5 Days to Dust

The Notice

This is all that's left. After 7 years of loving each other, countless days and thousands upon thousands of  miles together, all that's left of my big dog, Taddymoor Mirk, is this notice.  They'll try another delivery on Monday between 10 and 2.

The decision to put him down was easy. A brave, stoic dog that rarely showed signs of it, he was in obvious pain from the fist-sized splenic tumor that appeared on x-ray and ultra-sound. Accepting that decision makes me inconsolable at times. I miss my dog. I didn't have time to prepare. There was no warning. He was 11.

3 years old in South Wales

The first time I saw him was on a small patch of wet grass just outside the Millichap's kennel on Hendre Owen Farm in Port Talbot, South Wales. Mirk was 3 at the time with an expression that read; "I love to work all day. Let's go." The 2nd time I saw him was on a bright green hillside fetching a flock of Leah Millichap's registered Texel sheep. Richard warned me to stand back as they barrelled past me to his feet. Mirk was working with older full sister and brother, Jen and Cap the last time I saw him before coming home with his half-brother, Lad. They were gathering 150 lambs off the hill that were sold to a neighbor. Let me put it like this; the dogs were efficient.

6 months later Richard offered to sell Mirk. A full year after that I picked him up at LAX and set about learning to handle a confidently powerful hill dog. I want to be very clear about this; there's nothing quite like it. I never once asked that he didn't give me more. He never failed to bring me sheep anywhere I ever ran him. He could catch a sheep's eye like no other I've owned, and loved to shed and pen. Mirk was fearless. He was graceful. He was gentle.

                                Photo by Gloria Atwater

Sonoma Wine Country Sheepdog Trial, March, 2013

My friend, and one of the classiest veterinarians I've ever known, Dr. Joy Thayer, helped me at the end. It's an hour and a half to her clinic, but I had a bad feeling about this one, and Mirkie deserved the best I could do. I'm not sure which of us I was trying to shield as I stroked his beautiful face leaning close to obscure that final act. I kept telling him he was good as I experienced the last beat of his massive heart. It was 6 months to the day after Price died.

Last September, Mirk competed at Soldier Hollow, Meeker, and the huge, semi-final course of our Oregon national finals. In January, he reveled at his appointed job of exhaust dog at Snowbirds. On big, obstinate ewes that were uncommonly treacherous, he did himself proud 3 months ago at the Wine Country Sheepdog Trial.  This week it took just 5 days to go from my big, handsome boy to heartbreak to dust.

"I Breathe"

Warning; This video is an hour long, and it's heartbreaking. But, I've had enough. I'm exposing the truth about the AKC - puppy mill connection in every way I can. Won't you please join me by sharing Lily's story? ...Please?

Lily was an AKC registered Italian Greyhound bought by a rescue at auction after 7 years of torture in a puppy mill. The condition of her face was caused by rot and decay from an injury that went untreated.

The injury most likely occurred from Lily trying to chew her way out of wire-cage confinement.

National Mill Dog Rescue tried to save her, but it was too late. There was already too much damage. The roof of her mouth was gone, further decay could not be halted and she was euthanized at just 8 years old.

Lily had weaned a litter of puppies just a few weeks prior to her rescue.

Here's Our Chance

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Finally! After years and years of so many of us spreading the word about the evil underbelly of the American Kennel Club, it has finally and definitively been exposed on national TV. This reporting is way over due but so welcome. As happy as I am about the Today Show airing this scathing condemnation of what may be the biggest sham put over on US dog-owning citizens ever, they did not go nearly far enough in their coverage. They did not make plain the single biggest reason why the AKC shamelessly supports and cultivates the success and proliferation of puppy mills. They do it for the money.

And let's never forget the horrific effect of whimsical & arbitrary AKC breed standards on dogs.

