Two Belgian researchers have published their Shaggy Dog Story in the British Medical Journal this month.
They tell of a 35-year old patient with a severe sleep disorder that made traveling on public transport a problem because she would fall asleep and miss her stop, often becoming disoriented.
She was paired with a service dog that was trained to wake her for important noises and on public transport. This type of success story points to even more roles for service dogs.
Wake me up, Shaggy!
Posted in research
Tagged British Medical Journal, service dog, Shaggy Dog Story, sleep disorder, waking
Imagine being on duty 24/7 at your job and enjoying it. Well – if you were – chances are you would be one of the 50 registered hearing dogs currently working in New Zealand.
Hearing dogs are the ‘other’ assistance dogs, less well known than their guide dog for the blind counterparts, but no less important to the lives of their human recipients.
These dogs are trained to alert their deaf or severely hearing impaired owner to important sounds such as the door bell, kitchen timer, fire alarm, baby monitor, or telephone. A hearing dog wears a distinctive yellow coat.
Tyra in her yellow Hearing Dogs coat
Hearing Dogs is an incorporated charitable trust established in 1998 that provides training for these special dogs at its National Training Centre in New Plymouth. At any given time, there will be six dogs in training at the facility. These dogs go to socialisers on the weekends as part of their initial training. If you are in the New Plymouth area, this is one way of supporting the organisation.
A hearing dog may be any shape or size and most breeds are acceptable. Training typically starts between the age of one year to 18 months. Clare McLaughlin, General Manager, says “We look for excellent health followed by an even temperament. The dog needs to be calm and confident and not react to sudden movements or sounds. A well socialised dog is an advantage and one that is motivated by food makes it easier because our training is reward based.”
Another quality is willingness to learn. Any breeder who has a dog with these qualities may want to consider offering the dog to Hearing Dogs for training.
Caroline Boyce can testify to the value that a hearing dog brings to its recipient. Caroline grew up in a hearing world, without support, and in her own words “I always felt that I wasn’t normal because there was so much going on around me.” Despite this, she managed to travel overseas for work experience, find a loving husband, raise two children, and work. Eight years ago she summoned the courage to go to a talk about Hearing Dogs and then put her name down to receive one. Tyra, her second dog, has been with her for four years. Tyra demonstrated her skills for me by alerting Caroline when the kitchen timer sounded.
Tyra alerts Caroline to the timer on the kitchen oven
Hearing Dogs doesn’t have the wide corporate support or profile of some other charities, but there are many ways to help. Dr Terryne Loney of Pet Doctors Harewood (Christchurch) has pledged two free examinations per year for all hearing dogs in Christchurch, saying “I think hearing dogs are vital for safety, wellbeing and assistance to hearing impaired people. Hearing dogs do not get high levels of support and recognition so we wanted to help.”
To learn more about Hearing Dogs, visit their website.
A research team at Texas Tech University has studied the levels of phthalates and bisphenol A (known as BPA) in dog training batons and other plastic toys. They presented their findings at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry conference held in California.
The research was conducted by Kimberly Wooten, a master’s student using the project as her thesis, and Phil Smith, an associate professor of terrestrial ecotoxicology. Smith also raises and trains Labradors.
“In the process of training a lab, you do a lot of work with these plastic bumpers. I have a lot of bumpers in my garage, and they spend a lot of time in the mouths of my retrievers. Well, lots of attention has been given to chemicals in plastics lately regarding their effects on humans. Since we all care about our dogs, and we want them to be as healthy and smart and well-behaved as possible, we decided to look into this.”
BPA are used to give elasticity to plastic and vinyl and are known endocrine disruptors that mimic estrogen or act as anti-androgens and could lead to negative health effects. In 2012, the US Government banned the use of these chemicals in baby bottles.
Training bumpers had higher levels of BPA than toys; but weathered and aged toys released more BPA than newer ones.
The research raises a number of questions, but it is hard to compare results because so few studies have been done – particularly in the area of how much of the BPA actually enters the dog’s system.
“The interaction of pet health and environmental chemicals is understudied,” Wooten said. “What may be a safe dose for one species isn’t always a good measure for another species. But the amount of BPA and phthalates we found from the bumpers would be considered on the high end of what you might find in children’s toys.”
