The life of spoiled dogs

Spending this cold day in bed being lazy!

Life is Good

We know it has been a while since a post has been made, but a few big things have happened since then. We have moved to the lake and we love it!!! Our mom is still going to nursing school and hasn’t had a chance to update all of our great followers, so we hacked her computer so you won’t forget about us…. we will also see to it that she gets another post up soon! In the mean time, here are some photos of us at our new home….. We hope you enjoy them!

 

Our view from the house.

Our patio, many summer dinners and laughs were had here!

Lucky checked out the lake and is not too sure about it.

Mya checked out the lake and as you can see, she loves it!

Sporting our new life- jackets.

Sporting our life-jackets.

Love Always,

Lucky and Mya

You Can’t Have Just One…

How many bones does your dog have? Maya is working on three. Between her and Lucky, they have about ten Nylabones and they chew every one of them.

Lucky is also enjoying a nice chew on his bone.

Making progress….

Maya is making progress in her puppy training and her behavior is improving quite a bit…. My wild child is becoming not so wild. Here she is enjoying a nap on the couch (a rare moment)… She is growing up fast!

Getting dirty is fun….

Maya got super wet and dirty while swimming in her pool. She has a blast when she gets to swim! Here she is filthy dirty and soaking wet…. She is still pretty, adorable, and cute…. Even when dirty!

Pool Time…..

We bought Maya a pool this week so her and Lucky could enjoy some water fun while keeping cool in the heat! Maya loves it and jumped in right away, lucky still isn’t too sure and will only get close enough for a drink.

Please remember to keep your pets cool on hot summer days! A pool is a great idea if they will go in it and use it. If they won’t, make sure they have plenty of shade and water to drink!

Growing up…

Maya is getting big! She is now 16 weeks old. I can’t believe how much she has grown!

Happy 7th Birthday Sweet Boy….

Today is Zeus’ Birthday, he would have been seven years old. I remember bringing him home when was only seven weeks old like it was only yesterday. Here are just a few of my favorite photos of him in remembrance. We shared a wonderful six and a half years, a time I will never forget! Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

You were the most adorable little puppy.

You loved getting your picture taken and would always smile.

You were funny, charming, and so sweet.

Your cat Bree misses you and wishes you a happy birthday!

Lucky misses you and wishes you a happy birthday.

What I wouldn’t give to see your sweet face again…

Happy Birthday my Boy! Although you were only in our lives for a short time, you gave us so much laughter, love and joy! You were the best dog a girl could ever ask for and there will never be another like you. You will forever hold a special place in my heart!

What Kind Of Ears Are Those?????

Maya’s ears are super funny right now. They don’t know if they want to stand up, flop down, or a little of both!

Maya’s funny ears!

Her right ear kinda stands up but then flops over on top of her head and the left ear looks like it is trying to stand up.

Are those ears standing up or flopping down?

I think these ears are not quite sure what they want to do….  I wonder how long it will take for them to make up their mind and what the outcome will be when she is full grown. Maybe they will just stay like this? I guess it gives her some extra character and some great personality!

Up or down ears, make up your mind!

Here, her ears appear to be standing up mostly…. These ears are a little confusing! I guess they are the many different looks of Maya… What do you think the out come of these ears will be? Will they stand up or flop down? For now it is a big mystery!

How Maya Got Her Nickname…

Maya’s nickname is Pork Chop. These photos pretty much sum up the reason for such a silly nickname! Do your pets have silly nicknames? If so I would love for you to share them!

A.K.A. Pork Chop hoping for a second helping of her dinner.

Maya/Pork Chop could eat forever if only I would let her!

When her requests for more food go unanswered, she plays with her food bowl.

Do Your Dogs Play Naked?

     After reading this article shared by one of my fellow bloggers (Life Embarked), my dogs always, always play naked!!!! Maya used to always go streight for Lucky’s collar, which was the buckle kind. I never in a million years would have thought this could happen! Just thought I would share this for my readers as well!

The Whole Dog Journal: Take It All Off!

Five things you can do to protect your dog.

By Nancy Kerns

I was pretty traumatized recently by a phenomenon I had heard about many times but had never before seen: the intense, chaotic, life-or-death struggle that ensues when one dog gets his jaw stuck in another dog’s collar.

It happened to some dogs that live a few houses down from my home office. I was working at my computer when I heard a dog screaming. I leaped up from my desk and ran down the sidewalk toward the screaming.

These dogs are just playing and are not entangled. But if they were, the leather collar would have to be cut to save them; its buckle can’t be released under tension.

It was two young Lab-mixes in the front yard of a house down the street. One had grabbed his friend’s collar and then mostly likely rolled over, twisting his lower jaw in the collar. His tongue, trapped under the thick nylon, was being lacerated by his own lower teeth; he was the one making all the noise.

His buddy was not screaming; he was fighting for his life, and being choked to death by his own collar. Both dogs were thrashing in pain and fear. The owner of one dog was trying to get close enough to them to free them, and I tried to help.

I grabbed one dog by the scruff; she grabbed the other. I frantically ran my hands through the mass of writhing fur, trying to find a buckle on the collar. I felt a quick-release buckle and released it – but it was the wrong one, not the collar that was threatening their lives.

Then I saw the other buckle; it was in the mouth of the dog whose jaw was trapped. And it was a standard metal buckle – the kind that you have to tighten slightly to free the metal prong from a hole punched in the nylon fabric. It was already so tight, there would be no way to tighten it enough to release it, if I even could get my hand in the dog’s mouth.

Just then, the owner of the other dog ran out of the house with a pair of scissors. I was doubtful that they could cut through the thick nylon, but they did. And in the nick of time! Even as the young woman worked, feverishly, the dog who was choking released his bowels. He was seconds from death.