An AKC registered Dachsund with genetic maladies

With the popularization of rescue and adoption, fewer AKC puppies are being purchased, so fewer puppies are being produced, so fewer puppies are being registered. The AKC is hemorrhaging income, and they had to find a  way to stop the bleeding. It became part of their business plan to seek out and support commercial puppy suppliers, including the worst of the puppy millers, and line their pockets on the backs of unsuspecting buyers and suffering animals.

Ask yourself; "would I knowingly buy from a pet store that was supplied by a puppy mill who allowed animals to suffer?" 

Do you know the condition of the kennel where that AKC registered pet-shop puppy came from? Well, the AKC very well might, and they don't care if it was cruel and inhumane. THEY'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN THE MONEY!

Ever heard this phrase; "follow the money?"

In this video a representative of the AKC says it opposes all legislation regulating animals sales because "it's not how many dogs you own, it is the care of those animals that matters." When asked about the AKC protocol of "inspecting" kennels to insure that care, she ruefully admits they employ just 9 inspectors to cover the entire country.

When asked if she feels that number is sufficient, she replies with this non-answer; "it's the number we have." 

But having that paltry few inspectors on the payroll allows the AKC to trumpet to the suckers that they are insured of a healthy puppy from a reputable kennel because they inspect. 

It's not how efficient your inspection system that matters. It's how well you cover your ass!

http://peopleforanimals2011.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/my-auction-adventures/

Want to see where AKC registered puppies can come from? Here's an insider's look.

Are there good breeders who take exceptionally good care of the animals in their charge? Of course there are. That's not the story, but that's the well-rehearsed hue and cry of the AKC zombies. The real meat of this story is that the AKC overlooks, condones, inspects and approves the worst of the worst ones too! And they knowingly register their puppies FOR THE MONEY!!!

Are you detecting a theme here?

Upon the airing of this Today Show segment, the AKC put this on their website:

Their facts include such vague statements as; "when an AKC inspector finds substandard kennel conditions they must immediately report it" 

Define "substandard"

"there are no “AKC Registered Operations” or “AKC Registered Breeders” and that breeders use AKC services voluntarily." 

Because the breeders can get more money without any oversight of animal care.

And they go on to tell their minions:

"Please send your comments directly to the Producer of the Today Show Don Nash don.nash@nbcuni.comand the President of NBC News Phil Griffin phil.griffin@nbcuni.com."

"Watch the segment on the Today Show website and then go to Rossen Reports and Today.com andNBCNews.com to post your comments."

And I think that's a really good idea. I think that's exactly what we should do.

Let's make Jeff Rossen's reporting leave a mark. Finally! Here's our chance.

6 Reasons Why You're Scared

Spottie's not scared in this picture, but he might look like this if he was

No...not you, as in the ubiquitous you. I mean you as in the dogs. I have no earthly idea why you're scared and would not have insight for you if I did. If you're scared, you're on your own from this blog.

My dogs react differently to different stimuli. Some are afraid of loud noises, some of human emotion. I've had dogs that were afraid of jumping into the truck, walking past 6lb lap-dog, Dexter, my horse, my friends, my sheep for heaven's sake. I've even had a dog that seemed afraid of almost everything.

And then there's those rare few that don't seem to be fazed by anything life throws at them. I like those dogs a lot, but they are few and far between in my experience, there has to be a bit o' luck involved in getting one, and you really have to know what you're doing, or get some good help, to leave it whole.

What about the 5 reasons dogs are scared? Guess what! They are all brought to you by humans.

1. Mechanical contrivances. Shock collars for instance will chill a dog's self-confidence faster than any other method I can think of. They're not fair. They do not give a dog even the slightest chance to right his wrong. Dog makes a mistake, dog becomes torn apart by fear. Give 'em a chance. Everyone learns at their own pace, and some take longer than others. More importantly, some are trained by humans who are better/smarter/more talented trainers than others. Never underestimate your own utter lack of talent on the training field.

