Dog Park USA to me is one of the best dog park locater services I’ve seen on the web.

You can find them on the web at:
www.dogparkusa.com

They recently came out with their iphone version, so if you have an iphone, the link below will give you more info.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dog-park-finder/id362002678?mt=8

taken in front of our home

Snakes!

Just the thought of snakes make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Being a pet photographer and lover of nature, you would think that snakes would fall into that category of love. But so there is no mistake, here it goes.

I HATE SNAKES.

Now don’t get me wrong…. I know they have an important place in the animal kingdom, and I even like to photograph them (with a telephoto lens), because I think they are beautiful, from an art standpoint, but personally I don’t like them.

One of the biggest reasons for my dislike, is the fact that where we live (Wesley Chapel, Fl.), we have a large amount of water moccasins. They tend to be very aggressive, and with a conservation area behind our home, they venture into our yard, and…..WE HAVE DOGS!

One of my biggest fears is that one of these snakes will bite one of our dogs, which is the reason for me writing this post, so be aware, spring is a very active time for snakes.

Spring’s mild temperatures sit right in the zone in which cold-blooded snakes are most comfortable — not too cool, which slows their metabolism, or too hot, which sends them into shaded, cooler areas so as not to overheat. Also, spring sees young snakes searching for territory to claim as their own and adults pursuing mates. And all of them are looking for something to eat.

While individual poisonous snakes can be aggressive and most will strike if they feel sufficiently threatened, the majority of snakes, venomous or not, prefer to ignore humans or move away from them.

But they will bite.

The best defense against a snakebite is to avoid getting too close to one. And that requires knowing where poisonous snakes are most likely to be encountered.

Snakes are most active in the morning, before it gets too hot. Depends on the area, but around 9-11am is a busy time for them.

When walking your dog keep an eye on what’s in front of you. Most dog owners allow their dog to walk in front of them which puts them in harms way.

One of the first rules to leash walking your dog, is to make them heal and walk next to you. This will provide them with some protection.

Another reason you don’t want your dog walking in front of you, is that if they happen to encounter a snake, their natural instinct is to protect you, which means a confrontation whith the snake.

That’s all good for walking your dog, but what about a dog in a fenced yard. This falls in to my situation. Our back yard is fenced, but like I said before, we have a lot of woods behind our property.

Snakes choose their territory based on two things: shelter and food. Remove those two things, and the snakes will leave your property in search of a nicer home.

Keep your yard clean and clear of clutter and rubbish, don’t give snakes a fertile hunting ground (rats & mice), or cover for hiding.

In the event of your dog being bit by a snake.

If you suspect a dog has been bitten, keep it still and get it to a vet. Sucking the venom out, eletrocution, bleeding them, or any other home remedy won’t work, period.
Try to keep them as calm as you can. Our pets feed off our energy and if we are stressed out, you can bet they will be too, which makes their hearts beat faster and spreads poision faster throughout their bodies.

Time is very important.

Have a plan of action in place. Know where the nearest 24 hour emergency vet is located. Know the best route. Contact them before hand and make sure they can treat snake bites, not all vets are equipt to handle such situations.

Sping is a wonderful time, and we should enjoy it with our pets, but please be mindful of the dangers slithering out there.

Most of us have done it, given a piece of our food to our dogs. Generally nothing happens, other than creating a bad habit.
More important than the bad habit, we could be hurting our beloved family pets.

If you heard that someone was causing (rapid heart rate, seizures, tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, poor oxygen supply to the vital organs and tissues, fluid accumulation in the heart, pancreas and abdomen. abnormalities with the nervous system, kidneys and digestive tract, intoxication, liver failure, coma, seizures and death) in a pet, you would think animal abuse, but this is exactly what can happen from use feeding our pets table scraps.

In the average home, there are dozens of foods and similar items that are hazardous and potentially deadly to dogs. Some foods, like chocolate, are well-known as a food that is toxic to dogs, while others are not quite as well-known. Below is a list of the most common toxic foods for dogs. The best way to know for sure that your dog won’t be harmed from human food, is to not give them any.

Poisonous Foods for Dogs – How Much is a Toxic Dose?