Imagine what would have happened if that young woman hadn’t had the scissors handy. Or if the same thing happened at a dog park; maybe someone would have had a sharp-enough knife. What if the dog had been wearing a choke chain or pinch collar? I’ve seen dogs wearing these while playing at dog parks – but I’ve never seen a person there with bolt cutters.

These dogs survived the experience. But since I’ve been telling my friends about my experience (with all the fervor of the recently converted), I’ve heard about a number of dogs whose jaws were broken in similar situations – and other dogs who didn’t survive an experience like this. Don’t let it happen to your dog!

Here are five things you can do to keep your dog safe when he’s playing with other dogs.

1. Play Naked! Remove your dog’s collar or harness. A harness may not present the same choking hazard as a collar if another dog got tangled in it, but on the other hand, a harness has many more straps to get caught in.

2. Use a Collar With a Quick-Release Buckle. If you’re nervous about having your dog naked (and without ID), use a collar with a buckle that can be released even under tension. Another option is a safety breakaway collar, such as Premier Pet Product’s KeepSafe Break-Away Collar (see premierpet.com or call 800-933-5595).

3. Don’t Allow Your Dog to Play With Dogs Who Are Wearing Gear. At times, this may mean your dog won’t be able to play at a dog park, because it’s nearly impossible to get everyone to comply with sensible rules at a dog park. If I had a young dog who really liked wrestling and mouthing other dogs, I just wouldn’t take him to a dog park that was crowded with collar- and harness-wearing dogs. Not after what I saw.

4. Spread The Word. I’m now telling every dog owner I know about the way, the truth, and the light. Many people have never considered this potential hazard and may be open to hearing about how they can prevent a tragedy happening to their dogs.

5. Keep Something Sharp Handy. This is quite a long shot – and yet, I now know a young woman who saved two dogs’ lives with sharp scissors. I now have a box cutter in my car, and another one on a shelf near my office door. I hope to never witness this again, but I feel a little better knowing that there would be more I could do to help.

Meet Maya…

Now that this school semester has come to a close and my life is not full of chaos, I can sit back, relax, enjoy my summer, and do the things I love to do! Of course, blogging is one of those relaxing, yet fun things for me! I hope all of my readers enjoy my posts as much as I love to write them! With that said, time to get back to blogging!

I would like to introduce you to our newest little family member, Maya. She is a shepherd/pit mix and is super adorable as you will see from the pictures included in this post. She is full of energy, silliness, playfulness, and most of all, she is full of life! She is just what our family needed!

Maya…AKA Pork chop.

Since losing Zeus this past October, the mood and atmosphere around our house has been a bit somber and grim, until Maya came into the picture anyway. Who would have thought that a tiny puppy like her could have changed our tears into laughter! She has turned our lives upside down in every good way possible! She makes us laugh, she keeps us busy, and her puppy breath is absolutely wonderful! I had almost forgotten how much I love that smell!! Our family will never forget our special boy Zeus; he will remain in our hearts forever, but I know he would want us to move on and give a new dog the wonderful home and love he had.

We adopted Maya when she was 8 weeks old; we brought her home on March 28, 2013. Our vet, Dr. Steve drives the streets of Detroit every weekend looking for strays that need rescuing. He happened to come across a dog that was really underweight and obviously nursing. He followed her for a while and she led him to an abandoned house. Apparently she was living under this house with her ten puppies that were only about 4-5 weeks old. This is pretty amazing to me. This mother (now named Mckenna) who herself was practically starving, was providing for these ten little pups and was doing a great job. The pups were born around the beginning of February and they were a proper weight, they were being kept warm, and were overall pretty healthy. The puppies and their wonderful mama were rescued and given medical treatment, along with food, water, and a special place in our vet’s heart. The puppies went up for adoption and would be ready to go to their forever homes at 8 weeks old. Mckenna on the other hand, tested positive for heartworms. She has now been spayed and is currently undergoing heartworm treatment at Healthy Paws Medical Center. She too will be up for adoption as soon as the doctor gets her weight back to normal, and she is healthy! If you, or someone you know of would be interested in adopting her, please let me know… She took such wonderful care of her ten little ones and now she deserves to have someone take care of her and give her everything she could ever want!

Maya’s mom, Mckenna… She was a wonderful mama to her puppies under harsh circumstances. She deserves a home!

We took Lucky with us the day we picked up Maya to bring her home; it was love at first sight! Lucky instantly started wagging his tail and I swear, he had a huge smile on his face. We let them frolic for a few minutes at Healthy Paws before gathering our now larger family and heading home. Once we were home, Lucky realized that Maya was there to stay and his joy over having someone to play with again was heartwarming! He is now the big brother and is doing a fine job! He protects Maya, plays with her constantly, and lets her climb and chew on him, he even lets her sleep in his bed when she gets tired. They are best friends and they love being together!

Maya and Lucky became fast friends, here they are waiting for breakfast to be served.

Here we are now at the beginning of May and Lucky and Maya have formed an amazing bond! Lucky is back to the happy dog he used to be before Zeus passed away. At first, I wasn’t sure we were ready for this big leap into puppy hood, but now I know, it was the perfect thing for us! The month of April was a bit tough because of my classes, I was piled up with homework and exams and nearing the end of the semester. I didn’t have much time to work with Maya on any training, but we managed and she has learned a lot just from watching Lucky’s behaviors. Now that this semester has ended, I have started training with Maya, leash work, basic commands, and she has picked most of it up pretty quickly! Some things of course need a bit of work and her manners are not the greatest yet, but she is only thirteen weeks old. I am confident that she will improve over time with consistency and hard work. I am looking forward to a summer of fun, play, and great memories to come! It is time for our family to enjoy life again, and what better way to do that than with an adorable little puppy?