2. Timing. Have you ever corrected a dog a scant second after he self-corrected thereby rendering your command and subsequent correction a lie? Yeah...me too. Make this mistake too often, however, and you'll have a dog that has no idea what you want, and is afraid to give it to you. Observe and give your dog, especially your young dog, a chance to be right. Observe closely and wait a sec'.

3. Too much too soon. Go ahead and move that nursery dog up! Hell, she knows how to shed, right? Send them too far too fast. Pit them against difficult sheep, get good and mad when they screw up, demand they drive before they're ready, and by all means, (this one's my personal favorite,) work 'em on cattle. "The dog must always win" is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite handlers, Mr. Tommy Wilson. Well, if you're working your dog over it's head, winning sometimes looks like savage gripping by a dog doing all it can with its' only natural ability, because you rushed past a chance to instill confident skill. Write this down: Not all dogs are cut out to be nursery dogs. Not all nursery dogs are cut out to run in open, and it's OK.

4. Too little too late. Have you ever run your vacuum repeatedly over something that it fails to get, then picked it up and checked it out before throwing it back down to run over with the vacuum some more? Yeah...me too. It's the vacuum's job, right? Many, many times I have watched handlers stand by and watch a dog struggle to accomplish a task while doing absolutely nothing to help. It's a Border Collie for heaven's sakes! It should KNOW HOW by golly. OK, but unless you've actually taught them, they've actually learned how and become adept at it, it's OK to move your feet, and go help. It's more than OK, it's necessary to keep them becoming forever unable out of fear. Not only did they "lose," in their attempt, but YOU got mad at them for trying!

5. Genetics. If there's something about a dog that you don't like, please, please don't breed it! Absolutely adoring your dog, warts and all, is wonderful, but not an acceptable reason for breeding it. A gorgeous outrun, coupled with courage, athleticism, good temperment, stamina, intelligence, clean flanks and willingness are GREAT reasons to breed a dog. You will not get all of these attributes in the offspring of 2 dogs that have a few of each.  Don't breed a dog that's scared to a dog that's not and expect the pups to all be braver than the cowardly parent.  Genetics does not allow for blending. You get 1 or the other.

6. Physical abuse. I have known of so-called trainers who believe you can get more from a dog that's scared than one whos' not. I disagree and if you ever take your dog to a trainer who hits it, chokes it, slams it on the ground, or talks about having done such things to any dog, stow your wallet, use your cell phone and run, don't walk away. Use your cell phone to call Animal Control who likely won't do anything for lack of evidence, but if they get enough complaints about an individual, maybe, just maybe... If I got hit, punched, kicked or thrown to the ground, I'd be scared too. And, while I might do out of fear exactly what you wanted, I would never trust you, so you would never, ever get my full measure.

Mercedes Barkz

This is Mercedes. For 1,427 days, since January of  2009, she has been languishing in an animal shelter in Versailles, Kentucky. Long enough, don't you think? Mercedes is 5 years old, and has been institutionalized for most of her life.

Mercedes has 2 strikes against her. She's brindle, and she looks like a pit bull mix. Neither are easily adopted out. I don't know what she is, but I'm quite sure that you can't judge a book by it's cover. For what it's worth, the shelter says she's a pit bull/whippet mix and needs to be an only dog, which isn't likely helping her case. They state she is resource protective, which means she growls when other dogs threaten her toys. I say she needs to socialized and properly trained.

Oddly enough, Mercedes looks remarkably like a dog my daughter adopted that she named Levi. Brindle and a pit mix, the rescue was relieved to see Megan come along, I'm sure. Levi was a project, but love, commitment and perseverance overcame them all. Mostly it was love that brought him right. We need someone to love Mercedes too.

Woodford Humane Society says they have a 95% adoption rate. About this gorgeous girl they say there is nothing in her personality to warrant killing Mercedes. In fact, they state she is sufficiently well-adjusted to have avoided the stresses associated with long term habitation in their shelter environment.

