Mark's Dog Blog

A Very Cool Video

2011-06-29T16:40:00.000-04:00

Teenagers Try To Bury Pups Alive

2011-06-09T13:52:00.000-04:00

Heartgard Whistleblower Says She Was Fired For Protecting Dogs

2011-06-02T15:04:00.000-04:00

Claiming that she was extortionately fired for refusing to destroy a document regarding Heartguard’s effectiveness, the former global head of pharmacovigilance for Merial, Ltd. has filed a wrongful termination suit against the drug manufacturer.

Kari Blaho-Owens, Ph.D., had been global head of pharmacovigilance for 4 years at Merial, Ltd. when she was fired in July 2010. Her responsibilities included driving best practices for compliance and innovation – and ensuring that proper processes and procedures were followed. So when a Nov. 30, 2004 letter from the U.S. FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine “noted that there were numerous reports of ineffectiveness for heart worm prevention despite ‘Heartgard Plus’ being used according to the labeled directions,” Merial opened an internal investigation. That decision would ultimately cost her her job.

The investigation was conducted after Merial received a Nov. 30, 2004 letter from the U.S FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, which “noted that there were numerous reports of ineffectiveness for heart worm prevention despite ‘Heartgard Plus’ being used according to the labeled directions,” the complaint states.

According to the complaint filed by Blaho-Ownes, “At this time, FDA-CVM notified Merial that the adverse event data Merial had submitted to gain FDA’s approval (pre-approval performance data) was not consistent with its adverse event data that was being reported after the drug became available on the market (post approval data). This means that the adverse events Merial received after the FDA approved the product to be marketed in the United States was not consistent with what Merial had provided to FDA to obtain marketing approval from FDA.”

Her own investigation confirmed Merial’s awareness of the problem. Blaho-Owens says she “discovered that Merial had been aware of serious lack of efficacy adverse events reported regarding ‘Heartgard Plus’ since as early as 2002, and that “Had Merial appropriately monitored their post marketing data, the company should have known and notified FDA-CVM at a much earlier time, at least back to 2000 that its marketing and promotional advertisement, as well as the drugs’ FDA approved label was no longer accurate.”

Blaho-Owens says the company responded with an “investigation that showed that the increase in lack of effectiveness claims was the direct result of increases in sales, lack of compliance on the part of the owner, etc. – not product failure of the active ingredients in ‘Heartgard’ products.”

Blaho-Owens says the study was intentionally skewed, because

a. The statistical analysis used in the 2005 study does not conform to recognized scientific standards.
b. The study was not blinded, and was conducted using ‘cherry-picked’ data, so as the persons evaluating the data would be led to support the conclusion sought by Merial, i.e., that the drug was 100% effective.
c. The study included and evaluated only 7% of the total number of ‘Heartgard Plus’ cases.
d. Despite Dr. Blaho-Owens’ efforts, including reporting to her supervisors and meetings with multiple persons within the finance department, no one within Merial would take responsibility or remedy these problems. Thus, because high level management was aware of the methods used in this study, it is difficult to understand how the conclusions of this study could have been accepted…Therefore, the rates of lack of efficacy for ‘Heartgard Plus’ documented in the 2005 study could not be scientifically reliable.”
Blaho-Owens said that over the next few years, as Merial continued to try to delay the labeling change, she repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the company’s reports to the FDA.

In September 2009, Merial was named in a class-action lawsuit against Heartguard. At that time, the company’s director of U.S. regulatory affairs “instructed Dr. Blaho-Owens to destroy a document that was likely relevant to the pending class action lawsuit and was in her possession,” according to the complaint. Blaho Owens said the company official “also instructed her to stop generating any new analysis of data regarding ‘Heartguard’ despite her ongoing concerns relating to the LOE [undefined - presumably lack of effectiveness] of ‘Heartguard’.”

She did not destroy the document, but instead reported the incident to Merial’s legal counsel. She says Merial retaliated by putting her on a “performance improvement plan, which cited a ‘lack of understanding of differences in levels of priorities’ between Dr. Blaho-Owens and management.”

Blaho-Owens said she was terminated after filing a claim of retaliation with the Labor Department’s OSHA division, and she’s seeking a declaratory judgment, an injunction and damages, including reinstatement with back pay for violations of whistleblower provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Heartworm prevention needed now more than ever: A great USA today article

2011-05-31T21:25:00.000-04:00

Pet Talk: Heartworm prevention needed now more than ever

Pet Talk

By Sharon L. Peters

It's everywhere.

The north woods of Maine. The mountains of Utah. The 'burbs of Chicago. All of those places, previously thought out-of-reach and safe, are in fact suffering the ravages of the insidious march. Or, more precisely, the pets living there are.

Heartworm disease, the nasty, strength-sapping, potentially deadly assault on animals limited mostly to the South up until the last decade, has surged its way throughout the nation, according to recently released results from the American Heartworm Society (AHS). The every-three-years survey, which tracks heartworm incidence from data supplied by more than 5,000 veterinary clinics, has documented cases in every state, says Wallace Graham, a veterinarian in Corpus Christi, Texas, and president of the AHS.

"It's troubling," this relentless spread, says Graham, "especially when prevention is so simple."

That simple thing to which he refers is heartworm prevention medication, which generally runs about $50 to $100 a year, depending on the brand and weight of the dog.

The case for taking the prevention route, regardless of where you live, is pretty simple: Any dog (or cat, for that matter, it's now known) that isn't on a preventive protocol can be infected when bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasite — which the mosquito picked up when it bit another infected animal. The parasite takes up residence in the animal's pulmonary arteries and heart, ultimately leading to awful trouble breathing, lung disease, issues with other organs and heart failure. Treatment to rid dogs of heartworm (there isn't one for cats) is harsh: an arsenic-based drug kills the parasite, costs $600 to $1,200, and the dog must be confined in a crate for a month or more while the heartworms die off and dissolve (because exercise or excitement can prompt embolism).

Another argument for the preventive protocol: An infected animal is a virtual Petri dish for spreading the disease to others near and far.

There was a time when vets in areas where mosquitoes disappear for six or more months a year — places such as New England, the mountains of the West, and the Northern tier states, for example — recommended six-month, summer-only schedules of preventive meds. Some of them still do (and some have shifted to nine-month protocols).