Lucky doing a great job of watching over his new little sister and keeping her out of trouble!

Friendship…..

Friendship…

Lucky and Serenity played this past Sunday again. I love watching them have so much fun! They play so nice and have a great time together. I am glad they have become such good friends. They have both lost their dog companions, so this friendship is a perfect match! They needed eachother! Serenity lost her comanion D.O.G about two years ago and Lucky lost Zeus this past October. So glad these two have eachother! Looking forward  to many years of play dates with these two wonderful dogs!!!!!

Sunbathing….

Lucky and his side kick Bree, love laying in the sun and this morning the sun was shining right in Lucky’s bed. Nothing better than soaking up the sun in a nice cozy bed! I think they were pretty content and comfortable! What better way to enjoy a cold winter morning! They stayed in bed until the sun was no longer shining on it and then they moved to the floor and followed the sun.

Ticks Of Lucky’s Tail….

Lucky is doing really well learning new tricks. We are taking our time and having fun practicing a few minutes each day. Of course he has known “sit” for some time.

He also has known “lay down” for a long time. These two tricks were puppy 101. Of course, “Stay” is also included with these two tricks.

One of my favorites, and I think one of his too, is “leave it”. He is really cute while performing this task, he won’t even look at the treat in front of him until I give him the release command.

We practiced “speak” and because he is soooo good at this one, we also had to learn quiet!

Recently we spiced thigs up with “dance” He likes this trick too cause he truly loves to dance with me. When he dances with me, he holds my hands and we dance in a circle while he is on his back legs. When he dances by himself, he gets up on his back legs and dances by himself.

Lucky also knows how to “shake hands”. I told him it was the polite way to meet new people.

We are still practicing “take a bow” which seems to be really difficult for him to understand and we are also working on crawl, which consists of him lying flat on his belly and doing an army crawl. The important thing is that we are having fun, but we are also making progress! I will post more progress when it happens!

Ear Infections In Dogs…

Zeus used to get ear infections all the time because of his allergies.

Zeus used to get ear infections all the time because of his allergies. Ear infections can be painful for your dog and can cause serious long term problems if not treated properly. I learned a lot about them from my experience with him. I thought I would share some information about ear infections with you.

Otitis externa is commonly referred to as an “ear infection”. It is an ear condition characterized by inflammation of the external ear canal. It is particularly prevalent in dogs with long, floppy ears, but can occur in dogs with short perky ears too. Ear infections represent one of the top 10 reasons dogs present to veterinarians and may affect up to 20 percent of dogs.

Infections are caused by fungus, bacteria or parasites. Laboratory tests can help to determine the underlying cause of the infection.

Several factors may predispose dogs to ear infections, including:

• Long floppy ears

• Abnormal ear conformation or anatomy

• Water or hair in the ears

• Allergies

• Trauma

• Tumors

• Foreign material in the ears

• Parasites

• Autoimmune disease

• Generalized skin disease

Ear infections can occur in dogs of any age, breed, or sex. Dogs predisposed to otitis externa include those with genetic predispositions to abnormal ear canals, such as the Chinese shar-pei chow chows and English bulldogs; breeds with hair in the ears like poodles and terriers; dogs with pendulous pinnae such as the cocker spaniel and Springer spaniels; or outside and working dogs that are exposed to water or foreign bodies. Infections are most common in humid environments or during the summer months, but can occur in all environments and during any time of year.

What to watch for:  Common signs of an infection include:

• Scratching or rubbing the ears

• Head shaking

• An abnormal odor or discharge from the ear

• Pain when you manipulate the ear

• Redness and swelling of the external ear canal

The ears are responsible for taking sound waves from the air and transporting them to the brain. These waves pass through the ear canal until they come in contact with the nerves that convert them into sound and allow for hearing.

The ear canals are divided into three sections; the external, middle, and internal parts. The external ear canal extends from the outside of the ear lobe to the eardrum. The middle ear begins with the eardrum and includes the bones and nerves of the ear. The inner ear is closest to the brain and contains the organs responsible for maintaining proper position.

If the inner ear is not functional, the animal feels dizzy and the brain is not able to determine if he/she is standing, turning, lying down, spinning. The most common abnormality associated with the middle and inner ear is inflammation, which is referred to as otitis media or otitis interna. Otitis is the Latin term for inflammation within the ear. Media and interna refer to the parts of the ear that are inflamed. Otitis externa refers to an external ear canal inflammation or infection.

Inflammation within the ear can have numerous causes including bacteria, fungi, yeast, parasites, foreign objects, trauma, polyps and cancer. Middle ear infections typically occur in association with external ear infections. Inner ear infections can then occur as a progression of a middle ear infection. For this reason, prompt diagnosis and treatment of external ear infections can significantly reduce the chance of a middle and/or inner ear infection.

Deafness is a possible permanent effect if otitis media/interna is not treated appropriately. Signs of middle and inner ear inflammation vary depending on which part of the ear is affected and the severity of the infection.