Why have I posted about this dog? Because my friend, Stephanie asked me to, and because maybe I can help in some small way. I can't help them all, but maybe I maybe we can help Mercedes.

If you have room  for her in your heart, please contact the Humane Society. If not, blog about her yourself, post her on your Facebook, tell a friend. Let's save this one...just this one. Come on, just this one.

Cold. Hard. Truth.

The shelter manager's letter:


"I am posting this (and it is long) because I think our society needs a huge wake-up call.
As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all - a view from the inside, if you will.

Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don't even know - that puppy you just sold will most likely end up in my shelter when it's not a cute little puppy anymore.

How would you feel if you knew that there's about a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it is going to be dumped at - purebred or not! About 50% of all of the dogs that are "owner surrenders" or "strays" that come into my shelter are purebred dogs.

No shortage of excuses
The most common excuses I hear are:

We are moving and we can't take our dog (or cat).
Really? Where are you moving to that doesn't allow pets?

The dog got bigger than we thought it would.
How big did you think a German Shepherd would get?

We don't have time for her.
Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs!

She's tearing up our yard.
How about bringing her inside, making her a part of your family?

They always tell me: We just don't want to have to stress about finding a place for her. We know she'll get adopted - she's a good dog. Odds are your pet won't get adopted, and how stressful do you think being in a shelter is?

Well, let me tell you. Dead pet walking!

Your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off, sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn't full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy.

If it sniffles, it dies.

Your pet will be confined to a small run / kennel in a room with about 25 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it.

If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers that day to take him / her for a walk. If I don't, your pet won't get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose.

If your dog is big, black or any of the "bully" breeds (pit bull, rottweiler, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door. Those dogs just don't get adopted.

If your dog doesn't get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed.

If the shelter isn't full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed, it may get a stay of execution, though not for long. Most pets get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment.

If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles, chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because shelters just don't have the funds to pay for even a $100 treatment.

The grim reaper

Here's a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being "put-down".

First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk - happy, wagging their tails. That is, until they get to "The Room".

Every one of them freaks out and puts on the breaks when we get to the door. It must smell like death, or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there. It's strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs (depending on their size and how freaked out they are). A euthanasia tech or a vet will start the process. They find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the "pink stuff". Hopefully your pet doesn't panic from being restrained and jerk it's leg. I've seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood, and been deafened by the yelps and screams.

They all don't just "go to sleep" - sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves.

When it all ends, your pet's corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back, with all of the other animals that were killed, waiting to be picked up like garbage.

What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? You'll never know, and it probably won't even cross your mind. It was just an animal, and you can always buy another one, right?

Liberty, freedom and justice for all

I hope that those of you that have read this are bawling your eyes out and can't get the pictures out of your head. I do everyday on the way home from work. I hate my job, I hate that it exists and I hate that it will always be there unless people make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at a shelter.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes.

My point to all of this is DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!

Hate me if you want to - the truth hurts and reality is what it is.

I just hope I maybe changed one person's mind about breeding their dog, taking their loving pet to a shelter, or buying a dog. I hope that someone will walk into my shelter and say "I saw this thing on craigslist and it made me want to adopt".

That would make it all worth it."
Author unknown
Together we can end this senseless killing. Keep speaking out and sharing this page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Cruelty-Exposed/363725540304160

Good for Us!

This is a great supplement line, and I recently started feeding it. Beyond that, this is a great company. They give back with each and every sale in a tangible way that really makes a difference.

I love these guys!

Funds generated through product sales are allocated to groups who help people pay their veterinary bills. The program is called Tails to the Rescue. This money is available through grants to non-profit organizations that are highly rated by charity watchdog groups. Tails is thoughtfully responsible about sending our money where it will benefit animals most.

Ever been faced with a choice between euthanasia, surrender, or credit cards? I have. It's no fun. I appreciate Tails mission very much.

