Feral Dogs in Japan's Disaster Zone

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

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

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

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

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

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

Someone has MY toy!

I love this picture.

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

Oh the unfairness of it all!

Buddies

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

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

Bella and Boone resting.

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

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

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

Back to the Teanaway

Ball? Did someone say "ball?"

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

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

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

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

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

Flashback

Dora-Nellie-Bella, 5 weeks old.

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

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

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

Car Travel Safety

Mountain biking outside of McCall, Idaho in '05.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do Our Dogs Love Us?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where Has Your Pup Been?

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

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

Bella's (orange) journey through the West.

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

Dozer, the Half-Marathoner

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

Flying your Pup

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

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

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

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

Bloat

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

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

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

Paddle Boarding with Bella

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

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

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

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

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

It's been a while...

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

Murray the Marvelous

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

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

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

Three dogs waiting for food to drop.

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

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

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

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

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

Leaving...

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

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

Mountain Biking on the Teanaway

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

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

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

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

Mountain-biking girl-dog cooling her jets!

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

Dog Food—What do you feed yours?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's your opinion?

Beyond Exhausted

Ball-catching water baby.

I think Bella is setting up a theme for the summer. I'm realizing if she doesn't set limits for herself, than I must. I haven't heard of a dog working themselves to death, but I was watching her very closely this weekend for over-exhaustion.

The weekend was wonderful. It was a true taste of summer—each day broke sunny and warm—and was quite the contrast to our year to-date. We were visiting friends at their home on a small Puget Sound island. It began with a girls' weekend: the owner, another friend, Bella and myself.

Getting there is a bit of a chore as there are few ferries and those run infrequently. The ferry that you catch takes people only, no cars. If you have your own boat, you can go at any point, but that wasn't the case for us. We had to bring not only our own suitcase, but all the food for the weekend (and there would end up being eight of us). In addition, I was schlepping Bella's bag as well Bella. The ferry requires all dogs wear a muzzle. Luckily I had one from Lucy, but because the trip was rather spontaneous, I had only a few days to work with her on it.

I came across this video that I think is truly fabulous and wish I had had more time to do this to acclimatize Bella. Fortunately for me, my Bella-girl is quite accommodating and although she tried a couple of times to rub it off, was basically nonplussed by it. This will work well for Baja next year!

When we reached the island, we unloaded all of our things to a cart which we could wheel to the car our host leaves there. It was truly wonderful to have 24 hours by ourselves before the others joined us. Girl Time! We walked around the entire island. Bella was thrilled to be able to run loose. It took her no time at all the jump into Puget Sound and paddle around! The only accident was that she took quite a chunk out of a toe on her back left paw. It didn't seem to slow her down and I felt bandaging it would be futile considering she was in and out of the water. I left it to the salt water to keep it well rinsed and always hosed her down when she came on shore again.

She also had the opportunity to ride in a motor boat. I was concerned she might try to  leap out (too much water around her inducing dive in to swim), but she stayed put. She got plenty of  "fetch time" with us, but when the six other guys arrived, she was in heaven. Eight people throwing things on the beach and in the water makes for one tired puppy!

The last day we were there, I was watching her quite closely. I could tell she was flagging at the end of the day, but if people tossed, she continued to run. One of the guys kept throwing a ball out into the water and though I was on the deck, I kept my eye on her to see if she was slowing or having trouble swimming. She was also ingesting large amounts of salt water. She didn't get sick, but I was worried she wasn't getting enough fresh water down her gullet to flush herself out.

Last night when we finally got home, Bella crashed. She no sooner got out of the car than laid down. Got up for dinner, than down again. And she couldn't see to settle—that disturbed me. She groaned frequently and wasn't able to find a comfortable position. I finally gave her a baby aspirin. I'm sure her muscles are sore and I think her toe is very tender.

Next time we're in that situation, I will moderate her activity (and her enablers!) before she gets so worn out. She has barely moved today and tomorrow, I expect more of the same. I'm sure she'll be perky by tomorrow evening and rambunctious by Wednesday, but right now she's just dog-tired.

Great Weekend

Bella joined us down at the Gorge for a wonderful weekend with friends. As far as she was concerned, with the Columbia River and a myriad of "ball tossers" at her beck and call, life couldn't be better. We got in several desert hikes to which she added a LOT of swimming and fetching, new dog buddies to play with and much more freedom to roam than she normally gets. All in all, a great time.