But AHS says that less than year-round prevention everywhere is bad because:

•Many areas are experiencing warm weather earlier in spring and later in fall than in years past, meaning mosquitoes can emerge unexpectedly.

There are warm micro-climates that support mosquitoes even in cold regions.

Owners increasingly take their pets on vacation, often to areas where mosquitoes are active.

Companies that produce heartworm prevention will pay for a good chunk of the treatment in the rare case that a dog develops heartworm disease if vet records show drug purchases indicate the animal was on the preventive year-round.

So even though many owners and some vets still don't follow the year-round recommendation, "thinking that the cold or dry climate they live in makes such vigilance unnecessary," says Graham, "we can cite case after case of heartworm-positive pets living in areas assumed to be low-risk for heartworm."

For both dogs and cats, heartworm disease may not be obvious early on. But eventually, dogs will develop a persistent cough, fatigue and weight loss, the AHS says, as the worms grow to the point that they literally strangle dogs' ability to breathe and pump blood and survive.

Cats, when invaded by the parasite, may vomit, gag, have difficult or rapid breathing, and show lethargy and weight loss. The respiratory symptoms are often mistaken for feline asthma or allergic bronchitis, when they're actually the result of a syndrome defined quite recently as heartworm-associated respiratory disease.

"This is a much different disease in cats," says Graham.

Most cats spontaneously cure themselves over a period of months (though sudden death occurs in a few), but significant lung damage often occurs, and supportive therapy as they heal can be necessary, including prednisone, IV fluids, oxygen therapy and cardiovascular drugs.

The heartworm society — which since 1974 has been tracking the disease, advancing the study and treatment of it, and making information available to vets and consumers — is funded in part by the many companies that make heartworm-prevention medications. This could be regarded, of course, as a moderator as folks process how risky one's particular situation is and what steps should be taken, especially when living outside the South (where dogs die of the disease in huge numbers, and 70% of some shelters' animals are heartworm positive).

Graham knows the funding can raise skepticism. But, he says, it's from many companies, not one; they exert no pressure regarding how the society goes about educating the public and the veterinarian community; and AHS' recommendations are based on "peer-reviewed scientifically documented research."

AHS' website, www.heartwormsociety.org, has a wealth of information.

Overheating in Dogs

2011-05-28T09:00:00.001-04:00

Click here to read this article.

I Feed People Food Everyday...

2011-05-13T21:32:00.000-04:00

When talking to dog owners' about food, the statement that amuses me the most is "I don't feed my dog people food."

Really? Why not? We eat it!

Dogs have been our best friends for over 14,000 years. History shows that this relationship started when dogs began to hang out around the edges of human settlements, initially scavenging and then being provided with scraps of our food. Commercial dog food has only been in existence for about 40 years. Before that, dogs did really well on the same fare that we were eating. I remember my grandmother sending me to the butcher's for hearts and livers for her spoiled Old English Sheepdog, Che. If she were alive today, I would tell her to forgo the cooking and just give it to him raw.

The pet food industry spends millions and millions of dollars in advertising. In today's world of slick marketing, we constantly see the words "natural," "wholesome," and "holistic." If we take an ingredient, cook it for four hours at 400 degrees until all the nutrients are gone, then re-add vitamins, minerals, and preservatives, is it still wholesome? They also try to fool us by stating that a protein is the first ingredient. But if you add up all of the grains that follow (like corn, wheat, barley, rice), the protein actually comes in second.

Our dogs are being fed a substandard diet. So many dogs that I see are overweight and suffering from allergies, gastrointestinal problems, and diabetes. The kibble we feed them is packing them with calories but not satisfying their needs. It's like we're sending them through the fast food drive-through at every meal. So wouldn't a little healthy "people food" be a better alternative?

Good Foods:
Chicken (raw or cooked), eggs (again, raw or cooked), cottage cheese, carrots, peanut butter, and many more...

Foods to Avoid:
Chocolate, onions, macadamia nuts, grapes and raisins, mushrooms, and others...

Raw Food - First

Canned Food - Second

Dehydrated - Third

Table Scraps - Fourth

Kibble - Nowhere Near the Rest

Diet Equals Health

Bringing Home The Baby

2011-05-13T16:12:00.000-04:00

A lot of my clients are either pregnant or have just had a new baby. Is there something in the air?

I have been getting a lot of questions about how to introduce the new baby to the dog.

I believe preparation should start when you first find out about the pregnancy. If your dog has some behavioral issues that need working on, then start now - not when the baby comes home.

The most important thing you can do is teach SIT. Practice, practice, practice this. If the dog knows SIT means SIT, this will help with everything you do.

Is your dog crate trained, or does it have a special room or place in the house where it will feel safe? If so, try to keep this area reserved strictly for the dog. When the baby starts to crawl or walk, it should not be allowed near this space.

A dog's view of the world comes mainly from its sense of smell. Right after the baby is born, bring home a blanket that has the baby's smell on it. Let the dog sniff this from time to time so that it can get used to the scent before the baby enters the house.

When the baby is brought home for the first time, make sure the dog is either confined to its "special" place or is on leash and under someone's control. Let the dog get used to the new sounds and smells for at least a couple of hours before allowing the dog anywhere near the baby. DO NOT tempt the dog by forcing the initial meeting or holding the baby at the dog's height. Let the introduction happen naturally. My advice would be to just go about taking care of the baby. Once the baby is sleeping, give the dog some petting and lots of affection while allowing him or her to approach in a controlled manner.

Do not allow the dog to play with any of the baby's clothing or toys. If the dog does get something belonging to the baby, take it away and replace it with one of the dog's toys. It also helps to keep the dog's toys limited to one or two items - there will be less chance of confusion.

As the days go by, you should get into a routine as to when it is appropriate for the dog to be around you and the baby.

NEVER EVER leave a dog and a young child unattended.

It is very important to give your dog as much time as you can during the first few weeks. I know that people will be tired, and that lots of things have changed. Remember, though, the dog is also feeling all of this change. All too often the dog is ignored after the arrival of a newborn and, just like a petulant kid, may act out to get attention.

What You Should Know About Your Pet Food

2011-05-10T19:57:00.001-04:00

Part 2

2011-05-10T19:55:00.001-04:00

Dog Cloning-Would You Do It?

2011-04-17T14:58:00.000-04:00

I was going to write an article on dog cloning. While researching, I found this and another article written by the same person. She puts it better than I could.