Free of gluten, rice, synthetic dyes, added sodium, and artificial flavor, these are high quality supplements made from premium ingredients. With all the recalls, food-related pet deaths, and foreign production nightmares, I feel good about feeding Tails.

Tam, Spot, and Dexter, are all on Canine Bliss for dogs between 1 and 7 years old. Picky Dexter never hesitated when I offered him the liver-flavored soft chew. He thought it was a treat. Made with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and digestive enzymes, I know it will be good for him, and nothing's too good for my little man.

Rover the Hill is liver-flavored as well. Dogs love liver. 9 year old Mirk, and 12 year old Price are on this one. Like Dexter, Mirk is really picky about what he eats. He won't even take this tempting morsel out of my hand. He's funny that way. But throw it in with his kibble, and it's gone. Price practically knocks me over for his.

Fortunately, my old guys are sound and healthy. We're pretty blessed that way. CoEnzyme Q10 together with ingredients for bone and joint health added in an organic fruit and vegetable blend will keep 'em that way for as long as possible. Old dogs rule!

There are 2 other products currently available for dogs, Grow Dog Grow, (Dr. Seuss anyone?) and Hip Hip Hooray, formulated for joint health in all breeds and sizes. For those among us with a kitteh persuasion, there's some great stuff for cats as well.

I have always supplemented my dogs' diet, and I've been lucky health-wise. Maybe it's not so much luck. When my dogs do get sick, they seem to recover quickly. God forbid they should be injured, but it happens, and my dogs heal well with less intervention, (read vet bills.) I'll continue with the supplements, thank you.

Tails is on sale right now with free shipping. You can do something good for your dog at a good price, and you can give back a little through Tails to the Rescue. Good product...good deal!

Can I Haz Air?

Tech XX

This English Bulldog is was the mascot of Louisiana Tech University. The 20th in a line of Bulldog mascots dating back many years, he died tragically August 1 of this year. Tech XX is was just 4 years old.

Hit by a car? No.
Accidentally ingested poison? Nope.
Killed in a dog fight? Huh uh.
Contracted a fatal disease? Nix.
Disgruntled alumnist? Thumbs down.
Trampled by an opposing football team? Nay.

Tech XX is, what's called in veterinary medicine, brachycephalic. A fancy name that means; short head. So short in fact that Tech XX has had an utterly compromised respiratory system.

Here are more maladies flowing (pardon the pun) from the size and shape of his head.

Narrow nostrils
A flapping soft palete
Narrow windpipe
Laryngeal sacs turned inside out from the effort of breathing
Inefficient panting
Inflamed and swollen airways
Eyes popping out if a leash is pulled too much
Crowded teeth leading to trapped food and periodontal disease
Protruding tongue too big for his muzzle
Skin fold infections

Was it one of these chronic conditions that killed Tech XX? How did it happen?

Tech XX died from heatstroke when he was put outside to potty.

He could not breathe in enough air to cool his body and sustain his life in 90 degree heat.

Tech XX was bred on purpose to look the way he does did, an AKC "breed standard," and it killed him.

In the case of brachycephalic breeds like Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terrier, Boxer and Shih Tzu, the simple act of breathing is a constant battle. Tech XIX, our boy's predecessor, was retired after he too suffered heat stroke. It's ever present in these dogs. Brachycephalic dogs are the most likely candidates.

Tech XX is yet another example of the American Kennel Club (the AKC) causing fatal harm to dogs. Through their ostentatious, self-aggrandising dog show spectacles that are nothing more than a parade of genetic mutants, by promoting irrational pursuit of a rosette, with arbitrary and whimsical breed standards having nothing what-so-ever to do with function or health, the AKC causes dogs to suffer, and die needlessly.

Please do not support the madness with your hard-earned money. Don't breed or buy AKC registered puppies or dogs ever. Want a particular breed of dog? Put the name together with the word "rescue" in your search engine, and there you go.

