hurting his dog with the best of intentions.

First off, I recommended he contact his vet and see what her/his thoughts were. I sent an email to my vet (and have not heard back yet), and went on-line to start reading. It seems in a layman's nutshell, the gist of the study was an apparent large difference between wolves and domesticated dogs ability to digest starch. Domesticated dogs have an enzyme that allows for easier digestion; wolves don't have it. (It is worth reading the articles, plus this one also.)

Someone mentioned to me the correlation in humans between a high protein (low carb) diet and kidney function and sent me the link to this article. I am no scientist and don't pretend to be, but found this statement in the Harvard study interesting:

"While the researchers observed that protein consumption had an adverse impact on women with mild kidney problems, the same did not hold true for women with normal kidney function."

As I wrote my brother, the high protein, low/no grain dog kibbles have been around long enough that if there were significant reports of kidney damage, I believe we would have read something about it. I also found it reassuring that none of the other articles mentioned anything about the high protein/low carbohydrate diets correlating to canine kidney dysfunction and that the Harvard article mentioned in people with good kidney function, high protein diets did not equate kidney problems.

My brother's vet did respond to his email and told him not to be concerned. If he wanted, the next time he brought his dog in, they would do a baseline test to measure Murray's kidney function.


My brother will rest easier and so will I. Thanks to all my on-line buddies at Good Paws for their input and knowledge sharing regarding this issue!

Dog Booties Uber Alles

Bella's paws are in good condition this year for three reasons:

1. Last year I picked eight jillion pounds of broken glass from the yard of the home we rent while in Baja. (She had seriously sliced her feet more than once just running across the yard.)
2. This year, the landlord has hired someone to rake the sand (i.e., yard) once a week. The other six days, I continue to pick up broken glass.
3. Bella wears Ruffwear's dog booties when we go mountain biking. 

Well-worn, de-sanded and moderately washed dog boots.

Last year I wouldn't allow her to bike in the cactus forest (La Bufadora), but she's more mature and I thought she could manage it this time around. With booties, she's done well, and still, we've pulled some huge thorns from the soles. So thanks, Ruffwear! Bella (and I) are happy campers knowing her paws are protected!

Baja's Second First–Mountain Biking in the Bufadora

Biking through the cactus last year.

We took Bella mountain biking in the Bufadora! This is a large cardón cactus forest at the end of our bay. Last year we kept her to the sand road skirting the area, but yesterday took her onto the trails. My concern was that Bellie's Australian Shepherd genes keep her running alongside my husband's bike. Not viable in a cactus forest! She tried to maintain her position, but she understands the command "Ahead." We tried to keep her there as much as possible.

This year has seen a lot of rain; the whole drive down we talked about how green everything was. The forest was truly spectacular. Desert grass skirted the trails, cactus were in bloom and everything was green, green, green. The trails were in excellent condition as the rain had packed the sand. Cycling was easy because of it.

No one puts their dogs in booties down here, even though I was told to bring them.  Although I had them in my Camelback, I didn't make Bellie wear them. Every major trail intersection, we'd stop and check her paws. She was good to go!

The temperature is still cool and there was no need to worry about her overheating. We had plenty of water with us. We'll keep riding with her until the morning temps prove to hot.

Baja First–Bella Hits the Beach

Wearing a muzzle means fun beach time! Oh boy!

Last year, after a fraught visit to the beach, I did not bring Bella down to the water again–at least not in the area where we live. There was an influx of dead sea slugs and puffer fish that year and living in the curve of a bay, we are the repository for most of the flotsam and jetsam. I had been warned these sea creatures exude such a powerful neuro-toxin that if mouthed, they can kill a dog within 24 hours.  It can drop a person who has only ingested a teaspoon. I had been told stories of friends dogs that had touched one and they filled me with dread. I was not going to expose Bella to that danger.

This year, I worked consistently with her wearing a muzzle. Before leaving, I was able to walk her around the neighborhood while she wore her muzzle with only infrequent rubbing against my leg. Two days ago, I took her to the beach with her muzzle. The sea slug scare remains, but the influx is next to nil this year.

She was so happy on the beach. Water! Running! She did drag her nose occasionally trying to remove the muzzle, but she was obviously blissful. Good girl, Bellie! Another beach visit is in your future.

Immediate Baja Addendum

Just spoke with a neighbor down here (Baja ) who has a lab who mouthed and dropped a toxic, dead sea creature (sea slug). He spent three days with a retired US veterinarian and a Mexican vet putting his Labrador into a three day, intentional semi-coma. The pet owner is an emergency room doc in the states. They did the intensive care in the owner's home. The dog came out of it, but continued to lose weight as the toxin had ruined the stomach lining. They flew home with the dog, saw an US vet and after three months, and visiting a vet who practiced acupuncture, were able to see their dog on a road to recovery who could tolerate digesting food.


I was going to take Bella to the beach tomorrow sans muzzle. Our friend said he never saw his dog pick up a thing. Guess Bellie is going oceanward with a face-trap.

Arrived in Baja

It is always a gargantuan drive, and this year in particular, difficult in that it rained the whole way. Not consistently, but off and on, leaving the roads muddy and slippery, and camping wet and uninviting. We saw more accidents this year than ever before despite the better roads.

She's out of the car, on a beach, with a ball–happy girl!

To be back in the same house is wonderful and finally, we have sun. It feels great. We went on a short bike ride around town this morning delivering things to people who had arrived previously. Because there are no street addresses or local post office, it's impossible to have things mailed. To get something, you often depend on fellow travelers to bring things you need. If it's easy to pack in a suitcase or a car, everyone is obliging. During the ride, there was a bit of Baja loose-dog-dodging, but we flanked Bellie with our bikes, or I road behind, weaving back and forth to dissuade any close encounters.

Bella is happy. In fact, Bella is happy anytime there is a ball, or her people, close by!

¡Feliz año nuevo!