Just like any toxin, there are variables, like the size of the dog, the quantity of toxic food that the dog has ingested, the dog’s overall health conditions and underlying food allergies or sensitivities. For these reasons, it’s impossible to say how much of a particular food constitutes a toxic dose. If a large dog eats one grape or one M&M, it’s unlikely he’ll suffer any ill effects. On the other hand, a fairly small dose of xylitol from a few pieces of sugar-free gum can be deadly to a large dog.
dog owners may say, ‘Hey, my dog has eaten that before and he lived.” That does not mean a particular food is safe! It means the dog was lucky; he ingested a less-than-lethal dose of the toxin. Further, many of the effects of toxic foods — like organ damage — are not visible to the untrained eye, but that does not mean the dog is unscathed.

According to Dr. Michael Levine, DVM, the following food-related items are among the most common poisonous foods for dogs.

Toxic Foods for a Dog – Chocolate

Chocolate is toxoc to a dog, though a toxic dose will vary depending on factors like whether the dog ate the chocolate on an empty stomach, if the dog is particularly sensitive to chocolate, and the type of chocolate, since dark chocolate is more toxic, whereas milk chocolate less so, and white chocolate must be consumed in extremely large quantities to cause a serious problem.Theobromine is the toxic ingredient in chocolate. Theobromine serves to stimulate the central nervous system, resulting in rapid heart rate, seizures, tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, panting and extremely fast pulse.

Poisonous Foods for Dogs – Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins are toxic for dogs. Grapes and raisins (which are dried grapes) will trigger acute renal (kidney) failure. They kidneys act as filters for toxins in the dog’s body, therefore, when the kidneys are not functioning properly, toxins accumulate in the body and lead to death due to toxins. Urine production will also slow significantly or cease in cases of grape or raising toxicity in dogs, so this can suggest a very serious problem if observed in an animal who may have accessed grapes or raisins.

Onions and Garlic are Toxic Foods for Dogs

Onions and garlic can trigger a form of anemia where the body’s red blood cells burst. This results in poor oxygen supply to the vital organs and tissues. When fed regularly in small doses, serious and potentially deadly nutritional deficiencies can also result. So dog owners should always check ingredients of prepared foods before offering these foods to pets. Baby food very often contains onion powder. So French onion soup and other food items containing onions and garlic should be crossed off the list of dog-safe foods.

Toxic Foods for Pets – Avocado

Avocado fruit, pits, leaves and the actual plant are all potentially poisonous to dogs, along with other pets like cats, mice, rats, birds, rabbits, horses, cattle and goats, among others. Avocados will trigger fluid accumulation in the lungs and chest, leading to difficulty breathing and death due to oxygen deprivation. Fluid accumulation can also occur in the heart, pancreas and abdomen.

Tomatoes, Potatoes and Rhubarb are Toxic to Pets

Tomatoes, potatoes and rhubarb contain oxalates, which trigger abnormalities with the nervous system, kidneys and digestive tract. Especially toxic are green tomatoes, green potatoes, potato skins, and tomato leaves and plants, can trigger tremors, seizure and heart arrhythimia, so tomatoes should never be given to dogs.

Cat Food Can be Toxic to Dogs

Cat food is very high in fats and protein and when ingested by a dog, particularly in large amounts or on a regular basis, the cat food can cause a bout of potentially deadly pancreatitis. It should be noted that all high-fat foods – particularly ham and bacon – have the ability to trigger pancreatitis, therefore pet owners should also use caution when offering table scraps that are high in fats.

Alcohol as a Poisonous Food for Pets

Dogs cannot tolerate alcohol, even in small amounts. And the hops in beer are also potentially toxic to dogs. Alcohol ingestion by dogs can result in intoxication, liver failure, coma, seizures and death.

Foods that can Poison a Dog – Nuts

Poisonous Foods for Dogs – Mushrooms

Mushrooms contain toxins that will trigger numerous organ systems, including the kidneys, liver and brain. Nervous system abnormalities, seizure, coma, vomiting, and death can all result when a dog ingests mushrooms.

While this is by no means a complete list, other miscellaneous foods that are toxic to dogs include:

Raw eggs and egg whites, raw fish, nutmeg, salt, tobacco, trash items, persimmons, yeast and dough containing yeast, liver, marijuana, hops, human iron supplements and xylitol, which is contained in chewing gum and candies.

In the event of an emergency involving a pet who may have ingested a toxic food or other potentially deadly substance, pet owners should contact a veterinarian and/or an animal poison control hotline, such as the ASPCA Poison Control Center, which can be contacted by calling 888-426-4435.

