Tag Archives: Dog

I’m a Liebster award winner

Liebster AwardI’ve been given a Liebster Award by Corso Mama, another doggy mom with a blog.  This award goes to blogs with less than 300 followers. and it’s my job to keep the ball rolling.

In receiving this award, I’ve been asked to answer these questions:

1.  Has your vision for your blog changed since you started it?

Not really.  This blog started as my customer newsletter which I sent via email and I realized that I could be more efficient by writing blog posts as I thought of them rather than holding back until the beginning of each month.  I aim to share all sorts of news involving dogs for other dog parents to enjoy.

2.  What have you learned from other bloggers since starting your blog adventure?

I’ve learned about things like Wordless Wednesdays – which I adopted last year – to share interesting graphics or photographs without the need for captions or accompanying stories.  And as I have connected to other bloggers, I’ve been able to share their interesting content, too.

3.  What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?

To educate and raise awareness about “all things dog”

4.  Do you feel you are able to coexist with other bloggers even if they might express opinions that are different from yours?

Yes, absolutely.  The world would be a difficult place to live if we were all the same.  Bloggers should be able to have professional debate without getting nasty.

5.  What is your favorite blog (other than your own) and why?

I like Doggerel because Pyrrha is a rescue with unique issues.  Her mom is doing a great job with her.

6.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’d probably split my time equally between the northern and southern hemispheres (Christchurch, where I live now and Massachusetts, where I grew up) so that I could miss winter weather year-round.  Of course, I would only do this if I was a) rich and able to own a jet that would allow Daisy to travel as a passenger rather than luggage and b) that border controls would mean that Daisy would not be quarantined upon re-entering the country. Sigh.  I don’t think this will happen.

7.  If you could drop everything right now and do anything you wanted, what would you do?

I’d go for a short nap cuddled up under the covers with Daisy.

8.  What is your favorite animal?

The dog, of course!

9.  What are your passions in life?

Well, I love everything to do with dogs.  Beyond that, I believe in professionalism and honesty in everything I do.

10.  Which do you prefer–rainy days or sunny days?

I kind of like rainy days because I’m more likely to stay at home and do some creative thinking.

11.  Which do you prefer–city or country life?

Actually, I’m a suburban girl.  Not quite the city, but definitely not the country.

And now my nominees for a Liebster:

  1. Nikitaland
  2. Bailey Unleashed
  3. Lapdog Creations
  4. My Pawsitively Pets
  5. A Bowl of Noodles
  6. Ruby the Airedale
  7. My Rotten Dogs
  8. The Elka Almanac
  9. Dobermann Daze
  10. The Five Dog Blog
  11. Dogdaz

And for these nominees, please answer these questions:

  1. Why did you establish your blog?
  2. When did you start blogging?
  3. Approximately how many hours per week do you blog?
  4. If you had one thing to do differently with your blog, what would it be?
  5. What’s one of your favourite blogs (other than your own)?
  6. What makes that blog one of your favourites?
  7. Since we can’t spend all of our time online, what book are you currently reading?
  8. Which do you prefer – pure bred or mixed breed?
  9. Do you consider yourself a dog parent or dog owner?
  10. Would you rather do a Crossword or a Suduku?
  11. When the weather turns cold, does your dog wear a coat?

Life philosophy for dog lovers

Sometimes you’re the fire hydrant, sometimes you’re the dog

dog and fire hydrant

Have a great weekend!

Doggy quote of the month for April

“There is no such thing as a stupid dog.  Each dog has his own genius and it is up to us as humans to find out what it is.”

–  Brian Hare, co-author of The Genius of Dogs

I’ve previously reviewed The Genius of Dogs.  Click here to read my review.

Image

Wordless Wednesday, part 27

Dog in dishwasherBP_Wordless_wed_Hop_Logo_2014

Singing in the rain

It’s raining and blowing a gale in Christchurch today.  So I thought I’d share this little video to cheer everyone up!

 

Image

Wordless Wednesday, part 25

Dancing dogBP_Wordless_wed_Hop_Logo_2014

Dogs give exercise new meaning for seniors

Photo courtesy of Florida State University

Bogey and his dumb bell.  Photo courtesy of Florida State University

Dogs are adding a new twist to exercise classes at the Westminster Oaks Retirement Community in Florida.  Three times each week, they accompany two doctoral students to an exercise class that is part of a study to look at whether exercising with dogs can lead to better health outcomes.

“Between each exercise, we try to leave a little bit of time so people can pet the dogs and talk to the handlers,” says Ashley Artese, a first-year doctoral student in exercise science.

Volunteers for the study at Westminster Oaks were split into two groups of seven. One exercises with dogs trained by Tallahassee Memorial Hospital’s pet therapy program. The other group exercises without them.

Walking around the room, biceps curls with light dumb bells and resistance band stretching are all a part of the routine.  When the group working with dogs lift their dumb bells,  dog Bogey picks up a plastic one. And when the seniors walk around the room, Lola, Stryker and Bogey walk in circles too.