At ReadyMade.com I wrote about the trend of dog cloning, which is the subject of an excellent new book by journalist John Wostendiek, Dog Inc.

Cloning is happening on such a small scale right now that it seems premature to argue for or against it. The world doesn't need more dogs, but the countless dogs being pumped out of puppy mills are a far bigger problem to the general dog population than the one hundred or so cloned dogs that have been made. Should we ever run out of puppies, I know some mutts who'd be happy to work at making more. My dog would knock up the laundry bag if I let him.

If I could take all the funds that have gone into dog cloning and redirect each dollar to a good shelter, or to a subsidized spay/neuter program, I would. I also think we should spend less money on war and more money on education, but the House isn't voting on the budget I submitted. Point is, people spend money on all kinds of things that many people think is less important than whatever is important to them -- in my case, animal welfare. Fancy cars, jets, plastic surgery... Think of all the money going towards hunting gear and fur farms and any number of other industries that result in the blatant killing of animals. At least cloning is a wasteful practice that results in some kind of new life.

People who are commenting on the article are saying that ReadyMade is condoning the practice of cloning. I'm certainly not condoning it, nor is my editor. The only ones who are condoning it are the people who are profiled in the story. Yet I don't judge them as harshly as many of my readers. In this post, I'm hoping to explain why.

I love my dog Amos a lot. A lot a lot a lot a lot. Today is Amos' sixth birthday, and it pains me to think that we probably only have another six or so years to spend together. Cloning currently costs about $100,000. But the technology to successfully clone a dog has only existed since 2005; the commercial business of dog cloning is younger than that and the price has dropped by a third in just the last year. It's a safe bet to say that by the time Amos goes to the great dog run in the sky, dog cloning might be the kind of thing one could do on a blogger's salary.

But even if such a thing were affordable, it's not something I would ever do. The people I discuss in the ReadyMade.com piece are the kinds of people who go to extremes. (Skip to page 2 of the story for a Who's Who of American Dog Cloners). Do I think these people are wacky? Yes. Especially the one who is a beauty-queen-turned-Mormon-rapist. Do I think they are love sick? For sure. Evil? No, not at all. Mainly, I think they are harbingers of a confused era that doesn't lie far ahead.

The cloning process, which involves inserting DNA into a scooped out unfertilized dog egg and then zapping it with electricity and implanting it into a surrogate, is still pretty unwieldy and not at all humane. For every one animal that is cloned in the Korean lab where all this is happening, it's likely that dozens of animals will have to get surgery to get their eggs taken out or put back in -- and none of those bitches volunteered for the job. There are also frequently extra clones that pop up when only one was wanted, and some of these poor souls are languishing in cages while their twins lead more normal doggie lives. In his book, Wostendiek explains that the dog cloning attempts at Texas A&M were ultimately aborted because they couldn't figure out how to do it while also treating the animals in a way that was deemed humane.

But that's not why I won't clone my dog.

Yes, I feel all animals should be treated humanely, but I don't think that rescuing the relatively small number of caged Korean clone mules is going to solve the problem. In fact, they are probably being treated relatively well compared to the dogs that are used for breeding at so called "puppy mills" throughout the world -- dogs that are forced to have ten litters inside cages that they'll never leave alive. There are also many dogs living in research labs throughout the country. Often, they are euthanized when they're no longer needed.

But even those dogs are living better than this world's gabillion enslaved chickens, cows and pigs. I've never really known a cow, chicken or pig. I have, however, eaten many of them. I try to eat ones that supposedly had a better-than-average life (cows who ate grass instead of corn, chickens that supposedly lived outside of cages). I prefer consuming them when they look as little like their original form as possible. Even so, I often lose my appetite the moment I start to think about the life that the moist brown thing on my plate once led. Even the ones that are treated best are still being raised so that we can kill and eat them. And it's not like there's nothing else out there that we could be eating to sustain ourselves.

The fact is that even most household pets aren't even treated as humanely as we'd like. Everyday, I see people who express nothing but love for their dogs but then put a choke collar on them, or leave them home alone for twelve hours at a time or install electric fences. These are effective ways of controlling a dog that is living in a human world, but they are methods that aren't a lot of fun for the dog, especially considering that it wasn't his choice to live in a human-dominated world to begin with. They are housed and fed, yes, but they exist in environments full of punishing situations over which they have little control. The rules they are expected to follow are explained in a language they can't speak; they are often reprimanded for behaving more like dogs than humans. The Korean clone surrogates in their cages are leading less enriched lives, but with so many fewer challenges facing them, it's possible that they're actually happier. And at least none of the humans caring for them are priding themselves on being great dog owners while their pups experience the mental turmoil of wearing a bumble bee costume.

Others are against dog cloning because they feel that it's a crime to go to such lengths to create clones when there are so many shelter dogs that need good homes. This is a good point. But that's not why I won't clone my dog.

The number of dogs that have been cloned in the last six years is just a tiny fraction of the number of dogs that are bred and sold every day; those are industries that cause problems on a much larger scale. Like clones, many of the dogs you'll find at a pet store or at a breeder were created to look a certain way, with little regard to their health. Frequently they are bred in terrible conditions and sold off to people who lose interest once the dogs lose their puppy cuteness. They then wind up in shelters themselves. Most clones, at least, are being made by people who have already shown the ability to care for a dog until the end of its natural life. I'm guessing that the majority of the world's $100,000+ cloned dogs will never see the inside of the SPCA.

But that's not why I won't clone my dog.

One last reason that I've heard against cloning is that it is unnatural to tinker with evolution. This is a hard point to argue, since humans have already messed with dog evolution to the extent that we have. Using plain old canine sperm and vaginas, we've made dogs that have so many health problems that they can only exist because they have us to perform c-sections and wipe their bums. We've bred them to such extremes that you could almost argue that cloning would at least keep the damage from going any further. We've used cloning to curb change in other living things. New apple trees, for instance, are generally grafted from other apple trees in order to create uniform apples throughout orchards. Every red delicious is a clone of every other red delicious tree. Why aren't there commenters up in arms over that!

But that's also not why I won't clone my dog.

The reason I won't clone Amos is that he is irreplaceable. Amos is more than just his DNA. He is the result of six years of sharing life with me and the people I love. To recreate him, I'd need to move back into each apartment we've lived in together. I'd need to calculate exactly how many of my tears he's licked, and re-inflict the mental scars I made when I made him wear snow boots. I'd need to make myself 25 again. If I could than I would.