So it was no wonder when on our last morning we stopped to help some friends stain their deck and get their garden ready for summer, she crashed. She didn't want to be far away, but the fun of the weekend finally took its toll.

Can't get much closer, but...

...it's definitely time for a snooze!

Exhausted!

Bella just spent the past five days with her half-sister, Molly, here. The first day Molly was a bit unglued. She's been here a lot, but all dogs go through an adjustment period when their family walks out the door leaving them behind in a place that isn't their home. Molly was no exception.

Bella was initially ecstatic to have Molly here, then jealous and would worm her way between Molly and us when we were lavishing attention on her sister. After a couple of days, everyone settled into a comfortable routine.

Bella has a lot more energy than Molly although there is only a year difference in age. Additionally, Molly is overweight and lethargic by nature. However Molly, being 100% Australian Shepherd, is all about herding while Bella has her Labrador daddy's retrieving genes. Watching the two in action was great!

I'd toss the ball and off Bella would go with Molly herding her. After a couple of tosses, Molly was too tired to keep up the pace, so would wait halfway between Bella's fetch and me so she could chase just a short distance. Molly grabbed one of Bella's squeaky balls and would chase Bella, squeaking the whole way. It was very cute.

Last night I dropped Molly off at her house and when I returned with Bella, I could tell she was dog-tired! Too much fun! The sweet thing was, instead of curling up in her bed, Bella went over to the spot where Molly had slept and curled up there.

Mutts v.s. Purebreds

A mutt at her finest.

I am not a scientist, so anything I say regarding this subject is pure conjecture and gut reaction. Growing up, my family was proud of their mutts. Although we had some purebreds thrown in (a Dalmatian I was too young to remember, a couple of wire-haired Dachshunds, an English Springer Spaniel and a Golden Retriever), the rest of our collection came from a hodge-podge parentage.

For whatever reason, we felt the mutts superior. My parents always professed the mixed breeds were stronger and healthier than the others of finer lineage. (Makes you think of European royalty of yore and some of the "inbreeding" problems they had!) I don't know if that is true (I wasn't responsible for the vet care then), but the dogs were wonderful and now, some 40 years later, friends and I still talk about our one incredible mutt, Clem. Part Golden Retriever, part Bench Setter, Clem was nearly 100 pounds with a beautiful red coat and white chest. Clem was a show-stopper and a wonderful gentleman. He sat proudly in the front of every family picture through the ten years he was with us.

Our dogs were neither hunters nor show dogs. Just—and I use that loosely—an integral part of our family. When a dog passed away, within a week, my mother had picked up a new one. She felt it was best to offer another dog a good home as quickly as possible. (Though I was allergic to dogs, she felt it was better for me to know how to care for an animal than be itch-free.) Our family joke was that if reincarnation existed, we wanted to come back as a dog in our family. They were well cared for and well-loved.

So it was with great interest that I read Patrica McConnell's blog entry regarding inbreeding. Ms. McConnell is a certified applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer as well as an accomplished author. (You are probably familiar with her fabulous book, The Other End of the Leash.) Many of us with dogs have suffered with our dogs through problems exacerbated by inbreeding (hip dysplasia, cherry eye, epilepsy, etc.). Look at the section What is a breed anyway? about halfway down her article. It reminds me of the beginning of the book The Story of Edgar Sawtelle where a family begins breeding a fictional breed of dog based not on their looks necessarily, but on their abilities.

Obviously if you like the look of a particular breed of dog, it would stand to reason, you'd want the next one to look the same. But looks alone don't make for a great dog. What about the temperament? At about the same time we had Clem, some neighbors got an English Setter that was the epitome of bad (in)breeding. Nervous to a fault, continually licking her forelegs raw, flighty with a multitude of health problems. Although I was only about 10 years old at that time, I made the intellectual leap that purebreds were sickly with schizy personalities while mutts were healthy and mellow. Obviously a tremendous leap...

Our previous dog, Lucy, a mutt if there every was one, had health issues throughout her life and personality problems (aggression) that required constant, arduous monitoring. As a dog-smart friend of mine said, "Who knows what bad genetics combined in her?"  So I can't really equate a mutt with being uber-healthy or with a better personality, can I?

Reputable breeders carefully monitor their dogs and do not allow unhealthy dogs to mate, but what about all the kind-hearted backyard breeders that are not looking far back into lineage? Bella's breeder was selling Australian Shepherds, though not raising show dogs. The puppies would never have qualified as a "showable" as they were too long-limbed and long nosed. The breeder also had the "mistake" of the neighbor's black lab making the most of the moment when their bitch went into heat a month earlier than anticipated. Bella is a product of that.