I’m so proud of the SPCA Auckland (where I used to volunteer, when I lived up that way) for its imaginative holiday promotion for rescue dogs.
The SPCA teamed up with expert dog trainers to train three SPCA rescue dogs to drive a car – a Mini to be exact.
Monty, Porter and Ginny went through extensive training before being put behind the wheel of the Mini. Last night, on national television, Monty drove himself around a go-cart track. Porter took on the dubious task of having the reporter accompany him on his drive – and I think he suffered the nerves for it because he took a turn rather widely.
This video covers the dog’s training and moment of glory:
Monty, Porter and Ginny prove that rescue dogs are intelligent and trainable. If considering adopting a dog this Christmas, make sure you visit your local SPCA and rescue organisations.
You can read more about New Zealand’s driving dogs at www.drivingdogs.co.nz (which brings you to their Facebook page).
Posted in animal welfare, special dogs and awards
Tagged animals, car, cars, dogs driving, driving dogs, Ginny, Mini, Monty, Porter, rescue dogs, SPCA Auckland
This is a garbage can…
…and this is a dog
Veterinarians around the world see a surge in cases of pancreatitis each year during the Christmas holiday season. That’s because our homes are filled with rich, fatty foods that are as tempting to dogs as they are to us. A single high-fat meal is enough to trigger the problem – and so the well-meaning family members who empty their plate in your dog’s bowl rather than the garbage are often at fault.
Low protein, high fat diets have been known to cause pancreatitis and it is a life-treatening condition. Symptoms of pancreatitis are acute vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite, and in some cases, fever. The dog may have a tucked-up belly and assume a prayer position. The abdominal pain is caused by the release of digestive enzymes into the pancreas and surrounding tissue.
More severe cases of pancreatitis can develop rapidly and a dog can go into shock – a trip to the emergency veterinary center is essential.
Vets will treat your dog with fluids, antibiotics and pain relief and will withdraw all foods for a number of days to rest the pancreas. Assuming your dog survives, its pancreas may be permanently damaged. In these cases, your dog may develop diabetes mellitus if the islet cells have been destroyed or may develop exocrine pancreatic insufficiency if the acinar cells have been destroyed.
Dogs who have experienced one pancreatitis episode are susceptible to having future attacks that can be anywhere from mild to severe.
The lesson? Your dog is not a garbage can. Treats should be served in moderation and carefully monitored by one member of the family to ensure the dog isn’t over-fed. Avoiding table scraps is always a good idea.
Posted in dog care
Tagged acinar cells, Christmas, christmas holiday season, diarrhea, dog care, garbage can, health, leftovers, lethargy, medicine, pancreatitis, prayer position, table scraps, trash, vomiting
Posted in special dogs and awards
Tagged Bo, decorations, First Dog, holidays, White House
Tonight’s the night in Birmingham, Alabama for a holiday ballet with a new twist. 21 dogs will be performing alongside ballerinas in the Birmingham Ballet’s Mutt-cracker.
Proceeds from the performance go to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
Dogs had to audition for roles in the ballet with a dog trainer observing. A few of the dogs are rescues.
Here’s a few photos of preparations for the big night, courtesy of Tamika Moore, photographer for Al.com:
For the full story, read Dogs in Tutus.
Posted in dogs and holidays
Tagged Alabama, ballet, Birmingham, Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Mutt-cracker
From now until 10 December, you can vote in the Inspiration in Action awards. This contest encourages innovation in veterinary medicine and impacts the human experience through our bond with animals. There will be three winners of the competition:
One vote per person, per day.
Visit the Heska website to read more about the six finalists. They are:
Posted in animal welfare
Tagged All Dogs May Bite, Heska Corporation, Innovagtion Education for Equine Therapeutic Riding, Inspiration in Action, Kindred Canines in Motion, Navajo Nation Veterinary Shuttle, Nicaraguan Human & Animal Health Program, Peter Emily Internatinoal Veterinary Dentistry Foundation, vote
The Humane Society of the United States has introduced a new video this holiday season. This is the story of Billy, a Chihuahua rescued from a puppy mill and Adam, his rescuer and new owner.