Amos can only exist now. One day when he is gone, I may love another dog. But it will be a different time and a different love. Clone or not, each animal only has one lifetime. I just feel lucky to be sharing mine with this furry unique specimen sitting at my feet.

Happy Birthday, Amos. May there be many more.

Click here for the other story

Eddie's Wheels Fundraiser

2011-04-10T19:32:00.001-04:00

This weekend, I attended an event called 'Wags For Wheels' - a fundraiser held at Active Paws Pet Supply in Waltham, MA.

'Wags For Wheels' was hosted by Cara and Gerard Armour, and yes, they are related to me - my brother and his wife.

The goal for this event was to raise money for disabled pets, specifically dogs that need wheelchairs (or as they are called in the doggie world, carts).

Eddie's Wheels, in western Massachusetts, is a company that has been designing carts for dogs and other animals since 1989. They also have a charity called the Buddy Fund, which supplies carts at a substantially discounted rate to animals in shelters or pets whose owners are in financial need. So all the money raised from this event will go to the Buddy Fund.

Cara really pulled out all the stops - there was a ton of free stuff, including frisbees, dog food, and dog treats, and a lot of helpful information was also given out.

The free coffee and water sure made it easier to hang out with all the doggie peeps.

Many people and pets showed up over the two day event, but one that really stole my heart was Baxter. I'll spare you the details, but he's on Eddie's Wheels website.

The star of the whole weekend was Cara & Gerard's own boxer Dozer, or (as I call him) "rubber legs." I say that with compassion. Since being diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy, I have watched this elegant, graceful, full-of-life dog go deeper into his disease, and it's been hard. His mental acuity is fine - he's here, he knows what's going on, he totally wants to partake of anything you wanna do (running, hiking, swimming), but (and it's a big but) his legs can't and won't ever be able to do it.

At this point, most dogs are put to sleep.

I understand, and used to think that way too. How can they walk, pee, poop outside?

It's gonna be really difficult, so let's just put the dog to sleep and put it out of its misery - it's the best thing.

That's what I would have thought, until a trip up to Eddie's (that included an unplanned visit to Vermont, but we won't hold that against Cara, will we Gerard?)

Webster & Willa

Sweet Pea

Baxter,Willa,Webster and the gang.

Leslie with her dogs.

Wow, what a cart can do for a dog! It is unreal - it adds years (yes, YEARS) to a dog's life. It may be somewhat difficult for the dog AND human to adjust to cart life in the beginning, but seeing is believing. Carts are cool.

If my dogs ever need one, it's a no-brainer. They will get one.

Gerard.

Cara giving Ollie a treat.

Eddie

Dozer

Have you ever seen a dog in a cart?

Brookline food pantry adds pet food for furry residents in need.

2011-04-10T00:00:00.001-04:00

Brookline food pantry adds pet food for furry residents in need - NashuaTelegraph.com

Massaging the Pain Away: Massage Therapy for Dog Arthritis

2011-04-09T23:51:00.001-04:00

Click here to learn more about this true therapy

An Old Video Of The Gang In The Snow

2011-04-09T21:29:00.000-04:00

Kuba, (the boxer) has not been able to do this for a while, due to a bad heart problem and torn ACLs.

Really Fat Dog

2011-04-08T21:29:00.000-04:00

Nope, this was not done in Photoshop.

Her name is Cassie, and she weighed in at a whopping 128 pounds.

Her owner fed her on chocolate, potato chips, and fish & chips. When she was asked about the dogs eating habits, she admitted that Cassie had never eaten dog food.

She is supposed to look like the dog on the left.

Poor Cassie is 3 times her normal weight.

Cassie was brought to the Dog's Trust re-homing center in Kenilworth in the UK because her female owner fell ill and was hospitalized.

The staff were horrified at the dogs condition and immediately started a diet and an exercise program. Unfortunately, any improvement is expected to take a while as she is covered in bed sores and is exhausted after only 3 or 4 minutes of walking.

Dog's Trust manager Sandra Wilson said "unfortunately, when owners treat their pets as if they are humans and feed them the wrong foods, they're simply killing them with kindness…[she] is at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis so it needs to be a slow process."

Photos The Sun

Dogs, as well as people, can have compulsive disorders

2011-04-07T18:22:00.000-04:00

Dogs, as well as people, can have compulsive disorders

Is She Right?

2011-04-02T20:06:00.001-04:00

Canine Flu Shots - Not For My Dogs.

2011-04-01T23:20:00.000-04:00

In 2009 the USDA approved the first canine flu vaccine. Why?

Personally, I don't think the statistics are there to prove one is needed. In fact, I don't think most humans need a flu shot either - I think it's a huge money making scam. If we are healthy and eat right, we really don't need a yearly flu shot to protect us from last year's flu. Wait, last year's flu? Yup, the flu shot is only made for the previous year's strain of influenza. As it is a constantly changing virus, by the time you get the shot, you're already fending off a different flu.

Getting back to dogs. Canine flu is rare - very rare. It was mainly found in Greyhound kennels before getting out to a small number of pet dogs. Is it fatal? It can be, in very sick dogs, but so is the common cold in very sick humans.

Would I give my dogs a flu shot? They are not old, I feed them right, the chance of them catching it is slim to none, so why would I? The answer for me is NO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_influenza

From Healthy Pets Mercola
I recommend NOT vaccinating against CIV, since most house pets will not be in situations that warrant the use of the vaccine, such as in overcrowded boarding facilities, race tracks, or pet shelters.

Worse yet, some uneducated people are asking their vets to administer the CIV vaccine to prevent the human H1N1 flu, and some vets are more than willing to comply, taking advantage of their ignorance. However, these two strains are completely unrelated and one vaccine will not protect against the other. Remember, dogs do not acquire swine flu.