But the breeder was looking at temperament and was very selective about the male she'd breed with her dog. He had to be healthy of course, but more importantly for her, he had to have a great temperament. Bella's mother was the sweetest mama dog and still initiated play with her puppies when they were well past weaned. She reminded me of Nana, the dog in Peter Pan who took care of the children. My sister-in-law has a purebred Aussie from the litter before Bella's and Molly is why I even considered getting a purebred. The mama dog's personality is so evident in Bella (and Molly) who is a tender, cuddly girl. (I don't know Bella's dad, so can only say she has his shape. Bella's owners said he was a superb hunting dog.)

I am not a fan of designer dogs, but the labradoodles and golden doodles I've met have been wonderful. If I was going to breed dogs for temperament and looks, I would choose Bella's mama and the black lab, her father. The pups were all incredible and I wish we'd brought home her brother as well. Back in the days of Clem, if there had been more of him through the years, we would have taken them. Or how about Wister? I bet a lot of outdoors people would take a passel of Wisterettes! I guess there is a bit of "chicken and egg" issue going on. If the buyer wants a particular "look" or "type" of dog, there will be a breeder to oblige, I'm sure. If the breeder isn't mindful, we'll have dogs with many health issues—somewhere neither we nor the dog want to go.

FOOTNOTE: I just read an article by Janis Bradley, Breeds and Behavior, in the April/May 2011 issue of Bark magazine. She writes more about this issue and the judgments we all carry about how we expect a particular breed to behave. If you see the magazine, check out the article. It's a great take on biases and breeds.

Chuck-it!

Got the veterinarian okay and played our first game of Chuck-it since her surgery 10 days ago. Bella was ecstatic!

It's All About the Chompers

We're a couple of days post surgery and teeth cleaning. Her teeth were pretty clean from daily attempts at brushing, but they are a bit more sparkly. (I don't think I can justify calling it actual brushing because I don't do a very thorough job.) The front, lower incisor has been removed and that particular part of the ordeal took a little less than a half hour The good news is after taking x-rays of the rest of her teeth, my vet felt the lower canine, premolar and molar were still okay (no pulp exposed) and therefore a root canal or more invasive surgery elsewhere in Bella's mouth was unnecessary.  Woohoo!

Bella is taking two drugs for four days:

• Clindamycin (150 mg) every twelve hours (antibiotic)
• Carprofen (100 mg) every 24 hours (anti-inflammatory)

She was pretty woozy the first night and not quite up to snuff yesterday. Today, we both agree, she's still a bit subdued and I think that's from the drugs. She's also pretty plugged up, poor girl.

She's to be on soft food for a week, so I've cooked up some burger, brown rice, pureed pumpkin and wheat bran for her. She thinks it's pretty darn good! We're getting around the morning "Go Find" by substituting Pup-peronis for biscuits. Our morning routine is to get my morning coffee, I hide, Bella has to find me, my husband delivers the caffeine. Upon discovery of me (hard to find clever spots to hide in a small house), he takes Bella outside for a series of tricks and then she gets a biscuit. BIG excitement. Because of the soft food requirement, the biscuit is a no go...hence, Pup-peronis to the rescue!

The tough part is no toys. No toys?!? Bella is a professional chewer! Life without toys to chew up is like no life at all. We were going to dog-sit her half sister, Molly, this weekend, but were advised against it as the two dogs play hard and Bella always chews on sweet Molly's ruff. So I'm not too disturbed if the drugs are slowing Bella down. It's keeping her from being completely bored out of her gourd.

It good be worse. Bella's best friend, Amber, has just gone through a second bout of leg surgery (torn ligament) and has to be crated for eight weeks. I can't imagine keeping a dog sequestered for that long. Even Lucy was able to move around fairly soon after her back surgery even though longer trips (up and down stairs or hills) were limited for several months. We're going to bring a frozen, stuffed Kong over to Amber's. What are doggie friends for, eh?

Oh the Teeth!

I mentioned my concern regarding Bella's topped teeth here. And as in all good serendipity, this concern was recently followed by a couple of articles by a local vet in our paper. One was on appropriate chew toys and the other on teeth cleaning. They both just served to focus my attention.