A quick search of "Bulldog Rescue" returned 27,000 results.

Not only will you be saving a life, you'll be sending a message to the AKC that completely preventable suffering and tragic death will no longer be allowed.

Best of Breed!

Wyndlair Avalanche

This dog was born tragically and completely blind and deaf. Some question whether he has eyes at all. This dog was knowingly registered by the American Kennel Club, the AKC, as are his progeny, one of which won Best of Breed at the 2012 Westminister Dog Show.

Avalanche is the product of an on-purpose merle to merle breeding, which is known full well to produce deaf and blind pups, among other maladies. There is no question about that. Avalanche's disastrous circumstance was not only 100% avoidable, but was created with astoundingly selfish malice and aforethought. He has never been shown because of his condition, but was selectively bred for the purpose of consistently passing on his color.

What? Wait a minute. Humans intentionally bred 2 merle dogs knowing it would create a deaf and blind dog solely for the purpose of color? Cheese and rice...where is Charlize Theron when you need her?

The motto of this dog's breeders as shown on their website is "Redefining Excellence." If you look up "excellence" in the dictionary, I'm quite sure they have met their goal.

Interestingly, rough collies are shown in the "Herding Group." How can you herd what you cannot see or hear? Apparently color trumps hearing, sight and any scrap of ability. Why don't we dispense with the pretense, and simply call it what it is; the heartbreaking genetic freak group.

Avalanche's breeders have this to say about puppies they sell: "Ears Taped: Nothing is more beautiful than a Collie with correctly-shaped, set, and tipped ears. We begin taping all of our puppies’ ears by 7 weeks of age to aid nature in creating that beautiful expression! Nothing separates a beautiful Collie from all the rest like beautiful ears."

Avalanche had his ears taped at 7 weeks of age to obtain correctly-shaped, set and tipped ears, even though he would never see the inside of a show ring, or anything at all. That means his breeders folded over the tips of his ears, and taped them down to damage the cartiledge, so they would no longer do what comes naturally; stand up straight.

This dog's ears were of greater importance to his breeders than his ability to see, or hear.

Does that seem cruel to you too? Welcome to the outrageously disgraceful world of the AKC. Ethics?? Don't need 'em as long as your ears are correct.

Avalanche is purported to be an "only" puppy, a singleton, born without littermates. This represents 1 of 2 possibilities to me; Merle to merle breedings are known to create fertility problems in the form of low birth rates and dead fetal puppies. Possibly his "onlyness" is the result. Or, his breeders killed his littermates at birth so they would only have to manage 1 deaf and blind dog. Given their unconscionable, and purely selfish lack of ethics, I like that one better.

Want more proof of AKC abomination? Wyndlair Avalanche has become the #1 sire of rough collies, and the #1 producer of champions. Talk about rewarding cruelty...So, while in other principled, and morally decent registries merle to merle breeding is disallowed, at the AKC, it's Best of Breed!

Please don't support the AKC with your dollars. Please do NOT buy AKC registered puppies. Please do NOT attend, or watch their events. If you want to do what's good and just for dogs, hit them in their pocketbooks like I do, and let's put them out of business.

Please read a complete account of this breeding travesty on Border Wars for more information including responses from the breeders in their own words. Very revealing.

Don't Shop Until They Stop!

WebVet and the ASPCA have a "no pet store puppies" campaign aimed at educating people about the link between pet stores that sell puppies, and puppy mills. You are encouraged to take the pledge not to shop at pet stores, or on websites if they sell puppies. Please help stop the madness, the cruelty, the suffering and the killing. It is estimated that most people don't know that pet store puppies come from cruel puppy mills, and would not buy one if they did. Spread the word...

Somebody's Always to Blame

Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die. In this country alone, we kill upwards of 3 millions dogs each and every year...and that's just the dogs.

Together we can stop the madness!

Lawyers in Cages

Did You Know?