What to Watch For:

• Head shaking

• Pawing, rubbing at the ear

• Discharge from the external ear canal

• Pain when the head is touched

• Pain with the mouth is opened

• Depression

• Loss of hearing

• Lack of appetite

• Head tilt

• Circling

• Leaning to one side

• Rolling

• Stumbling

• Vomiting

• Side to side involuntary continuous eye movement (nystagmus)

 

Diagnosis:

Otitis media and otitis interna are usually diagnosed based on results of a physical examination and thorough ear exam. Finding the exact cause of the ear inflammation requires more tests and may include:

• Complete blood count (CBC) and biochemical profile to determine the overall health of the animal

• Sedation or anesthesia for a thorough examination since the ear may be quite painful

• Radiographs of the skull and base of the ear, although not usually helpful, to look for tumors or masses at the base of the ear

• Culture and cytology of any discharge or fluid within the canal to determine the cause of the inflammation. Culture can detect bacterial causes and help determine the appropriate antibiotic treatment. Cytology can detect parasite, fungus, yeast and some cancers. (Zeus had many of these done in his days)

 

Treatment:

The goal of treatment for otitis media or otitis interna is to remove the cause of the inflammation and provide ventilation and drainage. Treatments vary depending on the cause of the inflammation and may include:

• Initial flushing of the ear canal with warm saline (salt water solution). Zeus couldn’t tolerate flushing his ears with anything due to his allergies (he was allergic to everything) so we always had to skip this step. We treated his with medication that came in the form of ear drops and kept our fingers crossed he did not have an allergic reaction to the medication.

• If the eardrum is intact, a puncture through the eardrum to alleviate the pain and pressure as well as drain the middle and inner ear. This is painful and is done under anesthesia.

• Flushing the middle ear after perforating the eardrum

• Removal of any foreign object

• Oral antibiotics for 3-6 weeks for bacterial, fungal and yeast infections

Ear medications must be used cautiously, if at all. Usually, flushing the ear and oral antibiotics resolves the infection. For parasitic causes of inflammation, ear medications may be necessary.

If the infection is resistant to treatment or if polyps or cancer is the cause of the inflammation, surgery may be necessary. Surgery is more likely if the inflammation has progressed to include the inner ear.

Home Care and Prevention:

There is no home care for otitis media or otitis interna. See your veterinarian if your pet is showing signs of a middle or inner ear infection. Prompt and thorough treatment of external ear infections can greatly reduce the risk of otitis media and otitis interna. For dogs that hunt or spend time in wooded areas, frequent ear exams looking for foreign objects such as grass awns can help reduce the chance of foreign body induced otitis media/interna.

 

 

I love Riding In The Car….

I wanted to drive, but mom said no!

Squirrel Hunting On My Morning walk…..

I will get you squirrel….. and your bushy tail too!

Are Our Pets Being Over Vaccinated? What Do You Think?

I have often wondered if our pets are being over vaccinated. I found an article on WebMD and wanted to share it with you. I would love to hear your opinions on this topic. My dog Lucky is due for his shots in April, and I am planning on talking to his doctor and inquiring about a blood test to check his immunities rather than just jumping into the vaccinations. Of course, we will have the vaccines done if the vet thinks he really does need them.

WebMD Pet Health Feature

By Bill Hendrick

Many pet owners and some animal scientists believe that we are over vaccinating our pets. They also think that some shots may be doing more harm than good. One type of cancer in cats, for example, is known to be caused by vaccinations. In addition, vaccines can cause allergic reactions.

Because reports and rumors of side effects have become so widespread, pet owners increasingly are asking their vets about whether or not to vaccinate. Andy Smith, DVM, a long-time Atlanta veterinarian, says he has “this conversation with a client twice a week. It’s clear there’s a lot of confusion and concern.” So WebMD went to some top veterinary experts to find answers you can use in sorting out your own concerns.

Why do pets need vaccines?

Vaccines protect against contagious, potentially fatal diseases, says Margret Casal, DMV, PhD. Casal is associate professor of medical genetics at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Vaccines trigger immune responses, she says, and prepare pets to fight future infections.

Casal tells WebMD that vaccines have saved millions of pet lives. And even though some once common diseases are now rare, she says veterinary groups agree that many vaccines are still necessary.

Is there a vaccination controversy?

Yes, says Andrea Looney, DVM, of Cornell University. Some experts advocate yearly shots, others every three years, and a few believe no more vaccines are needed after the first year.

Looney says it’s similar to controversies over human vaccines. “There’s a lot of talk,” she says, “but no evidence [of widespread harm].”

Casal says fears sparked by this “over vaccination” controversy have led many pet owners to skip shots for preventable diseases, causing an alarming rise in pet deaths.

So should all dogs and cats still be vaccinated?

“Absolutely,” says Ronald Schultz, DVM, a pioneer in clinical immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But Schulz is also very much in agreement with those who say pets are being over vaccinated, calling it a “serious problem.” Often, he says, pets are vaccinated by vets who just want to keep clients coming in. But too many vaccines, especially when given in “combo shots,” can “assault” immune systems.

Is it true that vaccines can even cause cancer?

In cats, definitely, says Richard Ford, DVM, professor of veterinary medicine at North Carolina State University. Ford says most but not all scientists believe the culprit is a chemical called an “adjuvant” that’s added to some feline vaccines. “Many [scientists] strongly recommend to avoid using any cat vaccine that is labeled ‘killed’ or ‘inactivated.’ All feline vaccines labeled in this way contain adjuvant. Vaccine labeled ‘attenuated’ or ‘recombinant’ does not contain adjuvant.”

Years ago, vets started noticing tumors forming in the area between the shoulders, where cats are vaccinated. The tumors are rare, occurring in 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 cats. Veterinarians now give this type of vaccine low on a cats’ front or hind legs so they can amputate if a tumor develops, potentially saving the cats’ life.

Vaccines can definitely cause cancer, says Luci T. Dimick, DVM, of The Ohio State University. She says feline leukemia is caused by a virus and is listed as a “non-core” disease, meaning that it is not regarded as one for which vaccination is essential. Yet many vets feel kittens should be immunized against feline leukemia virus, even though it’s one of the injections, along with rabies, thought to cause cancerous tumors in some cats.

What about other types of reactions?