Remember, in the vast majority of cases, dogs recover uneventfully from their “dog flu” on their own. Only rarely is hospitalization needed -- usually only for very young puppies or immuno-suppressed animals, such as older, debilitated or immensely stressed animals.If you have cause to believe that your dog has been exposed to the CIV virus, your veterinarian can do a PCR nasal swab, or take paired serum samples to confirm this diagnosis, but in the vast majority of cases you don’t need to do either, unless you can clearly see that your dog is unraveling from potential infection.If your dog has been exposed I do recommend, however, considering the common sense strategies like adding turmeric, oregano, and fresh garlic to your dog’s diet, which all boost natural immune defenses. Discuss appropriate doses for your dog’s age and current immune status with your integrative veterinarian.You can also use adaptogenic herbs, such as ashwagandha, tulsi, bach flower essences, or essential oil of lavender, which can help limit the amount of immune suppression that might occur when your pet is exposed to intermittent stressors.
Your best bet is to help your dog develop a functional immune system through adequate diet and stress reduction.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/11/19/What-are-the-Dangers-of-Mutating-Pet-Flu-Viruses-and-Does-Your-Pet-Need-a-Flu-Shot.aspx

April Is Heartworm Awareness Month

2011-04-01T14:06:00.002-04:00

So spring has supposedly sprung, although it's hard to tell judging by the weather we are having in Boston today - more snow and sleet! Nevertheless, soon enough it will so hot that we will all be complaining about the heat and humidity. That weather, of course, brings out all the nasty bugs that like to bite me and my dogs - yum for them.

April has been declared Heartworm Awareness month.

Heartworms are life threatening parasites transmitted by mosquitoes, so it's even more important to make sure your dogs are taking their heartworm medication this time of year.

For more info on the subject follow the link below:

http://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/canine-guidelines.html

Some New Photos.

2011-03-31T09:00:00.001-04:00

Who will get it?

Pebbles, Cowboy & Tyler.

Pick Up Your S**t Or You Might Get Shot

2011-03-28T14:34:00.001-04:00

JACKSON — An argument that started when a man's dog defecated in his neighbor's yard escalated to a shootout, sending a man to the hospital and the dog owner to jail, authorities said Friday.

Terry Tenhet, 52, was mad at Jerry Blasingame because Blasingame's dog went to the bathroom in his yard, Washington County Sheriff's Assistant Chief Deputy Billy Barber said.

The argument Wednesday evening got out of control and the neighbors began shooting at one another, police said. Tenhet was hit in the chest, arm and hip with a shotgun blast. His injuries weren't considered life threatening.

Blasingame, 60, was charged with aggravated assault. Tenhet could also face charges.

Blasingame said the men argued because Tenhet shot his dog last week. He said Tenhet was in his yard Wednesday and threatened to kill him and his dog "over poop."

"He said, 'Point that gun at me.' I said, 'No, point that gun at me.' He shot twice. I returned fire," Blasingame said.

Barber said the shooting was senseless.

"Homeowners and property owners need to respect each other's property. Don't let your dogs do that on other people's yards," Barber said. "Then, at the same time, if a dog did do that in your yard, call the law. Don't take make matters into your own hands."

Barber didn't know what kind of dog Blasingame has, and Tenhet's number was unlisted.

What To Know To Protect Your Dog From Lyme Disease

2011-03-28T14:10:00.000-04:00

What To Know To Protect Your Dog From Lyme Disease

RAW, RAW, RAW

2011-03-26T21:09:00.000-04:00

OK, so getting back to talking about feeding my dogs the raw diet - my guys have been on raw for about 4 weeks now. Can I say wow, or WOW, or f__k me? Why did I not do this earlier?

In my opinion, the stuff you read about raw being bad is a load of crap (and probably sponsored by the dog food industry).

My guys are already different (better!) dogs all around - calmer, more social, more friendly, better hair, better breath, better teeth. Just ask their dentist friend who asked, "How come their teeth are so clean?" as he picked up his 2 year old dog who already has tooth problems.

My boy Xander has suffered terribly with bouts of pancreatitis - he almost died twice! He's always had terrible trouble with dog food. So finally, it came to me - give him real food! And now he's fine! That's all it took, just real food.

These results came after only 4 weeks, so doesn't it seem like we are being fed a total stream of misinformation from the dog food companies? I know that raw is probably not going to be for everyone, and a lot of dogs will get by on commercial food, bad breath and teeth included. But for my guys, raw is the way to go.

Short Video Of Russian Stray Dogs.

2011-03-26T18:15:00.000-04:00

http://www.noob.us/miscellaneous/russian-stray-dogs-ride-the-subway/

They Say This Was Born A Sheep, What Do You Think?

2011-03-25T21:11:00.000-04:00

see more The Daily What

MSPCA Cares for Two Legged Chihuahua Puppies

2011-03-25T17:29:00.000-04:00

An Honest Opinion From Someone Who Does Not Like Dogs

2011-03-25T07:19:00.000-04:00

To put it bluntly, I don't like your dog

Those who love their pets often forget others don't.

By Michael T. DolanI have a confession to make: I'm not a dog lover. Never have been, never will be.
There, I've said it. Friends, relatives, neighbors, now you know the truth: I don't love your dog.
For years, I've been putting on a friendly face, bending down with a fraudulent smile and pretending to enjoy combing my hands through Spot's smelly mane. Or faking my way through a playful boxing match with Fido as he stands on his hindquarters to greet me at the door. Or pretending to enjoy putting my fingers into Sparky's slobbery mouth to retrieve a tennis ball.
It was all an act, my fellow Homo sapiens. The truth is, I'm not too crazy about your adorable best friend.
I know this admission doesn't bode well for my writing career. I'll never be able to write that best-seller about my four-legged friend's fellowship and frolics. I'll never fill a newspaper column with stories about the time Charlie got skunked during a midnight bathroom break. Best-sellerdom is for the dogs, and I'm destined to a life of literary mediocrity.
That's not to say that I have never enjoyed a canine's company, or that I don't appreciate the benefits of dog ownership. Dogs provide constant companionship, faithful friendship, and an opportunity for humans to make use of monikers they only wish they could give to their kids - like Mugsy, Maximus, Rocky, and Bandit.
All that being said, I still don't want one. I know many people will find this curmudgeonly, blasphemous, and even un-American. That seems to be an especially common trait of dog owners: a failure to understand that there are some of us out there who just don't love their dogs.

Down, Killer!

Hence the empty words of reassurance one often hears called across a field or sidewalk as a dog owner moseys over to retrieve her charging Rottweiler:"Stop snarling, Chopper! It's OK - he likes kids!"
"Oh, he may growl like a grizzly and have fangs like one, too, but that's just his way of saying 'Hello'!"
"Don't worry, he won't really bite. He just 'nips' when he's playing!"
"Oh, he's just a puppy. Get down, Killer!"
Tell that to your 7-year-old daughter as she clings to your leg in terror. Or the paperboy scared to collect his monthly fee because of the angry Doberman on the other side of the screen door.
Dog owners, take heed: Your assurances are not comforting to the rest of us. Yes, Fang may in fact be friendly, but if I wanted to be friends with him, I'd be the one running up to him and sticking my nose in his nether regions.