One of the most rewarding things you will ever do in your life, is to work along side your dog, helping to bring love, comfort and joy to someone in need.
You think your dog could be a candidate for working as a therapy dog? Here are a few things to consider.

What is a therapy dog? Therapy dogs are dogs of any size, breed, color, shape, sex or age and use the power of the human-animal bond to help people. The help may come in the form of emotional support. For example, a dog may visit the elderly and show them that they are loved by allowing the person to hold the dog while they laugh or cry. The help may also be physical. For example, dogs can be used to encourage a stroke victim to move an arm to pet the dog.

Why are dogs used as part of therapy? It is the unconditional love that these animals provide to those that are ill, disabled, elderly or anyone who is in a facility and is deprived of acceptance, love or touch. Therapy dogs can be used in many different situations, such as during social activities or physical therapy. Everyone benefits from therapy dogs – the individual(s) who needs the therapy, the staff at the facility, the individual’s family, the handler and the therapy dog itself.

Any breed of dog can be used as a therapy dog. The dog’s personality is an important factor in choosing a therapy dog. A therapy dog must like people. It must be gentle, outgoing, calm, stable, friendly and in good physical health. It should not be easily frightened by strange objects or loud noises. Puppies do not make good candidates for therapy dogs because they may not yet be fully house-trained and are still unpredictable and full of energy. They also may not have had all of their immunizations and can be easily frightened by new things. It is not necessary for a therapy dog to start as a puppy. Many successful therapy dogs begin as adults. The sex of the dog is not important either. However, it is recommended that the dog is spayed/neutered.

Therapy dogs are required to be very well trained and of course non-aggressive. They cannot jump up on people, paw, or scratch. They cannot bite, mouth, or lick unless commanded and must be under their owner’s control at all times, with no leaping, pulling, or barking. They must also be clean, well-groomed, and free of parasites or other zoonotic diseases (those that can be transferred from animals to humans). They should be checked regularly by a veterinarian to ensure that the dog is in good health and is able to work.

Do you think your dog possesses the qualities to be a therapy dog? What other things must be considered before you look into it? The dog’s personality and temperament are of the utmost importance. Is your dog well-socialized to both adults and small children? Does the dog cry every time he gets a vaccination or is he/she the stoic kind? A therapy dog must enjoy being touched and cannot be over-excited or fearful of being handled. They must get along with other dogs because visiting therapy dogs often travel as a group. Is the dog reliable with distractions? During training, does he/she be easily distracted by other dogs/people/noises/objects? The dog should be exposed to as many strange noises as possible and should react in a curious but controlled manner. It should not react fearfully or try to snap/bite when startled. A good therapy dog must also need to be completely and reliably house-trained. Both you and your dog must enjoy obedience training and have enough time to invest in training because a lot of that will be needed in order to be a certified therapy dog.

Dogs make wonderful companions and their never-ending love and companionship make a positive impact on the lives of many. Studies have shown that post-op patients recover faster while in contact with dogs and other therapy animals. They provide inspiration to those who are in need of encouragement, such as patients suffering from a chronic disease. The use of animals in therapy has been recognized in the medical community for some time now, and many people are learning what pet owners have always known – that pets are good for us. They provide companionship and love, encourage activity, provide a listening ear, and most importantly, they give people a reason to smile.

The following are some of the benchmarks that must be met before being certified.

1. Accept a Friendly Stranger – You and your dog will approach a stranger and you will shake the stranger’s hand. Your dog should show neither signs of aggression nor fear.
2. Sit Politely for Petting – Your dog should obey a sit command and accept petting from the evaluator.
3. Appearance and Grooming – You certainly want your dog well groomed before you take him to be tested, but he must also allow the evaluator to lean over him and brush him.
4. Out for a Walk – The evaluator wants to see you walk with your dog on a loose lead. No tugging or pulling by you or your dog.
5. Walking Through a Crowd – Volunteers will be on hand to provide a crowd atmosphere. Your dog will need to show neither aggression nor fear.
6. Sit and Down on Command/Staying in Place – Your dog will need to obey these commands to include staying while you walk across a room or show ring.
7. Coming When Called – Sit, down, and stay commands are the most important things your dog can learn. Not only can obeying these commands possibly save his life, but is essential in being a good canine citizen and a possible therapy dog. You will be asked to leave your dog and he must stay until you call him to you. Then he must come directly to you with little or no hesitation.
8. Reaction to Another Dog – You and your dog will greet another handler and dog. Your dog may show only a mild interest in the other dog, but may not display aggression or fear.
9. Reactions to Distractions – This includes a person running and a loud crashing sound. Everyone should teach their dog the “leave it” command. Distractions can come at any time when you are in public. Having control of your dog means you have successfully taught it to ignore distractions upon command.
10. Supervised Separation – You will ask a stranger to hold your dog for you while you go out of sight for three minutes. Your dog must remain calm during this time of separation