“Exercise classes are not something I call fun, but with the dogs, it is fun,” said Mary Stevenson, a Westminster Oaks resident.  When she heard the exercise class would involve dogs, it caught her interest.

In addition to Lola, Stryker and Bogey, there are four other dogs — Cosmo, Casey, Kayla and Zachy.

For now, all of the work is on a volunteer basis, but all of the parties involved hope it will turn into a funded research study in the future.  At the end of this program, the professors and doctoral students will review the data to see how it might translate into a large-scale study.

Source:  Florida State University media release

Image

Wordless Wednesday, part 22

homeless man with dog

Megaesophagus

Megaesophagus is a condition where the muscles of the esophagus fail, similar to a limp balloon that has inflated several times and lost its elasticity:Limp balloonWhen the condition is present, the esophagus doesn’t contract normally and food can’t make it down into the stomach to be digested.  Food can ‘pool’ in the esophagus causing regurgitation.  Worse, the undigested food can be inhaled leading to a condition called aspiration pneumonia.  Megaesophagus can affect puppies and adult dogs.

Vets normally have to diagnose the condition from its range of symptoms which include:

  • Regurgitation of water or food
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss that is sudden
  • Frequent clearing of the throat
  • Sour smelling breath
  • Difficulty in swallowing or frequent swallowing
  • Aspiration pneumonia

Megaesophagus is a condition that can be managed, but it does take a dedicated and vigilant dog parent to do this.

Dogs with the condition have to eat and drink in a device called a Bailey Chair.  The chair allows the dog to sit in an upright position for an extended period of time.  A megaesophagus dog needs to be fed in the chair and kept upright for at least 20 minutes to allow gravity to take the food and water into the stomach.

Dogs with megaesophagus have special nutritional needs, too.  Since dogs with this condition can’t drink normally, they often need water added to their meals and to receive high moisture treats that are thickened with gelatin or other ingredients.

A megaesophagus dog needs a diet that is calorie rich and nutritious but without too much fibre.  Raw foods are a special risk to these dogs because of their sensitive digestive systems.  There’s also a risk of bacterial contamination, particularly if even small amounts of raw food are aspirated.

Prescription medications like Carafate liquid can also help these dogs because it provides a protective coating for the esophagus.

It’s also important to think holistically for these dogs, with support with Bach flower remedies, herbs and supplements.   In my practice, I work with the dogs to keep their digestive systems healthy through massage and acupressure and nutrition.  The spleen, liver and stomach all need support when a dog has megaesophagus.

In older dogs with arthritis, having to sit in a Bailey Chair presents additional challenges that require holistic veterinary care.

The good news is that megaesophagus doesn’t mean a death sentence.  It does mean that your special dog will need special care and attention to maintain its health throughout its lifetime.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand

Harness fit in guide dogs

A research team at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) have studied the forces that guide dogs are exposed to during their work to ascertain what types of harness are most suitable.

Guide dogs walk under constant tension. A well-fitting harness is extremely important for the animals (Photo: Michael Bernkopf/Vetmeduni Vienna)

Guide dogs walk under constant tension. A well-fitting harness is extremely important for the animals (Photo: Michael Bernkopf/Vetmeduni Vienna)

A proper harness that enables good communication between the blind person and the dog is an important factor to support the dog’s well-being, while a poorly fitting harness may result in health problems and impaired communication between dog and owner.

The team members, movement analysts and physiotherapists, examined the distribution of pressure in working guide dogs by placing pressure sensors beneath their harnesses. Eight guide dogs were filmed with a trainer while climbing steps, avoiding obstacles, turning left and right and walking straight ahead. To visualize the movements, the animals, the trainers and the harnesses were equipped with reflective markers. The positions of the markers were recorded by a total of ten cameras.

The results showed that the bottom right of the animals’ chests is particularly stressed. As Barbara Bockstahler explains, “Guide dogs walk under constant tension. They are usually on their owners’ right and in front of them.” The scientists found that the pressure on the right side of a dog’s chest may equate to up to 10 per cent of the animal’s weight. In contrast, the dog’s back experiences far less pressure. “It is important for guide dogs to exercise regularly without a harness to compensate for the lopsided pressure they experience in their work”, says Bockstahler.

Very rigid harnesses enable quick and finely tuned communication between dogs and owners but cause stress to the animals. The more stiffly the harness is anchored to the handle, the more pressure the animal experiences. The most comfortable harness relies on a hook-and-loop connection, which provides the least pressure on the dog, although for long-haired dogs a plastic clip version is favourable.

The researchers want to study guide dogs for a longer period of time to find out whether any of the harnesses are associated with long-term problems in the animals.   They require partners and sponsors for this work.

The results of this study have been published in the Veterinary Journal.

Source:  Vetmeduni Vienna press release