Vaccines can make pets sick and lethargic and induce diarrhea, Casal says. Fatal reactions, though, are rare. But the controversy over the potential for reactions to the vaccines, she points out, has resulted in a backlash that could have serious consequences. “Sadly,” she says, “some pet owners or even vets just trash a lot of vaccines.” That means some pets aren’t getting the protection they need against disease. “We’ve seen this in people,” Casal says, “which is why we’re seeing more mumps and measles.” Any treatment carries some risk, she says.

Kate Creevy, DVM, is a specialist in small animal internal medicine at the University of Georgia. She says it’s not known why some animals have reactions to vaccines while others don’t. “It may be true that some breeds are more prone to vaccine reactions than other breeds, although this is debatable.”

The most common adverse reactions are mild and short-term, including reduced appetite, fever, and swelling at the point of injection. Allergic reactions appear within minutes or hours and may include vomiting, diarrhea, swelling, and difficulty breathing.

Is there consensus about the major diseases pets face?

Yes, Creevy says. For dogs, they are:

parvovirus, a life-threatening illness that causes vomiting, diarrhea, and white blood cell destruction

distemper, also a life-threatening illness that causes vomiting, diarrhea, pneumonia, and seizures

adenovirus, a life-threatening illness that causes hepatitis

eptospirosis, which causes kidney and liver failure

parainfluenza and Bordetella, which cause kennel cough and are highly contagious, with generally non-life-threatening symptoms that include coughing and runny nose

rabies, a fatal central nervous system disease that can spread to owners. There is no cure for rabies and pets diagnosed with it are euthanized.

Major diseases for cats include:

panleukopenia (also known as feline distemper), which is life threatening, causing vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and low white blood cell count

feline leukemia virus, causing chronic immune suppression that can lead to cancer

herpesvirus and calicivirus which are both highly contagious but rarely life threatening, causing runny eyes, runny nose, fever, and malaise.

Eline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a retroviral disease that causes chronic immune suppression.

Cats infected with FIV may appear normal for years. But eventually FIV will hinder their ability to fight off other infectious diseases.

But does the fact pets might be susceptible mean they need vaccination?

No, says Schultz. “Lifestyle and location play important roles. If your dog lived on the fifth floor of an apartment building, it wouldn’t have to worry about kennel cough, unless it is kenneled or taken out to be around other dogs. And your dog won’t get Lyme disease in many areas of the country. Ask your vet.”

Leptospira is a life-threatening bacterial infection. Disease outbreaks are usually caused by exposure to water contaminated with the urine of infected animals, including rats, cattle, pigs, horses, and deer. “If your dog doesn’t go hunting, or if it’s not around other animals, there’s no need [for it to be vaccinated,” Schultz says. Also, this vaccine causes more adverse reactions than many others, so it’s important to weigh the risk versus benefit when deciding if you pet needs it.

Vets talk of “core” and “non-core” vaccines. What’s this mean?

Core vaccines are those that are universally recommended and most commonly given. Non-core vaccines are optional, according to protocols set by major veterinary organizations.

Parvovirus vaccine is core, and dogs should get a minimum of three doses between six and 16 weeks, administered at intervals of three to four weeks. The final dose should be given at 14-16 weeks. Then the dog needs a booster a year later followed by revaccination every three years.

Other core vaccines for dogs are those against rabies, distemper, and adenovirus-2. Non-core vaccines include those to ward off Bordetella, parainfluenza, Leptospira, and Lyme disease.

What are the core vaccines for cats?

All kittens should be vaccinated as early as six weeks of age against panleukopenia, the feline form of parvovirus, and also for herpesvirus, rabies, and calicivirus.

Non-core vaccines are for protection from feline leukemia, feline immune deficiency virus, chlamydophilia, and Bordetella.

Why has the topic of pet vaccination become so hot?

Part of the intense focus on pet vaccination stems from the highly publicized debate that vaccines may cause autism in people, a discounted but widespread theory.

Also, new vaccines and research “show that some of the routinely administered vaccines for dogs and cats actually immunize for much longer than one year,” Ford says. “Today, selected vaccines are recommended to be administered to adult pets every three years.

Some veterinarians have expressed reluctance to implement triennial (every three year) vaccination, until there is more information available,” Ford says.

Would I be playing doctor to put my pet on an alternate schedule?

“Alternative vaccination schedules for kittens and puppies are not recommended,” Ford says. “However, among adult dogs and cats, alternative re-vaccination schedules are feasible.”

Are there any alternatives to just doing what vets say?

Yes. Do some research to arm yourself to ask good questions. You also can ask for blood work, called titer testing, a tool to help assess the status of your pet’s defenses against specific infections.

How can you tell if a vet is a good one?

“If they take time to explain vaccines and ask about your pet’s lifestyle, I’d say that’s a good vet,” Casal says. “If you have one who doesn’t want to hear questions, that’s not where you want to be.”

Does the federal government require rabies shots?

No. Only 39 states require rabies vaccines for dogs and 31 for cats, according to a 2008 survey by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians.

Even within states, rabies requirements vary widely, says Charles Rupprecht, VMD, PhD. Rupprecht is chief of the rabies program at the CDC. The disease is fatal in animals but can be cured in humans who seek medical help immediately after exposure to an infected animal.

A Letter To Zeus….. From Lucky….

Dear Zeus,

I had to write you to tell you all about the the play date I had with Serenity because I know you would have loved to come play too if you were still with us and healthy. I had a lot of fun today and Serenity was as happy to see me as I was to see her! I think she gets lonely too since they lost D.O.G. Kinda like I get lonely a lot since you have been gone. It’s nice to have her for a friend though, she is really nice and even lets me play with her toys just like you used to let me play with yours. You have met Serenity and you knew D.O.G before he passed away. Serenity tells me that she misses you too. It makes me feel good that she remembers you. When ever I go to Serenity’s house to play I always hope you and D.O.G are playing at the rainbow bridge. I can picture the two of you running around having a wonderful time chasing eachohter, just like Serenity and I do!