Today is National Spay Day!

The following article has been re-printed from WebVet. Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die. Spay and nueter your dogs and cats. You and they will much happier for it, and you will be doing your part to stem the tide of animals being killed because there aren't enough homes for them all.

Dexter on left while still on death row

On average, a fertile cat can produce three litters a year, each with an average of four to six kittens. If you run the numbers, this means that a single cat and her first-year offspring can yield upwards of 150 kittens within a three-year period. A fertile dog can produce up to two litters a year of six to10 puppies each.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) reports that every year in the U.S., between six and eight million dogs and cats are turned over to animal shelters; of that number, three to four million are euthanized -- as many as are adopted. These tragic numbers would be greatly reduced if more pets were spayed or neutered.

And if that’s not reason enough . . .

Apart from the problem of pet overpopulation, keep in mind that “intact” (i.e. un-neutered) dogs and cats are not the most pleasant companions to have around the house. Here’s why:

Intact female dogs will come into heat every six to 12 months with each heat lasting 10-24 days. During this time they have a bloody vaginal discharge which may leave stains around the house. This bleeding is different from menstruation in human females as it coincides with the time the female dog is most likely to become pregnant. Female dogs in heat may become anxious, and are more likely to fight with other female dogs, including those in the same household.

Intact female cats can keep coming into heat every two weeks unless they are mated. They will typically engage in such mate-seeking behaviors as yowling, rolling and urinating in unacceptable places.

At maturity -- typically at six to nine months of age -- male dogs and cats become capable of breeding. Males of both species will “mark” their territories by spraying strongly scented urine on furniture, curtains, and elsewhere around the house.

Given the chance, intact male cats and dogs will attempt to escape the house to roam in search of a mate. During this time, they become aggressive toward other males and -- in the case of dogs -- toward people, and are more likely than neutered animals to engage in fights.

The medical benefits

Apart from helping to ease the problem of pet overpopulation -- and making home life more pleasant both for your family and your pet -- spaying or neutering your dog or cat carries significant health benefits as well.

Spaying female dogs eliminates the risk of uterine cancer and pyometra -- a serious, potentially fatal uterine infection and dramatically reduces the risk of mammary cancer in both dogs and cats, especially if done before the first heat.

Intact female dogs may go into a period called pseudocyesis, or “false pregnancy”, a condition which can occur after being in heat. Their bodies go through all of the usual hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, including milk production, even though they are not pregnant. This is avoided if females are spayed.

For male pets, neutering eliminates the possibility of developing testicular cancer and reduces the risk of developing prostate illness.

A further benefit to neutering male cats is that it will significantly reduce the risk of infection with Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a virus that causes a disease in cats similar to AIDS in humans. FIV is carried in the saliva and blood of infected cats.

Intact male cats are much more likely than neutered males to roam and fight. A scratch or bite suffered in such a fight from an FIV-infected male carries a significant risk of FIV infection. The majority of FIV-infected cats are intact males. And even if the wounds are not inflicted by an FIV-positive cat, they may nonetheless result in serious injury and infection.

(For informative videos from HSUS about the benefits of spay/neuter, click here and here. For a useful brochure from the American Veterinary Medical Association, click here.)

It all adds up

While spaying/neutering are surgical procedures that carry a small element of risk, the scales are heavily tipped toward the benefits side. The incidence of complications from the procedures is quite low.

On balance, it’s a no-brainer: spaying/neutering is one of the best things you can do to improve a pet’s quality of life. Discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your veterinarian while your pet is still young. You will be doing both your pet and yourself a great service.

Dance of the Cockleberry

Ruh-Roh

After I worked the dogs yesterday, I took them all down to the creek for a swim. Nell went in and came out like this. Cockleburrs ev-er-y-where...



...can't quite...get...it

They were in her armpits, behind her ears, under her tail

Argh!