Some therapy dog groups modify the CGC test by adding the following elements.
1. Reactions to Distractions: Here your dog must walk within three feet of a bowl of dog food and obey the “leave it” command. Believe me, this will come up in your therapy career. You don’t want your dog slurping out of a patient’s plate!
2. Walking Through a Crowd – This time the people in the crowd will be using medical equipment such as walkers, canes, wheelchairs, and crutches. Your dog must not shy away from people using such equipment and allow them to pet him.
3. Meet the Patient – Your dog needs to show a willingness to make himself easily accessible for petting. Small dogs are expected to get on a chair if necessary so they can get closer to someone who may be too weak to reach out to them.

Most importantly in a TDI test, you and your dog are tested as a team. The TDI Certified Evaluator will judge both the conduct of the handler and the dog. Although AKC allows slip collars (fabric or chain) for their CGC test, TDI only allows a flat buckle or snap collar. Training collars, harnesses, or Halti’s are not allowed.

If you think this is something you and your dog would be interested in trying, please contact me and I will direct you to a training facility.

Keep your dog off private property
When you walk your dog, keep him off of private property. Even a dog-loving neighbor can be annoyed watching a dog eliminate on her garden or favorite rose bush. Our neighbor has a wonderful Aus. Shep. and we love this dog very much, but our human neighbor lets this dog use our front yard as a bathroom. While we still love the dog, we wish the neighbor would be more considerate.

Pick up after your dog
No one enjoys this task but it is a necessary one. Pick up your dog’s waste promptly all the time and everyone will be happier. If you dislike this task, you may be able to find local services that will pick up your yard for a fee; please note, however, when away from home, this is your responsibility.

Prevent fence running

Having a barking dog racing back and forth behind a fence can be scary to people walking by and is a bad habit to allow your dog to develop. If this is happening at your house, stop it. You may want to keep your dog in a different area or go out with your dog and supervise. Call your dog inside if he starts racing and offer praise and a reward (i.e. a favorite toy or kibble of dog food) when he obeys.

Manage barking
Few things can wear on people’s nerves like a barking dog. If your dog is barking outside, bring him inside. If he barks inside and you can’t control that, get some professional training advice. Most barking dogs will become quieter with proper training.

Keep your dog under control
Allowing your dog to run loose when outdoors is dangerous for him and annoying for the neighborhood – it may even be illegal depending on where you live. A properly fenced yard is the best way to keep your dog safe and prevent him from soiling or digging in a neighbor’s yard. Keep your dog indoors if your yard is not fenced. You can provide him with outdoor exercise by taking him for walks on a lead or by going to a dog park.

Keep your dog healthy
Keep your dog well-nourished by feeding a nutritionally complete and balanced quality dog food. Take your dog to the veterinarian regularly to keep his vaccinations current and be certain he is free from internal and external parasites and in general good health.

Identification
Proper identification for your dog is important. Dogs should wear collars with an identification tag. Be sure to follow your city’s rules and regulations regarding dog registration. You may also want to consider having your dog micro-chipped or tattooed – these methods can be very effective in helping you locate your dog in the event he gets lost.

Doing these simple things helps ensure that others consider your dog a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Some of this content was borrowed from AKC website.

Dogs help people in many ways, but with reading skills? Yes.

Cardinal’s Manager Tony La Russa’s homeschooled daughters read to their pets to improve their reading skills. Later, La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) developed the All Ears Reading® program where pre-school and grade-school age children read to animals on ARF’s therapy team.

The program helps to improve a child’s reading skills and self-confidence by providing children with the opportunity to listen and interact with a story or read aloud to animals depending on their reading level.

“It’s a relaxed, non-judgmental and encouraging environment,” says Elena Bicker, ARF’s executive director. “We knew it could translate easily to the home setting, so we were excited to be part of Target’s and Purina’s efforts to extend this to families with kids.”