Here we are playing on the deck…. It was really hard for our people to get photos today because we were having so much fun and did not have  time to sit still and pose for photos. Sorry if some of these photos are a little blurry, we were having too much fun to care! Serenity does this really cute bounce thing when she gets excited or wants to play. She is bouncing at me in this photo.

Here we are running around through the trees….. You wouldn’t believe all the smells around this place Zeus! I think we smelled every tree! I would bet that in the summer, this place is crawling with squirrels I can’t wait for Summer to get here so I can chase them, you know how much I love chasing squirrels! Do you still chase squirrels like you used to Zeus? We had so much fun doing that, I miss those days!

Serenity is waiting for me to chase her. She loves to play, but doesn’t run as much as I do. You know how fast I am, no one can catch me! Serenity tries though and it is fun when she runs after me. We take turns of course and I chase her sometimes too.

See the ball at my feet? We even played my favorite game today….. You guessed it… FETCH! I could play this game forever as you know. I miss when mom used to play fetch with both of us. Even though I could run faster than you Zeus, I always made sure to let you get the ball once in a while too. That’s what younger brothers do! Serenity is not much of a fetch enthusiest, so we don’t play for long. A few throws makes me happy!

This is my favorite photo from today, it shows Serenity and I up close and personal! We like to nose around and even give eachother kisses….. Who knows, maybe someday she will be my girlfriend. Do you have any advice you could give me to win over her heart? I know you were always such a  “lady’s man”. I guess I should have paid more attention to your charming ways!

This is the best way to end a great day. Of course the only thing that would make it better is if you were curled up next to me. I miss snuggling with you the most because I don’t have that kind of bond with anyone, even Serenity. I am really tired now that I played my little heart out today. Mom even took the senic route on the way home which made for a nice drive. I looked out the back window the whole way home. It was kind of relaxing after all that running. Tonight I will dream of my beautiful friend Serenity and of course you will be in my dreams too Zeus. I dream about you a lot, just because you are not here doesn’t mean I don’t think about you often.

I hope you liked reading my letter and I hope I made you smile. I know you always loved it when we used to play. I miss you still and forever will!

Love,

your little Lucky Monkey

The Best Part About Owning A Dog…

The Best Part About Owning A Dog…

… is the way he will come over to see me,
for no reason, just to let me know I’m
important to him
… is the way he is always ready to lick the
jelly off my nose…

… is the way he looks into my eyes and finds
contentment in simply being near me
… is the way he will run all over the yard,
fetch a soggy tennis ball and bring it back
to me as if to say “look mom, it’s all have,
but it’s yours

… is the way he wakes me up in the morning by pushing
his cold wet nose in my ear and snuffing loudly
… is the way he shreds toilet paper all over the house,
because it’s fun even though he knows he shouldn’t
… is the way he’s sure he can catch the ducks in the
lake today…
… is the way he comes over to me when he is sad
… is the way he wedges himself near me when I am sad and
push all others away, to console me with his love
… is the way he pounces on crickets in the backyard
… is the way he looks perplexed when they escape
… is the way he is terrified of the evil pink hula hoop
… is the way he doesn’t mind how much of that horrid
perfume I’m wearing just because it was a gift from
my relative who’s visiting
… is the way he doesn’t care about bad hair day or
overdue bills
… is the way he loves you, even when you are impatient
with him and have no time this morning for a game
of tug-a-war
… is the way his coat feels like liquid silk under
my fingers
… is the way he finds wisdom beyond words

Unknown

How to Teach Your Dog to Take a Bow…

Teach Your Dog to Take A Bow…

Now that Lucky has speak and quiet mastered, we are moving on to “Take A Bow”. This one is a little more dificult so we may be working on it for a few weeks.

Taking Take a bow: A bow is a dog trick which involves having your dog put his chest to the ground while keeping his rear end up in the air. It may sound like a difficult dog trick to train a dog to do, but the truth is that bowing is a natural behavior for dogs.

Tips: If you watch two dogs playing together, you will frequently see them bow. Trainers refer to this behavior as a play bow, and it is a dog’s way of asking another dog to come play. You can easily use your dog’s natural playfulness to train him to take a bow. And it’s a great way to end a demonstration of all the cool new dog tricks your dog has learned!

Method 1- When you see your dog takes a big stretch, with his head down low, say, “Take a bow.” Every time he wakes up and stretches, say, “Take a bow.” Someday you will say, “Take a bow.” and your dog will take a big stretch, but it will look like he is bowing. As soon as he is finished, give him the treat.

Method 2-With your dog in a stand position, take a treat and hold it near the floor, under his nose. As your dog reaches down to get it (he may try to lie down), slip your hand under his belly to hold his rear end up. Hold him in that position and say, “Take a bow.” Keep the treat right by his nose, but don’t feed him. Stay there for just a second, release him, and then feed the treat.

TIP (method 1): Tricks like this work because you put words with something your dog does. It may take some dogs longer than others to figure this one out. Some dogs learn it in a week and some take years…yes, years! But one day you will say, “Take a bow,” and maybe, just maybe, your dog will take a bow.

TIP (method 2): If you feed your dog the treat while he is in the bowing position, in the future he won’t bow until he sees the treat in your hand. If he learns that the treat comes later, he’ll be willing to perform for you without it right there all the time.