Due diligence

Dog owners could go a long way toward changing our opinions if they simply practiced a little more public relations for their canines. In addition to keeping the dog's nose out of my private parts, a little due diligence in cleaning up after the fella would be appreciated. Neighborhood parks and nature preserves (not to mention my own backyard at times) have become doggy minefields. While I appreciate composting, I'd like to keep it out of the treads of my children's sneakers.And for those who do pick up after their dogs, while I do feel a bit sorry that you have to carry it around in a shopping bag, do you have to deposit it in my trash can? Things smell bad enough in there without a surprise souvenir on a sweltering July day.
Of course, not all dog owners are discourteous. But far too many of them are failing to recognize that some of us don't want to be hounded by their dogs, or reminded of them by something on our shoes.
I suppose many animal lovers will think this sounds grumpy and irritable, and that perhaps the companionship of a pet would make me less cantankerous. Perhaps I could look into getting a cat. Unfortunately, though, I don't like them, either.

Michael T. Dolan lives in West Chester. His blog is at www.conversari.com.

Cute Video Of A Very Smart Dog

2011-03-23T17:10:00.000-04:00

Wow: Dog survives a month in burned-out house

2011-03-23T15:00:00.000-04:00

How Much Would You Pay?

2011-03-19T20:33:00.002-04:00

The Red Tibetan Mastiff Is The Most Expensive Dog In The World.

His breed has been owned by such luminaries as Queen Victoria, King George IV and Genghis Khan – who supposedly took 30,000 of the dogs with his army in his bid to conquer Western Europe.

This guy;s name is Big Splash, a Red Tibetan Mastiff and thanks to a coal baron from the north of China, he is now the most expensive dog in the world.

Big Splash, or Hong Dong in Chinese, was purchased for a whopping 10 million Chinese yuan, or over 1.5 Million Dollars. Or to be exact, $1,525,595.00.

And it’s lucky his new master is a multi-millionaire, because the hefty price tag doesn’t factor in Big Splash’s diet – enough chicken and beef spiced up with Chinese delicacies such as sea cucumber and abalone to fill a growing 180lb dog.

His owner will also need a big house as adult Tibetan Mastiffs have been known to weigh as much as 286lb, or more than 20 stone – the same as a sizeable rugby player. However the typical weight for a fully grown Tibetan Mastiff is around 13 stone.

But according to breeder Lu Liang, Big Splash is a ‘perfect specimen’ and the extravagant price for the 11-month-old is completely justified
?He said: ‘We have spent a lot of money raising this dog, and we have the salaries of plenty of staff to pay’ – adding that the new owner could charge almost £10,000 a time for Big Splash to breed with a female.

The high price paid for the dog is a sign that the red Tibetan mastiff has become a status symbol in China, replacing jewelry and cars as a way for the super-rich to show off their wealth.

Not only is red considered a lucky color, but Tibetan mastiffs are thought to be holy animals, blessing their owners’ health and security.

Tibetans also believe the dogs have the souls of monks and nuns who were not good enough to be reincarnated as humans or into Shambhala, the heavenly realm.

I saw this on thedogfiles.com

This Video Confirms That Dogs Are Smart

2011-03-13T00:11:00.000-05:00

Looking Forward To Summer

2011-03-12T18:08:00.000-05:00

Today's weather got me thinking about future trips with my dogs. So I looked back at last summer's photos and picked these to share:

Bobby Hanvey

My Guys

The Dog Walkers

Family Portrait

John, Bobby Hanvey, Chris, Denise

Denise

Poke

Little Peanut

Beautiful

A Fun Video Of Dogs At The Park

2011-03-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

New Warning About Serious Drug Side Effects - Is Your Dog's Breed At Risk?

2011-03-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

I just read this article and thought it was worth sharing.

Jessie

Click here to read http://www.suite101.com/content/side-effects-of-ivermectin-in-dogs-a343592

Some New Information Regarding Early Spay/Neuter

2011-03-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

Behavioral and Physical Effects of Spaying and Neutering Domestic Dogs (Canis familiars)

This Is the summary:

The above data is just a small sample of the significant data that were determined in this study. By using large a sample of dogs than any used previously to examine behavior in dogs, we found significant correlations between neutering dogs and increases in aggression, fear and anxiety, and excitability, regardless of the age at which the dog was neutered. There were also significant correlations between neutering and decreases in trainability and responsiveness to cues. The other three behavioral categories examined (miscellaneous behavior problems, attachment and attention- seeking behavior, and separation-related behavior) showed some association with neutering, but these differed more substantially depending on the age at which the dog was neutered. The overall trend seen in all these behavioral data was that the earlier the dog was neutered, the more negative the effect on the behavior. A difference in bone length was found between neutered and intact dogs, suggesting that neutering has an effect on bone growth, which may be related to other orthopedic effects documented in the literature. Examination of changes in bone length of gonadectomized dogs is continuing.

The full Article can be found by following this link:

http://www.caninesports.com/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Give The Dog A Bone

2011-03-01T18:45:00.000-05:00

Due to the fact that my male dog, Xander, suffers periodically from bouts of Pancreatitis, I have been researching dog nutrition and trying to decide the best way to feed him.

I have read numerous articles about the benefits of feeding the raw diet. I have read just as many articles about the problems with raw diets. And I have read articles that cover every argument in between.

All of this conflicting information has left me completely confused.

I know cheap dog foods are bad and full of horrific ingredients (some saying even euthanized dogs). But how much better are the expensive foods?

So far, Xander is doing great on one of the most expensive foods available, but would he do even better on raw?

Anyone have any personal views and real life experience with this?

In your comments, please feel free to link to any articles you think I should read.

Mark

You Wanna Be In My Gang?

2011-02-24T20:08:00.000-05:00

We hear a lot today about being the leader of your pack. This is usually followed by why and how:

You, the human, must walk through the door first. I agree, because I don't want to trip over the dog, but why is it a must? It's good manners, sure - don't dive out the door, taking me with you. But it has nothing to do with being a pack leader.