With Lucy, our last dog, I learned through adversity, that teeth cleaning was important. She never had teeth problems, but she had a horrible time with the anesthesia and/or other drugs they gave her during the procedure. She'd stagger around the house crying for hours after the surgery. It was awful. I vowed to be more diligent about this area of doggie maintenance with my next dog. Enter Bella, stage left. I brush her teeth about 5-6 days out of the week. I've never been able to do a very thorough job and noticed some tartar (?) or plaque (?) build up despite my diligence, but it was also how I discovered her "tipped" teeth.

As far as toys go, Bella is a Supreme Chewer. I am one the PetsMart Faithfuls. Every couple of weeks I'm there stocking up on new chew toys. I haven't given her rawhide as I've heard it isn't very digestible. Bones are from the local organic store and thought those would be okay. Nope. No more bones. I recently learned that ice cubes are also on the doggie hit list. (Bella rushes to the refrigerator when the freezer door opens in hopes a cube is in her future. We shall substitute those silly baby carrots instead—organic, of course).

Tennis balls? Those are what she lives for. Scratch! I guess too much dirt stays in the fuzz and can erode their teeth. Back to Petsmart for those stupidly expensive, non-fuzzy Chuck-it balls. After just a short amount of chucking, I must admit to liking them though. They are much more "lively" than a tennis ball and as long as it is round, rolls and bounces, Bella is happy. Hopefully I won't lose one in the bushes!  And price? Well, even though they are expensive, they are a lot cheaper than doggie dental surgery!

I had stopped by the vet's office to pick up more tooth brushes and paste and my vet urged me to come in for a quick exam. In a brief look around Bella's mouth, she said that Bella's broken off incisor showed exposed root and needed to be removed. She also feared the root could be exposed on the tipped canine, but was uncertain about the premolar and molar and would check all three of those when Bella goes in next week for a cleaning and extraction. (If you're curious, here is a series of good pictures on dogs' teeth.)

The vet went on to say that hopefully all Bella needed on the canine was a root canal and not an extraction as that was an "extremely invasive surgery." Please interject an expletive from me here. Here I was hoping all was well and now find myself hoping for a root canal for my sweet girl?

The initial clean and extraction is next week. I'm uncertain when Part II (root canal) will take place. Keep your fingers crossed for Bella!

Learning the Distant Drop

We're signed up for dog classes again. This time it is Intermediate Obedience through Seattle Agility. This particular class fine tunes some of the basics and introduces some new training. In general, I like taking classes. I'm not a trainer and feel the refresher is good for me and my dog. What I've found to be true for myself and friends is we tend to slide in our training once a class is completed. In other words, we get lazy about working with our dogs.

One of the things we'll be working on in this class is "Drop (and stay)!" from a distance. It's impressive to see in action, but more importantly, it could save your dog's life. Because we spend a lot of time mountain biking where Bella, by necessity, is off leash, it is imperative she responds to verbal commands at a distance. The example that is most often given, is that your dog is across the street from you (we won't go into what is the dog doing off leash over there...). You can't call him as a car is coming, but he's trotting back your way. What do you do? Shout, "DROP!" The dog plops down and stays there until the car goes by and it is safe to release him and call him to you.

The instructor is instructing us on how to teach our dogs to target a plate. This is fun and a great use of targeting. Let's assume you've already taught your dog to drop with the hand signal (looks like raising your hand in class to ask a question) at close range.

Place your dog at a slight distance from you. Position the plate at your toes. Make a big deal about placing yummy treats on the plate so the dog is E-A-G-E-R. Don't call you dog to you (you don't want to use "Come" in this instance), but say her name or "OK!" The dog will rush to the plate and gobble up the treats and then look up at you for more. Bingo! Say "Drop!" and give the hand signal. When your dog drops, load a few more treats on the plate. (I'm using a yogurt lid as a plate.)

Once that is perfected, move further away from the treat-loaded plate with your dog at a distance on the other side of it. Go through the same steps. When your dog drops, run up to the plate and drop a few more yummies down. Keep working the distance between the dog and the plate, and the plate and you until you have 100% compliance. At that point you can start fade the plate and start cutting back on the treats.

This is one of those exercises that bears regular practice and repetition. Hopefully you'll never have to use it, but if you do, you want it to work perfectly!