A Letter To Zeus From Lucky……

Best Friends

Dear Zeus,

Hi, it’s me Lucky. I hope you didn’t forget me in the last three months since you have been gone. I think about you every day and everyone can tell how much I miss you, even mom says she can see it. I think it shows on my face, but I can’t help it and am not really good at hiding it. You have always been here, I have never been without you, and it is taking me a while to adjust, although I have been feeling a little better as time passes. I hope you are not having such a hard time with it as I am. I asked mom to type this letter to you using my words since I am not great at typing on the computer keyboard. I think she is doing a good job of decoding my barks into the right words.

I was wondering what you have been doing and if you are happy and comfortable. You know, you left your bed here, I have been using it, but I hope you have a new one that is a million times better than your old one, wherever you are. I use your bed because I miss you, I miss curling up next to you and feeling your warmth. Remember how we would snuggle for hours? Well, I miss that. Mom has put a new bed on top of your bed for me because she knows I would be sad if she got rid of it. She also put some throw blankets in my bed to keep me warm since I don’t have your body heat to do it for me. I guess the new bed and blankets are ok, they are really warm. The two beds, one on top of the other makes for a super soft bed. It was really nice of her, they do keep me warm and it is really comfortable that way, but it is not the same. I am glad she kept your bed though, because believe it or not, it still smells a little like you. I like that because it makes me feel close to you.

Mom kinda watches over me a little closer since you left, she says that I am all she has left and that she would be heartbroken if something happened to me. It feels good to know she loves me so much, but I wish she would quit worrying all the time. I wonder if this stems from her having to worry about you all the time when you were so sick. I think so and I always try to cut her some slack and do silly things to make her laugh. It usually works too, you know, I can be one heck of a funny boy! I love to see her smile and I know you did too. I am doing my best to watch over the family, but I am far from the watch dog you used to be. About two weeks ago, I heard a noise, I awoke from a sleeping slumber, and as I was barking I fell off the couch. Mom laughed and said it was cute. Cute as it may have been, it wasn’t what I was aiming for! All I need is practice, practice, practice. Now that I am the big dog of the house, I hope to be as good of a watch dog that you always used to be. Any pointers you could give me would would be great!

I have been going on more walks since you have been gone, I wish you were here to join us! I know towards the end, you couldn’t do much walking, so that’s why mom stoped walking us as much. Now I walk for both of us! I make sure I catch every scent because I know how you used to love smelling everything. I now walk like you used to a lot of the time, with my nose to the ground, taking in every single scent I can. I also look for squirrels too cause they remind me of how much fun we used to have chasing them together. I look forward to these walks because it gets me out of the house and into the fresh air. I always feel better after a nice long walk. I hope you are getting lots of walks in heaven and I hope you sometimes join us on ours, even if it is just in spirit. I have heard mom say that sometimes she feels like you are walking along side us and I take comfort in that, I think she does too.

I want you to know that I think about you all the time and I miss you more than you know. I am sure you are missing me too, who wouldn’t? I miss how we would play the most. Every once in a while I hear mom say she wants to get a puppy in the spring to give me a play mate. I am not too sure about this whole puppy thing, because no one could ever replace you, but I wouldn’t mind having someone to play with again. I am not ready yet, but maybe in the spring I will be. Besides, it may not be so bad being the BIG brother for a change.

I wanted to drop you a note letting you know how much I miss you and that I think about you often. I hope you are warm, comfortable, well fed, and now pain free. I love you and miss you my dear friend! I wil be writing you once in a while to let you know that I haven’t forgotten you and to fill you in on what I am up to.

Love always,

Lucky

A Change Of Plans….

Today, my human and I were suposed to meet my friend Serenity and her human at the park for our Sunday walk. We met at Serenity’s house first cause we were going to go to a different park by her. Instead of going to the park, we ended up staying and playing in the snow at Serenity’s house. She has a really BIG  fenced in yard (two or three acers) and Sheep that live next door to her! Can you believe it? Sheep I say! I have never seen sheep until today and was amazed!

Here I am checking out those sheep for the first time! I couldn’t believe my eyes! At first, I wasn’t sure what to think which is why my front paw is raised a bit. After watching them for a bit I thought they were pretty cool!

I had to keep checking on those sheep to see what they were doing….. Every time I checked, they were doing pretty much the same thing…. They stood in a group by the barn making a lot of noise. seems kinda boring to just be standing around!

Serenity came with me to check on them too, even though she sees them all the time and they are nothing new to her…. She is such a good friend!

Serenity showed me around and I peed on many trees and fences…. I couldn’t help myself and she didn’t seem to mind.

We played in the snow and walked all around her big yard! She has the best yard in the world! Her house is now at the top of my “Top 10 places to play list”!

I ran at Serentiy’s house too….. I love to run and I was having the time of my life…… I ran and I ran, then I ran some more! I was running sooooo fast and I loved every minute of it! My human was so proud of me because even though I was running through this big and beautiful yard, I still listened to every one of her commands! When she called me, I came running at full speed! She was thrilled because she wasn’t sure how well I would listen in such a wide open space…. The only place I am usually off me leash is at home or in my back yard because my human says she would be heartbroken if she lost me. I think I did a good job, because she was laughing a lot at me and kept telling me what a good boy I was!

 

I was having so much fun running and I was running soooo fast, that Serenity lost sight of me for a minute….. She started looking for me! It didn’t take her long to find me though.

 

 

 

Now that our play day is over, I am really tired out and I would imagine Serenity is too. Tonight, when I cuddle up in my nice warm bed, or on the nice soft couch with the throw pillows and close my sleepy brown eyes, I will dream of this wonderful day…… I ran my little heart out, I was free from the leash is such a wide open space, I spent the day with my bestie, and I got to see sheep for the first time in my life…. What a perfect day! Thank you Serenity for making it wonderful!