Once you make it out the door, never let the dog walk in front of you - he'll think he's in charge. Well, sled dogs and hunting dogs are always in front of you, with no adverse effects.

You must eat first - the alpha wolf gets first dibs on the kill, taking the good meat for himself. Let's clear one thing up right now: dogs are not wolves. Wolves are predatory hunters. Dogs are opportunistic scavengers. And even the so-called alpha wolves actually regurgitate food for their partners upon returning from the hunt.

Never let the dog sleep in bed with you, as in his eyes, this will make him equal in status. But if you do let your dog sleep in bed with you, he must sleep below your waist. Wait - what happened to NEVER in the bed? And is the dog really trying to show his status, or is he just trying to be more comfortable?

All of the above ideas were put into dog training after researchers started studying wolves in the 1940's. Scientists such as Rudolph Schenkel took a bunch of wild wolves from different "packs," put them in a small enclosure, and then watched them fight it out for leadership positions.

Newer research, however, shows that this situation was completely unnatural. Wolves in the wild do not roam around and form gangs in order to catch prey. They are, in fact, families much like our own - Mother, Father, and children. When the mother and father have another litter, previous offspring simply become older brothers and sisters to the new pups - no fighting is needed to tell who is above who in this family. Once the wolves reach adolescence, they tend to wander off in search of a mate to start a family of their own. David Mech was the first researcher to find out the true hierarchy within the wolf family. He initially agreed with Shenkels research, but after 30 years of studying and living with wild wolves, he published articles correcting his position on the "alpha" theory. In modern wolf research the "alpha's" are now referred to as the breeding pair, i.e. Mom & Pop.

So why does the outdated alpha model still prevail in modern dog training?

In my opinion, two reasons:
1. TV trainers, or as they like to call themselves, "dog psychologists." I think they chose that term because it sounds more science-y. But if they were really based in the world of science, wouldn't they actually stay on top of new training methods instead of sticking to myths and old wives' tales? But those myths and old wives' tales make for good TV and good paydays.
2. I also think people like to hold on to the romantic idea that little Fido, the teacup chihuahua, may still have some wolf in him. Grrrr...

As I have said above, dogs are not wolves. In fact, they may not even have descended from wolves - the science is starting to lean more towards Coyotes and other wild dogs. Wherever they came from, they are thousands of years removed from their original wild ancestors and have become our best friends as well as family members. So can we please stop trying to teach them with fear and punishment and get back to treating them with compassion and understanding?

Let's do away with "alpha" and "pack leader" thinking, because dogs simply don't think this way. In fact, dogs really don't like conflict - they would rather avoid it altogether. If pack theory were in fact true, my job would be hell on earth. Each day, I take up to 28 dogs out on playgroup. This group is made up of a different combination of dogs each day, yet they all get along just fine. Could you imagine the chaos if they were all trying to dominate each other and be the pack leader? I think I would be looking for another line of work...

Let's Deal With Dominance

2011-02-18T18:05:00.003-05:00

Now that the Westminster dog show is over for another year, I am hoping I do not have to hear people talking on the TV about "dominance" in dogs anymore. Like that would happen! Unfortunately, the show has millions of viewers, which helps to continue to spread this myth. Remember - if it is on TV, then it must be true...

Just because your young pup is eager to learn everything about the new world outside and tries to get out the door before you, is it dominating you?

If the dog gets on your new Tempurpedic mattress, thinks it's the softest place on earth that also happens to smell like its favorite person (you!), and does not want to get off, is it dominating you?

If your dog is pulling on the leash while you walk slowly behind, letting your dog think he is pulling you along, is it dominating you and trying to be the "pack leader?" Or is he playing a great game and winning, because it's obviously working - you're moving, aren't you?

Let's say you have a dog that has not been properly potty trained, and you have tried to rub her nose in it (or worse, given her a smack). When she gets so scared the next time she does have to go that she hides behind the sofa and does her business, is she really thinking that she is dominating you?

What about when you leave the dog alone at home, and being a highly sociable animal, he thinks you've left forever? He starts to get scared, which can escalate into serious anxiety. As chewing has a calming effect on dogs, he decides to relive some stress and chomps on the furniture. Is he exhibiting dominance and paying you back for leaving him, or just trying to comfort himself?

We really need to stop using this word "Dominance" to explain all of our dogs misunderstood behaviors - it's just too easy. We need to start looking at things from our dogs point of view. Let's put ourselves in their shoes, try to figure out what actually happened and what we did wrong, and then attempt to make it better for them. This will hopefully fix the issue, and prevent us from just using a blanket term - dominance - to explain away unwanted behavior.

I've put a few links below to show the scientific research on this subject:

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2009/6361.html

http://www.nonlineardogs.com/

Pee or Puke

2009-03-14T00:35:00.002-04:00

So the reason I have not posted on here for a while was the fact that I thought that nothing had really happened to talk about (and my life was boring) but I realized that blogging was about just sharing everyday things that I think may be boring but other people had no idea what really happened. So here is my next post..

Today I had my little friend Daisy with me to playgroup. I don't know if you remember but Daisy is the dog that gets travel sick very quickly.

So we take her to playgroup.

We have discovered her problem is a vision thing, as long as she can see forward with a little help sometimes turning her head by hand so she faces the direction we are traveling, she is fine and I mean really fine, not even a little drool. As soon as she cant see out of the car, she will start to drool and very quickly throw everything on to my Xfc fabric covered front seat, Xfc means its easy to clean, they say.

Thank god she does not get in my other car.

That's not the story though, just part of it.

We go to the park with Daisy and all the gang, Mark helping me get there as usual.

It's when he leaves that the fun begins, on my way back from the park Mark goes off on his own way to walk other dogs while I drop all the playgroup dogs home.

So, Daisy has the privilege of riding in the front seat, depending on the day and the dogs in group, someone will ride with her.

Today it's Daisy and Luigi yeah.

The short ride from the beach to Daisy's house begins, It's less than a mile.

Out of the parking lot and turned right, no drool, yeah,

Straight down the road for about 300 feet, no drool, oh yeah,

Left turn, no drool, really, wow, last week at this point she had already covered the whole seat with a nice orange glowing mound of stuff but not this week, yeah.

On to the home straight, it looks good, two more minutes and I will get there with no mess. Oh yes, one more turn and I will make it. I turn, all is cool in the car, no clean up today but what, what's that noise? It sounds like water bouncing of cardboard.
I look to my passenger seat not knowing what to think and there it is, Luigi is pissing all over the seat, not just a little pee a lot of pee.