Be the Change—Finding Homes for Older Dogs

Three of my friends have adopted older dogs. They did it a bit for the dog (older dogs having a more difficult time finding a home), but mostly for their own joy. An older dog is mellow (but still active), has manners (yet is still trainable), does not need the constant supervision and stimulus that a young dog needs (but is alert and engaged). One adopted a 5-year old border collie cross, another an 8-year old lab and another a 9-year old lab-rottweiler cross. All three are wonderful dogs: attentive, engaged and endearing.

I've recently learned about a local shelter in our area called OldDog Haven. This is an organization made up of caring individuals who foster senior dogs (8-years old or older). It's non-profit, so they are ever in need of donations (both money and goods) and foster homes with the ultimate goal of placement. Older dogs have a very, very slim chance at adoption via a shelter where the atmosphere is, at a minimum, unnerving for them, while vying for attention against puppies and much younger dogs. Most people don't go to a shelter thinking, "Let's get an old dog that won't live much longer and may need lots of medical attention."

Happy Birthday favorite girl dog!

OldDog Haven has acquired dogs because the owners have passed away, or moved away, may have financial issues that preclude carrying for an elderly pet or unfortunately, some just don't want to deal with older dog issues. This is a great organization. If you—or someone you know—can help financially, by providing a foster or permanent home for a dog, or can contribute to their wish list, know that you are giving some lovely old hound a new lease on life.

Meanwhile, in the backyard…
Bella is two today! She has had several good walks, a rousing game of Chuck-It and is now savoring a rib bone. That's my girl!

Contentment

"I'll always be here for you."

About a year ago my nephew went through a pretty nasty period of emotional upheaval. On his road to healing, he stayed with us for a while and we were happy to be able to offer whatever solace we could. Bella did her part, doing what all good dogs do. She helped with his healing by being present.

Now, passing through again and starting a new, happier phase in his life, our nephew joined us for an evening. Bella recognized him immediately and stuck with him nearly the entire 8 hours he was with us. When he started towards the bed, Bella beat him to it.

Although a rather blurry phone shot, this is how Bella works her magic.

Entangled

Some of you probably remember the news article about the woman who died several years ago after being entangled in a dog lead. From what I’ve read about the original story, it is unclear just what happened, but one can surmise. The bike rider was running his two leashed Siberian Huskies alongside his bicycle when one—or both—dogs ran around the woman causing the leash to hogtie the woman. She fell, hit her head, and later died. This was a horrible—and preventable—accident. 

The story is once again circulating as the city of San Jose (where the accident occurred) just passed an ordinance mandating dogs cannot be on city trails attached to a leash longer than six feet. Those walking, jogging or bicycling with their dogs must stay to the right of the trail. To be honest, I think the new leash ordinance is great. I’m a dog owner, an avid dog walker, an avid bicycler and my husband often takes Bella on leash while he cycles city trails. I could rant along with many others about the misuse of flexi-leads, but it isn’t the flexi-lead, normal leash or the dog that’s the problem, it’s the owner.

I became acutely aware of flexi-lead “issues” with my aggressive, but beloved dog, Lucy. Nine out of ten times, I’d see someone with their dog on a flexi and the owner was oblivious to what and where their dog was in relationship to them. Too often their dog would careen towards us immediately setting off Lucy. If possible, I would turn around when I discerned a flexi-dog in action, but it wasn’t always easy to do with an amped up, 60-pound dog itching for a fight. Too often, the flexi-dog would zoom directly at us before the owner could react. I could control Lucy, but if the other dog also had issues, the owner who was 20 or 30 feet behind, had much more distance between them and their dog making their control of their dog more difficult.

Personally, I’d love to see flexi-leads permanently banned. I’m sure they have a purpose and that some people use them responsibly. But whether it’s a flexi or a regular leash, the owner is ultimately responsible for their dog’s behavior and how it affects others in the immediate environment. I know it is impossible to always anticipate what a dog may do, but it’s a goal we should all strive for. An owner that doesn’t attempt to manage their dog in all situations is going to run into trouble at some time. Blaming the “other” person doesn’t cut it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “I’ve never seen my dog do that before.” Well, it isn’t the dog’s fault; it’s the owner’s issue! If you are taking your dog into a crowded urban setting, control your dog. Don’t put yourself, or your dog, into a situation that could cause another person—or another animal—harm. 

Local Community Takes Action

The local area in Baja Sur where dogs have been poisoned eating sea creatures is taking action. This just posted on their local bulletin board:

Beach Clean Up for the Dogs!
Hurry, you can still make it here for 8 am. 

Over the past two weeks there have been over 20 deaths in La Ventana pets from eating slugs on the beach that sometimes lay in seaweed. After ingestion, dogs will die after 15 to 20 min. 