After you watch this video, please donate to the HSUS or the animal welfare agency of your choice this holiday season. Animal rescues are always in need of funds and your donation can make a difference.
Posted in animal welfare
Tagged animal rescue, Billy, Chihuahua, HSUS, Humane Society of the United States, puppy mill
In one of my recent columns for the NZ Kennel Club, I wrote about making quality time for you and your dog. It’s amazing to me as our Southern Hemisphere summer approaches that dog owners tell me they are having difficulty ‘finding the time’ for their dog. Even with more daylight hours, the preparations for summer holidays and Christmas parties seem to take precedence.
The importance of putting your dog first was emphasised recently by American musician Fiona Apple. She announced via her Facebook page in late November that she was postponing a tour of South America to stay at home with her elderly dog, Janet. At 14, Janet (a rescued Pit Bull), is the priority in Ms Apple’s life.
I’m publishing her letter to fans here in its entirety because it expresses so clearly the importance of putting your dog first at key points in your life:
It’s 6 p.m. on Friday, and I’m writing to a few thousand friends I have not met yet. I am writing to ask them to change our plans and meet a little while later.
Here’s the thing.
I have a dog Janet, and she’s been ill for almost two years now, as a tumor has been idling in her chest, growing ever so slowly. She’s almost 14 years old now. I got her when she was 4 months old. I was 21 then, an adult officially — and she was my child.
She is a pitbull, and was found in Echo Park, with a rope around her neck, and bites all over her ears and face. She was the one the dogfighters use to puff up the confidence of the contenders. She’s almost 14 and I’ve never seen her start a fight, or bite, or even growl, so I can understand why they chose her for that awful role. She’s a pacifist.
Janet has been the most consistent relationship of my adult life, and that is just a fact. We’ve lived in numerous houses, and jumped a few make shift families, but it’s always really been the two of us. She slept in bed with me, her head on the pillow, and she accepted my hysterical, tearful face into her chest, with her paws around me, every time I was heartbroken, or spirit-broken, or just lost, and as years went by, she let me take the role of her child, as I fell asleep, with her chin resting above my head. She was under the piano when I wrote songs, barked any time I tried to record anything, and she was in the studio with me all the time we recorded the last album. The last time I came back from tour, she was spry as ever, and she’s used to me being gone for a few weeks every 6 or 7 years.
She has Addison’s Disease, which makes it dangerous for her to travel since she needs regular injections of Cortisol, because she reacts to stress and to excitement without the physiological tools which keep most of us from literally panicking to death. Despite all of this, she’s effortlessly joyful and playful, and only stopped acting like a puppy about 3 years ago. She’s my best friend and my mother and my daughter, my benefactor, and she’s the one who taught me what love is.
I can’t come to South America. Not now.
When I got back from the last leg of the US tour, there was a big, big difference. She doesn’t even want to go for walks anymore. I know that she’s not sad about aging or dying. Animals have a survival instinct, but a sense of mortality and vanity, they do not. That’s why they are so much more present than people.
But I know that she is coming close to point where she will stop being a dog, and instead, be part of everything. She’ll be in the wind, and in the soil, and the snow, and in me, wherever I go.
I just can’t leave her now, please understand. If I go away again, I’m afraid she’ll die and I won’t have the honor of singing her to sleep, of escorting her out.
Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes to pick which socks to wear to bed. But this decision is instant. These are the choices we make, which define us.
I will not be the woman who puts her career ahead of love and friendship. I am the woman who stays home and bakes Tilapia for my dearest, oldest friend. And helps her be comfortable, and comforted, and safe, and important. Many of us these days, we dread the death of a loved one. It is the ugly truth of Life, that keeps us feeling terrified and alone. I wish we could also appreciate the time that lies right beside the end of time. I know that I will feel the most overwhelming knowledge of her, and of her life and of my love for her, in the last moments. I need to do my damnedest to be there for that.
Because it will be the most beautiful, the most intense, the most enriching experience of life I’ve ever known. When she dies. So I am staying home, and I am listening to her snore and wheeze, and reveling in the swampiest, most awful breath that ever emanated from an angel.
And I am asking for your blessing.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
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