In 2007, a new book dedicated to helping children build confidence in their reading ability, was available in select Target stores nationwide. The book, Banjo Gets a B-A-T-H, was unique because children read the story to their family pet, a non-judgmental listener who is always ready for bonding time. The book was the result of collaboration among Purina, Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) and Target. It was part of a kit that had a blanket for the child and pet to sit on, and treats for the dog.

“Pets are such an important part of our families and they can help children build confidence, as well as responsibility, social skills and even reading skills,” says Linda Hennen, director in the Marketing Development Organization of Purina.

Walking your dog is one of the more enjoyable ways to lose weight

Fortunately, walking your dog for exercise is not drudgery, so you are less likely to avoid it. Walking your dog may be even more enjoyable than you imagined. Your dog is so eager and excited, her enthusiasm will rub off on you. You’ll get to know your dog better and enjoy the time together. Your focus on your dog will keep your mind off your own fatigue or discomfort. You may meet other people, other dog owners and have new social interactions. And before you know it, you may just find yourself having more energy and wearing a smaller pant size.

Walking is good exercise for you, but your dog needs to run

Of course, one or two walks per day may be plenty of exercise for you, and you’re likely to lose weight and get in shape. But it isn’t enough for your dog, especially if she doesn’t have a yard to run around in at home. For your dog’s fitness, find a safe off-leash area on your walking route and let your dog have a good, hearty run. Bring a tennis ball or flying disc for a vigorous game of chase and fetch. This can be pure heaven for your dog. Bonus – it will help make your walk back home calmer, since your dog will have burnt off that high-octane doggie energy and won’t be so compelled to pull on the leash.

To get pumped up for your doggie exercise plan, and to learn about all the health benefits, we highly recommend Fitness Unleashed . Remember: always have your pet’s health evaluated by his veterinarian before beginning an exercise program.

Do Dogs Feel Love?

We feel tremendous love for our dogs, and our dogs sure seem to love us. But is a dog really capable of emotions? Or are we just projecting our own love onto our dogs?
Scientists avoid the subject because part of what sets humans apart from the animals is our ability to experience feelings. To say that animals actually have feelings, in the same way we do, would change everything – perhaps disrupt our entire position and standing in the animal kingdom.
However, any dog owner knows that dogs love completely and have a greater capacity for love than most people. If one were to describe the main characteristics of a dog, they would have to be:
1. strong affection
2. warm attachment
3. unselfish loyalty and benevolent concern for others
Wait a minute – those are the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions of love. Probably why the author of Dogs Never Lie About Love, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson writes, “dogs are love.” So there isn’t a question of whether dogs love, the mystery is how they have such an enormous capacity for it. Dogs who are neglected or abused still show love for their human and wag their tails in hope of a little affection.
Dogs taken from abusive situations hold no grudges toward the human race. A half an ounce of kindness from a new person results in an abundance of affection from the formerly mistreated dog. Humans rarely have the capacity to so completely forgive and love under those circumstances.
Probably the biggest reason the dog has become man’s best friend is because we know that when it comes to love, a dog can always outdo us. The highest form of love, agape love, which is completely unconditional, is something that people often have to work at or grow into. Agape love seems to come naturally between parent and child, but it’s more difficult between husband and wife, and harder still between friends. To love someone regardless of what wrongs they have done you is very difficult for humans.
A dog, however, is born with an endless capacity for unconditional love, and doesn’t even have to work at it. You can be a complete grouch, ignore your dog, and refuse him your love. When you decide you’re ready to be sociable again, your dog doesn’t pay you back by ignoring you too. He’s just happy you’re there. More amazing still, is that the love that dogs and owners feel for each other lasts a lifetime. This is the ideal love humans strive for, but often fail at.
As Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson so beautifully writes in Dogs Never Lie About Love, “Learning to know somebody intimately is often the beginnings of dislike, sometimes even of contempt. Among humans, love often does not survive a growing acquaintance, but in a dog, love seems to grow with acquaintance, to get stronger, deeper. Even when fully acquainted with all our weaknesses, our treachery, our unkindness, the dog seems to love strongly – and this dog love is returned by most humans. We, too, seem to love our dogs the more we get to know them. The bond grows between us and our dogs.”
This is why we need dogs. They do something for us that rarely a human companion can do. No matter how much you mess up your life, or how much wrong you do, no matter how many mistakes you make or how often you make them, regardless of your looks, income or social standing, your dog never judges you. He always thinks you are wonderful and loves you with all his heart.