Category Archives: Dogs

Special needs pets

Posted on March 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

On Friday evening, Prime showed a BBC documentary on owners of special needs pets.  It was great to see this issue being covered on New Zealand television because there are owners here who need support as they care for special needs pets.  I love working with special needs dogs in my massage practice and the owners of these animals are special people, too.

This is  Ollie, a Dalmatian who is unable to walk on his own.  However, he is not in pain and is very alert and happy.  His therapy regime includes massage and acupressure, laser therapy, and regular acupuncture treatments.  His strength in his front legs is improving and he has a mobility cart to help him with rehab.

Ollie in his mobility cart.

Ollie’s mobility cart was purchased from Doggon’ Wheels and imported into New Zealand because his owner could not find a supplier locally.  We measured Ollie for his cart and the cart was made especially for these measurements.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in complementary therapies, dog care, special needs

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Doggy quote of the month for March

Posted on February 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

“One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that he doesn’t try to find out why.” – Unknown

Particularly appropriate for all of us in Christchurch as we work to recover from last week’s earthquake.  Keep your pets close and stay safe.

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Water quality warnings in and around Christchurch

Posted on February 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

The surface water bodies around Christchurch are receiving untreated sewerage because of the many broken sewer pipes around the city.  This means you need to keep your family (and dogs) away from water until further notice.

Don’t forget that your dogs require their water to be boiled as well. (Even if you have mains water supply, the Council wants you to boil water until further notice.)   It is recommended that you boil water for 3 minutes, allow it to settle and cool, and then re-boil for another 3 minutes.

Take care out there.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in animal welfare, dog care, Dogs

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The importance of microchipping

Posted on February 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’m here in Christchurch, New Zealand after our major earthquake on Tuesday (22nd February 2011).   On Tuesday afternoon, a neighbour found a dog in his yard with no collar or tags.  We took him in, because our house is secure and our fences are still in place.

He was a lovely boy and because I didn’t know his name, I called him Shake.  He slept in our bed on Tuesday evening to ride out the aftershocks and a little Rescue Remedy helped.   He was glued to my side all day Wednesday.

On Thursday I was able to get him to a local vet to have his microchip scanned.  A few more calls and I made contact with his grateful family who came to pick him up within the hour.  As it turns out, his name was Trick and he had a bath on Monday evening.  His family didn’t have time to replace his collar.  Otherwise, he would have been tagged with clear ID.

Trick relaxing in our lounge

Microchipping is now mandatory in New Zealand but if you are in a place where it is voluntary – please have it done.  You never know the circumstances that would see your dog lost and you needing to find one another again.

Best wishes to all and thanks for your kind words.  We are without basic services like sewerage but are coping with power and some limited water supply.

Trick temporarily took over Daisy’s bed

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in animal welfare

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Strong dog – wide head?

Posted on February 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

The size of your dog’s head may be an accurate predictor of his/her strength, according to research by Dr William Helton of the University of Canterbury.

Dr Helton studied dogs that competed in events for the International Weight Pull Association and published his results in the journal of Behavioral Processes.

Broad-headed dogs were able to pull much greater weights than those breeds with narrower heads; but dogs with the narrower heads were likely to run faster.  This is a classic case of not being able to ‘have it all’ because, as Dr Helton says, “Nature does not allow unlimited budgets and the trade-offs are often physical constraints.”

The size of the head isn’t an absolute indicator, but it is a skeletal trait that is an indicator of other skeletal traits which are linked to endurance, strength, or speed.  Dr Helton recognises that other factors such as nutrition, personality aplay a part in a dog’s overall performance.

Read more about Dr Helton’s findings in this Discovery News item.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in research

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Owner pleads not guilty in dog-in-car case

Posted on February 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

Newspapers are reporting that Annabell Quor, the owner of the pomeranian who died in a car parked at The Palms shopping centre in December, has entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of reckless ill-treatment of an animal.

Ms Quor appeared in the Christchurch District Court this week; the charge was brought by SPCA Canterbury inspectors.  Ms Quor maintains that the dog’s death was an accident, that she forgot to remove the dog’s muzzle, and that she had left windows open with a bowl of water for the dog to drink.

The case will continue on April 21 in a post committal conference.  The charge Ms Quor is facing carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a fine not to exceed $75,000, or both.

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Posted in animal welfare, Dogs, ethics and pet rights

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Search dog Stig’s eventful year

Posted on February 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

For those that may have missed it, reporter Giles Brown of The Press wrote an article this week about Stig, the search dog who received a Parliamentary award in April 2010.   During the year, Stig qualified as an avalanche search dog and was later diagnosed with cancer (since removed).

Read about Stig here.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

 

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Posted in special dogs and awards

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Rio de Janeiro’s dog restaurant

Posted on February 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Dog owners in Rio de Janeiro are reaping the benefits of the city’s first dog restaurant.   Lunch and dinner are served at this restaurant and owners can buy pre-made and frozen dog dinners to take home with them.

The restaurant has only been open since December 2010 and word has it that expansion plans for another branch in Sao Paulo are already underway.

The restaurant serves four dishes, each with a different protein source:  beef, chicken, fish or lamb.   A partial translation of the website says that the meals are 100% natural and preservative-free.  “Perfect for dogs with demanding palates” (perfeita para caes com paladar exigente)

Click on the restaurant’s icon below to visit their site (if you speak Spanish).

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in dog-friendly shops

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Archie returns after almost two years

Posted on February 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Heartwarming news out of the UK for anyone who has lost a dog.

Archie is a toy poodle who went missing in Essex and turned up 160 km away in Oxford – after 549 days!  Dog wardens were able to trace his owner thanks to his microchip.  Although scruffy and dirty when found, he was not malnourished and so it is thought that Archie was looked after by someone during the time he was away.

Owner Julia Moran was reunited with Archie on her 47th birthday and said “It is the best birthday present I could ever have.”

Archie with his owner, Julia Moran. (Source: INS)

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in animal welfare, dog ownership, lost dogs

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Sled dogs from Vancouver Olympics murdered

Posted on February 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

The Winter Olympics in Vancouver officially were closed on 28 February 2010. Less than a year later, news has broken that 100 healthy sled dogs were brutally murdered because tourism had dropped off post-Olympics.

More shocking is that the murders have only come to light after the worker who shot and, in some cases slashed the throats of the dogs, filed a worker’s compensation claim for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Attorney Corey Steinberg told Vancouver radio station CNKW “It wasn’t always a clean, one-shot kill. Inevitably, (the employee) ended up seeing and having to put the end to some horrific scenes.”

The SPCA is investigating.

Read more here.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Posted in animal welfare, dog care, ethics and pet rights

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