She had 'em stuck to her feathers, between her legs, on her chest

I think...I got it

I let her work on 'em for a while before I started on the ones she couldn't reach

Nasty...li'l...buggers!

As we walked back to the truck, she pulled and pulled one after the other.

Yech!

She got all all she could reach, and, resorting to scissors, I cut out the rest when we got home

What just happened?

Nell's a Tom-Boy. If there's dirt, she finds it. If there's trouble, she starts it. Now with a few less feathers.

So, how was your day?

Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die

So why doesn't anyone want them?



A few of the lucky ones...

Lucy



Oscar

 

Levi



Dexter



Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die

San Diego Dogs

Please don't breed or buy (your next pet) while shelter pets die. 3 million a year are killed in our country alone. Come on people. We can fix this.

While we're on the subject...

Thanks to my friend Jan for making my point abundantly clear.

My Sentiments Exactly!

I try, I really try not to be political on this blog. Frankly, it's not good for business. But some causes are just too meaningful for me to pass on. Puppy mills, selling live animals in pet stores, and shock collars are 3 of those causes. Thankfully, I don't have too many more.

I read a quote the other day that went something like this; "If you've never made anyone angry, then you've never taken a stand." Well, believe me, I've made lots of people mad, and my life sometimes seems like it's been one long, continuous stand, but buying puppies, instead of adopting our country's homeless dogs, is one I will never back down from.

We kill upwards of 3,000,000 dogs in this country each and every year, and that's just the dogs. Let's repeat that together; "3,000,000 dogs killed in this country each and every year." In far too many cases, puppy mill operators commit "breeders" to interminable suffering, filth, sickness, and tragic death to satisfy the pet trade so Billy can get a puppy for Christmas, and the cycle continues.

Don't breed or buy while shelter pets die.

I can't stand it and I'm speaking out. Don't expect me to quit any time soon...

Dirty Little Secret

This is Indie, and she was a victim of abuse. After being with me for a month or so, she will just now walk into her kennel without coaxing, jump into the truck without being leashed, and enter her crate without food offered.

I suspected she was abused with a shock collar the first time I saw her on sheep. Her stop was just too mechanical, her expression too wary, and she gave ground to my pressure out of fear. I knew who had started her, a San Diego County, so-called dog trainer who is notorious for shocking dogs. The owner called the abuser, and confirmed it after I shared my suspicions. She made this excuse: "Indie wouldn't mind me." Indie was 12 months old at the time.

Now 15 months old, I tried to get Indie to sit up for these pictures, but she is far too submissive for that. It is an accomplishment just to have her jump on the rock. Previously she would have run to hide if she thought I wanted something from her.

Her owner is not responsible for this. He had no way of knowing what would happen when he put her in training. Indie was sent home, with the explanation that she was just too soft to be a sheepdog. She is a daughter of Alaisdare Macrae's Nap.

My experience with Indie is that she is a keen, stylish bitch who is afraid to use her talents. As much as her instincts tell her otherwise, she is more concerned about me than determined on her stock...but she's changing. My experience with her abuser is that Indie was too much dog for her, so she shocked her into submission to make the job easier. In other words Indie was abused out of laziness.

As I work Indie, we do lots of walking, and wearing sheep with much shushing and encouragement from me. She is beginning to come right, but it will be a slow process. I love to watch her run out, because that's where she is least afraid, with plenty of speed, style and scope. Indie is learning her whistles, off balance flanks, and has just been introduced to the concept of an inside flank. I have to be so careful not to scare her.

It may take more time, more patience, many more steps, more sheep, different fields, but there is always, always a better way. Do NOT stand by and watch dispicable individuals abuse dogs, not your dog, not anyone's dog. Do not turn a blind eye, and convince yourself that it's OK. How could you?

Shock collars are what one successful sheepdog trainer refers to as "the dirty little secret," and they are the one exclusion in his return policy on dogs he sells. If you use a shock collar on them, he will not take them back, and he can always tell.