Please help us in a beach clean up today. We are meeting at Playa Central and ask you to bring a rake and trash bags. 

Beach Clean Up for the dogs begins at 8 am, lead by Britney & Vivien, who have recently lost very special pets. We will appreciate your participation, see you here. 

Update on Dog Poisonings in Baja

I just received this update via email. I spoke about my concern with dog poisoning in Baja here and here. Below is the latest news:

Update on poisoning of dogs

As previously reported there have been fatalities in dogs this season in the El Sargento / La Ventana area. It was suspected that the dogs had ingested a poisonous substance. Based on  presenting signs and the progression of those signs a substance called tetrodotoxin which is commonly found in puffer fish was suggested. The problem was that no one had seen their dog chewing on a puffer fish. A new event has now occurred in the last 48 hours which seems to elucidate the problem more clearly. A group of 6 young dogs were taken to the beach around 7:00 AM. The person that was with them observed them chewing on dead sea slugs that had washed up on the beach recently following several days of high wind and waves.  The slugs were taken away from the dogs, their mouths rinsed with sea water and all the dogs were removed from the beach. Approximately 3 hours later all the dogs but one were showing signs of toxicity (salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, intense abdominal pain). All the dogs were taken to a veterinarian in La Paz. At this time 4 of the dogs have died, one is still being treated and one showed only very mild signs and is doing well.

An internet search reveals that sea slugs can sometimes have very high levels of tetrodotoxin in their skin (the same toxin is present in puffer fish and a number of other marine animals) and there are known cases of fatality in dogs from sea slug exposure in other parts of the world.

The toxin is very potent that even small amounts can be fatal. Dogs should not be allowed to chew on any marine animals on the beach.

More information can be found in the following link.

It just goes back to the same old rule that you have to watch your dog closely and monitor what is in their mouth. Easier said then done. Lots of people bring their dogs down and only a fraction of them lose them to this horrible death. None-the-less, Ms. Inmymouthfasterthanaspeedingbullet will not have off leash access on the beach!

Teeth and Chuck-it

I've mentioned before that I am not a photographer, nor do I know how to use the options on my camera in order to take action shots of Bella, so the pictures I share are of her lying down or standing still. I've also mentioned how obsessive she is about fetch. We have three Chuck-its: one in my car, one in the van and one in the garage and they all get a huge work out. We have several friends who regularly play tennis, so our ball supply can get "replenished" on a regular basis.

One very happy, hot and anticipatory puppy!

The shot today is of one happy puppy waiting for me to throw the ball. Notice how hot she is (long tongue) and how dirty her tongue is (lots of muddy ball retrieving!) and how happy she looks! The path to her right is what she has worn into the mud going back and forth after the ball. This path is her center path, but both sides of the alley sport a Bella-route where there once was grass.

Now, for the not so good news... Bella has knocked the tip off of one of her bottom canines. I noticed this a long time ago and assume it happened in her teething stage when it was a constant battle to keep her from eating rocks. But I was shocked yesterday to see that the two premolars behind that one had also been "tipped" and that one of her lower incisors is missing. I can't say when this happened, though I am fairly aware of her body from constant touching, examining and teeth brushing. My conclusion is that it is recent. My horror that it has happened is compounded by the fact that she is not yet two! Did this come from playing fetch or chewing on bones?

The dilemma now is how to manage her desire to play ball and chewchewchew with the care of her teeth which she will need for many, many more years. One thing is for certain, she'll be playing no fetch with anything hard!

Too Clever

I ran across this video posted in Patricia McConnell's wonderful blog, The Other End of the Leash. I couldn't find the clever person who made the video, but they deserve a standing ovation. I was laughing so hard that Bella grew concerned and started nosing me!

Two dogs dining in a busy restaurant

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks Patricia for pointing it out!

Gorgeous Weekend

Although the temperature never rose about 50 degrees, it was sunny and the earth smelled like spring. The crocuses made it through the freeze and snow of the previous week and were so cheery showing their bright little blossoms among the tulip leaves.

I took the opportunity to edge the gardens in back. I could use power tools, but I prefer slow, methodical hand-trimming as I am "up close and personal" with the ground. It took two days to do as the arthritis in my hand was letting me know hand-trimming ain't for sissies. Still, it was wonderful to see how the gardens had fared.