Hey at least Daisy did not puke today and that's a good thing.

How Much Will We Get?

2008-12-16T23:32:00.002-05:00

Judging from this picture from last year, Luigi's hoping for a lot of snow this season...

BBC will not air Crufts dog show next year

2008-12-13T12:11:00.004-05:00

Has anyone been following the news about the Crufts dog show.

Here is a link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7779686.stm

A few old pictures I found

2008-12-11T21:15:00.003-05:00

Here's what training can do...

2008-11-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqbVbPvlDoM

Kai is here for the weekend

2008-11-15T14:53:00.003-05:00

My Dog Chews Everything

2008-11-03T16:46:00.002-05:00

How do I stop my dog from chewing my Shoes, Chair, Blinds, Table or ______? (You fill in the blank) In my case, it was the wall. I'm not kidding - when she wasn't stealing the cats' toys, the little girl pictured above loved to chew holes in the wall.

Chewing is natural behavior for a dog - it helps them keep calm. When a dog gets anxious, such as when the owners are gone, it may resort to tearing up the sofa just to calm its nerves.

Most people I see try to solve this problem by giving the dog a huge selection of toys, hoping that the dog will chew on these and leave the inappropriate things alone. In my opinion this only reinforces to the dog that everything is a chew toy, so it learns nothing from this.

So how do we stop unwanted chewing? Here's the process I use:

While at home, place the dog in a space where it has no access to the inappropriate items, like a small room or a crate, with one freshly stuffed KONG* and nothing else. After about 30 minutes or so, let the dog out and spend 5 - 10 minutes playing tug or other games with a chew toy of your choice. Place the dog back in the crate with a freshly stuffed KONG (Don't forget potty breaks). What we are doing here is developing a chew toy habit. Every dog is different in how long it takes to get the picture, but most catch on pretty quickly. When the dog is not confined to its crate or room and you notice it playing with the toy, you should lavish praise and give a treat to let the dog know that this is great behavior. If you do catch it chewing on something you don't want it to, replace that item with the appropriate toy.

Once your dog has developed a great chew toy habit, the house should be safe from further destruction, and you will know your dog is at home happy and content.

*When using a KONG, I mix wet and dry dog food together, fill the cavity most of the way, then seal it closed with peanut butter and place it in the freezer. (If you don't use wet food, you can just moisten the dry kibble with water instead.) The frozen food takes longer to get at, thus making the chewing and licking last longer. Just don't forget that this food counts towards your dog's daily requirement - I'm not advocating over-feeding! Some people only feed their dog via the KONG - they believe that a dog working for its food is much more beneficial than just getting it for free.

A few More Pictures

2008-11-03T15:55:00.004-05:00

Fred loves to drive.

Ballet Lessons.

Here comes Cadi.

Kuba Loves Dancing.

Driving Miss Daisy

2008-10-31T19:35:00.003-04:00

In an email received today, a client asked how to help her dog, (above) not get sick while traveling in the car.

The simple answer is - don't take the dog in the car.

If the answer above will not work for you, and you simply must take your dog in a vehicle, then below are a few tips that have worked in the past both for me and for others.

1. Take the dog on short trips to begin with, getting increasingly longer each time you go out.

2. Bring a dog toy or a Kong filled with peanut butter. This may help keep the dog occupied and less focused on the car ride itself.

3. Place the dog in a travel crate. You can cover it or not depending on your dog's preference.

4. Give the dog some ginger snap cookies 20-30 minutes before the journey. Ginger may help calm the stomach.

5. Let the dog ride in the front or high enough in the back so it can see outside while on the move.

6. Give the dog Dramamine (check with your vet about dosing instructions).

Feel free to combine these tips until you find a solution that works for you - and don't give up!

I don't teach leave it

2008-10-31T17:30:00.004-04:00

Today one of my clients asked me to teach her dog the "leave it" command. When I said that I don't teach that, she looked at me quite perplexed and said, "Then how can I get my dog to stop picking up things, like the kids' socks or toys?" I replied that the reason I do not teach this is because I think we should spend more time on the basics - sit, stay, down and come. My view is that if we get these rock solid, then we really don't need to teach the dog other confusing commands. If the dog is going to pick up a toy and you say come, the dog should come right over, leaving the toy alone.

My philosophy is the less we speak to our dogs while training, the less confused they will be.

Below is an article I found that explains what I mean.

David Letterdog's List of Things Dogs Cannot Do While Sitting

Jump up, lick, paw, bump, or goose family, friends, visitors, or strangers, especially including the young and the elderly.
Bolt out of the front door or car.
Run off in the park.
Chase cars, cats, chickens, children, bicyclists, skate-boarders, horses, and other dogs.
Bully, bother, pester, or disturb people or other dogs.
Get underfoot, stepped on, or tripped over.
Mount other dogs, or be mounted by other dogs.
Slap a child in the face, or clear a coffee table of wine glasses with a waggy tail.
Fence-fight or scrap through the garden fence.
Pace back and forth, chase its tail, or self-energize by running around like a whirling dervish from window to couch, from couch to carpet, and from carpet to window, etc., while working itself into a feverish frenzy.

Or as Dr. Ian Dunbar says Rambunctious, rumbustious delinquent dogs become angelic when sitting.

Luigi & Fred

2008-10-31T15:03:00.005-04:00

Luigi (Boston Terrier) and Fred do this when people they don't like pass by the car.

Oscar

2008-10-30T18:18:00.005-04:00

This is a photo of Oscar with his muzzle on. As you can see, he is extremely dangerous - he has been known to rip limbs off his walkers. Only joking! He needs to wear this as he tends to eat everything in his path, a habit which has caused little Oz to be hospitalized in the past.

This is the little guy without the Hannibal Lecter look.

Of course he is being taken care of by his girlfriend Sara who would love for him to be her own.

A few pictures

2008-10-29T19:21:00.000-04:00

2008-10-29T17:56:00.000-04:00

This is a typical day at work for me. I walk a few individual dogs early morning and late evening but midday I take out my playgroup, which is usually between 7 and 12 dogs depending on the day.

In the photo above we are at one of the parks where I take the dogs, in this park they get to run off leash and most of them go for a swim in the warmer months, they love it.