Bella, never missing the opportunity of a captive audience, immediately went for her tennis ball and demanded a game of fetch. Another fun harbinger of spring: I work in the yard and throw the ball, she chases and retrieves. I think this is called a symbiotic relationship!

What Books About Dogs Do You Love?

One of the first books I recall reading about dogs was The Poky Little Puppy. I don't remember the story, but I definitely remember the illustrations. I am uncertain why I remember this book—perhaps it was only because of the pictures, but I'm sure I read it at a time when I began to understood a dog's position in my life—integral.

When I was a child it was discovered that I had skin allergies. I was allergic to many things including dog dander. My mother made a strategic choice: she felt it was better I learn to live and care for animals, than be itch-free. My guess is my mother couldn't live without a dog, but I have never thought her decision wrong. Each new dog that entered our family was greeted and treated as a loved family member. For a short period, my allergies would flair until I became used to that particular dog. They couldn't lick me, I couldn't brush or bathe them as that much contact with fur set my skin off. Still, it was a small price to pay. Bella is the first dog I've allowed to lick my hands (my most reactive spot). Nothing a good, immediate hand wash can't cure!

So along with loving dogs and having at least one in my immediate circle for all but a few years of my nearly six decades, I have enjoyed reading about dogs. Not unusual. There are many training manuals that I've appreciated and used for years, but the novel, now that's a book that speaks to the heart! So what books stand out?

• A Dog's Purpose—a story from a dog's perspective about experiencing several life times.
• The Hidden Life of Dogs—a study of what dogs do.
• Marley & Me—sweet and silly, read in a day to my husband when he was ill.
• Merle's Door—the relationship between a man and his dog.
• Old Yeller—the original break down and sob story.
• The Other End of the Leash—understanding canine communication.
• Pack of Two—a wonderful story about the healing powers of a dog.
• Racing in the Rain—a wonderful story from the dog's point of view.
• Three Among Wolves—a couple and their dog who live a year in the wild studying wolves.

The thing I hate about lists is knowing I've left something out. I'm sure there are many I've forgotten. These are the ones that came to me on first flush. So what books about dogs do you love?

What's in a Name?

I've been asked many times why I named my blog Peas & Beans when it is about a dog. Good question! I had actually started a gardening blog sometime in 2006 with this name. I was curious about blogging and wanted to give it a shot, but was not very diligent about writing.

However, in 2007, our previous dog started exhibiting symptoms of going lame. In our quest to discover what was happening to her, we learned she was a candidate for back surgery. Although I could find information about the surgery itself, I couldn't find much about caring for her afterward. Thus Peas & Beans the gardening blog, became a dog blog. I knew I wasn't the only one with dog going through this and thought our tale might help them deal with a similar situation. I deleted all the gardening posts and began writing Lucy's story. I saw little reason to change the title as I am also an avid gardener and much of the dog's time is spent in the yard with me while I garden. (Not to mention all of my dogs have eaten more of my blueberries than I have!)

So there you have it! A rather half-baked (did I mention I am an ardent bread baker also?), gardening blog morphs into a dog's story!

Routines

With my husband gone this month, Bella and I have established our own routine. She still wants breakfast at the crack of dawn and on a weekend I stumble around fixing it before I shower or return to bed. As much as I may grumble, I actually like getting up early. It allows me a long, slow awakening before having to be fully functional.

Waiting for food; the drool is just starting.

I'll start water for coffee and while the coffee steeps (French press), it's Biscuit Time. There are several steps involved here. First, she needs to ring the bells hanging from the door knob in order to go outside. Once outside, we go through a series of tricks in which a biscuit is sometimes awarded after each trick or may not appear until the very end. The tricks are pretty standard: wave, weave (between the legs) and down plus waiting to eat the biscuit(s) between her front paws. Sometimes I'll mix in stay, come, front, heel, but it depends on the weather and how functional I am considering I still haven't had my coffee!

Post breakfast is a long walk, rain or shine. If it's a work day, her day is confined to the kitchen with a deliciously packed, frozen Kong. She's familiar with this routine, and trots over to her kitchen bed in anticipation. I'd love to give her the run of the house, but we use an alarm system (after our awful break-in) and a loose dog and the alarm don't mix. If it's a free day, anything goes. I often work from home and she's content to snooze or play with her toys, but is happiest when I work in the yard or better yet, go hiking!

Later in the day sees another walk and a chuck-it session. The latter is the highlight of her day and if we have the time, she might have more than a single session. She's worn grooves in the alley dirt from all her retrieving! The number of lost balls in neighbors bushes will one day be a great archaeological find. Each wind storm spits out a ball or two that's an absolute lottery win! Unfortunately, as my aim is not always spot on, there are still many hidden in the laurels.

Dinner is followed by cocktail ball time, chewing on any and all toys, cuddling up while I read. This is a lovely time and I've grown to really love the quietness and togetherness of this. If I'm on the ground, she'll lay as close as possible with her head and paws on me. If I'm in a chair, she's at my feet. Such pals—I love it.

Scratching Up Dirt

No other dogs I've had have done this behavior. None of the dogs we had growing up did this and none of the dogs I've had as an adult...until Bella. Nearly every time she eliminates, she'll walk a pace or two forward and scratch up the earth. Why?

Initially my guess was to cover the spot where she'd gone. Yet I had seen a program on dogs and part of it covered (no pun intended) their urination habits. The one bit I remember most distinctly was about a little Jack Russell, who in his attempt to pee higher up the post (proving he was the BIG dog on campus), would stand on his front legs and hold his entire back end in the air while he peed. Now there's a dog with attitude!

It also occurred to me that cats rub against you not as a sign of affection, but to rub their scent on you. So perhaps dogs scratch up the earth to spread their scent and make a bigger spot designating "their territory."

Ah! The beauty of the search engine! I Googled it and found out I was correct. From the Purina One site, I found this answer:

The scratching behavior after elimination appears to be a marking behavior. Dogs have scent glands on their feet and not only will they leave a scent mark, but they also leave a visual mark when they engage in this behavior.

Dr. Horwitz, Veterinarian

Did she learn it from her mother? Her sister doesn't do it. Was it something her father did? In other words, is it inherited or learned or individual preference? From the little I've looked into it the behavior seems to be instinctual and elicited by the smell of other unknown dogs. (I will have to watch and see if she does this when she's with her buddies.)

All the other links said basically the same thing. Perhaps I could rent out Bella as an organic lawn thatcher, but then she'd have to drink an awful lot of water first!

Follow-Up on Poisoning of Dogs in Baja Community

There is a daily email message board service for those connected with the Baja community where I stayed. It's general news regarding some restaurant menus, free concerts or art fairs, lost and found, things for sale, etc. Usually the news is a collection of odds and ends submitted by the readers and local businesses, but occasionally something really important comes through. That was the case today. There was a short article about the recent rash of dog poisonings.

For those of you who read this blog, you are aware that this was a concern of mine and one of my reason for not bringing Bella on this trip. While I was down there, I asked people what they knew about the poisonings and received very vague responses—"Well, I heard..." So was it an issue or not?

Most people who brought their dogs, even if leashed elsewhere, let them run loose on the beach figuring it was a "contained" space and therefore safe. I can't tell you the number of dogs I saw eating dead fish and fish skeletons. I was pretty surprised at this. From living in the Northwest, I am aware that a dead salmon can be highly toxic to a dog if eaten. My sister-in-law nearly lost her border collie under these circumstances. Plus, I don't know—are fish skeletons safe? The fish were big, therefore so where the bones, but does this make them less risky?

I've posted the story from the email below. It seems that the dogs may have consumed dead puffer fish. They refer to this website for the bulk of their information. The toxicity from puffer fish is devastating: paralysis, respiratory failure, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and death. Bottom line—don't let you dog eat things if you don't know how it will effect him or her!

Dog Deaths/Poisonings Locally

There have been several "mysterious" deaths/poisonings of dogs this year in the La Ventana/El Sargento area. Initially, there was much talk of these being intentional; a sinister thought in what we know as paradise.  A recent case was caught early, the dog's symptoms closely observed, and with supportive care seems to be on the route to survival, although is not "out of the cactuses" yet.  The "parents" however may not survive after being up 24/7 for 5 days trying to keep the dog sedated, restained with IVs, cleaning up vomit, bloody diarrhea and urine. 

The good news coming from 5 days of intensive care and observation is that the toxidrome appears to be that of puffer fish poisoning and is unlikely to be malicious.  The bad news is that these toxic puffer fish are dead in masses on the beach, an unfortunate bicatch casualty from the shrimp boats, now making unsuspecting dogs part of the environmental shrimping disaster.   

It is most prudent therefore to keep your pets close by and closely observed whether near the beach or in the desert. A local [individual] states that the farmers use the livers of puffer fish as a cheap poison for pest control.