 

A perfect end to a perfect day, curled up on the couch with pillows, a blanket and my human’s robe! I love laying on her robe because it smells like her! I have the best human in the world! She loves me so much and I love her too!

Teaching Your Dog to Speak….

Teaching your dog new tricks can be a great way to strengthen your bond. Training of any kind is also great exercise for your dog’s mind and will tire your pup out as much any walk will. Thinking is hard work! Not only is it fun, but teaching your dog new tricks, will result in a better behaved, yet entertaining dog! I have decided to work on teaching my dog Lucky some new tricks. With the weather here so cold right now, working on learning new tricks is a great alternative to walking when the mercury dips too low. I will be posting mine and Lucky’s favorite tricks along with “how to” instructions, so that you can try them with your furry friend.

Last night, Lucky learned to speak on command. It took about fifteen minutes for him to catch on. He was so happy when he finally figured out what I wanted from him. After he knew what I was asking of him, we practiced for about fifteen minutes. Our full training session last night lasted 30 minutes and before we move on to the next trick, we will practice speak every night this week so I don’t confuse him. I decided to teach lucky the speak command first followed by the quiet command. It seemed to work well using the two commands together. When he figured out I wanted him to bark, he would bark a lot, about 10-12 barks in a row. After the third bark I would give him the quiet command and treat him after he was quiet for a couple seconds. This seemed to work well and he picked up on both commands rather quickly. He now will give 1-3 barks on the speak command without me having to give the quiet command. We will be using the quiet command more for excessive barking control.

Teaching your dog to “speak,” or bark on command can be fun as well as useful. A barking dog can ward off intruders and alert you to potential danger. Excessive barking can be a huge problem, but teaching the speak / quiet commands can sharpen the natural instinct to bark. With dedication and consistency, you can teach your dog to bark on command AND to be quiet. Different dog trainers and owners have varying techniques, but here is one basic method that works for many dogs.

I found a website that has steps to teaching your dog to speak, it was written by: By Jenna Stregowski, RVT, About.com Guider many dogs. These steps worked really well in teaching this command to Lucky, so I am passing in on to my readers. The biggest thing to remember is to not get frustrated and have fun! If you are having fun and enjoying it, your dog will too!

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 10-15 minutes, 1-2 times per day (may take several weeks)

Here’s How:

1. Choose one simple word for the bark command. The word should be easy to remember and used consistently. Good choices: “speak,” “bark” or “talk.”

2. Choose one simple word for the quiet command. This word should also be easy to remember and used consistently. Good choices: “enough,” “quiet,” or “hush.”

3. When your dog barks, briefly acknowledge it by checking for the source (look out the window or door, go to your dog). Then, get her attention with a clap, whistle or similar sound.

4. Immediately after the barking stops, say your quiet command in a firm, audible and upbeat voice while giving a treat.

5. Practice the “quiet” command frequently. You can do this anytime she barks, but
keep sessions brief.

6. Once your dog seems to understand “quiet,” you can move onto the bark command.

7. Create a situation that will cause your dog to bark. The best method is to have a friend ring the doorbell or knock on the door. As this occurs, say your speak command in a clear, upbeat voice.

8. After your dog barks 2-3 times in a row, say “good speak!” in a clear, upbeat voice while giving a treat.

9. Repeat the speak command process several times until your dog seems to understand.

10. Once your dog learns “speak” and “quiet” separately, you can use them together – have your dog speak a few times, then tell her to be quiet.

 

Tips:

1. Rewards should be immediate and very tasty. You need to make obeying “worth it” to your dog. Small, stinky liver treats or similar goodies work best.

2. Some people prefer to teach “speak” first, and “quiet” second. Others like to teach them together to begin with. This is your choice – it is about your comfort level, confidence and your dog’s ability to learn. Use your best judgment. Dogs with a tendency to become “excessive barkers” might need to learn the quiet command first.

3. Be patient yet consistent. These commands can take weeks to master for some dogs.

4. Teach speak only works on dogs that will bark. If you are training a puppy, wait until she develops the ability and desire to bark, otherwise she will become confused. Remember that the Basenji dog breed does not bark.

Do Dogs Dream?

Zeus taking a nap.

Lucky getting some shut eye.

I have often wondered if dogs really do dream and why they do it. Having dogs myself, I have noticed that mine do appear to be dreaming every once in a while. They will growl, twitch, and sometimes even bark in their sleep. I have also noticed that they also seem to have nightmares though these don’t happen too often. When I notice what seems and looks like a nightmare, I would gently pet them and talk to them to wake them from their bad dream. After reading the folowing article, I have learned not to wake them and let them sleep through it. What do you do when your dog is asleep and appears to be having a nightmare? Here is the article I found on this subject, I included a link to the website at the end of the article. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

It is not uncommon to hear a dog whining and squeaking while they are sound asleep. Often their adorable vocal sounds are accompanied by paw twitching and tail flicking. It can be amusing to watch and often people are convinced they are dreaming.

Is it true? Do dogs dream? Of course, no one will ever be completely certain as to what goes inside our canine friends’ minds, but it certainly looks as though they are dreaming.

When a dog is awake, it is almost impossible to argue that there isn’t some form of thought process that they go through. While their thoughts are probably not even close to the cute little voice overs we give them as we watch them, but their facial expressions, their ability to hold a lengthy attentions span, and their overall demeanor creates the impression of thoughts.

Most people believe that a dog is capable of processing about one hundred to one hundred and fifty words. Some experts believe there are dogs that can process as many as five hundred. By processing we are talking about some form of cognitive thought pattern like the ability to recognize a ball as a ball. Do they actually think, “Come on. I’m being good. Throw the ball?” Probably not. But when you ask a dog to go retrieve his ball, most dogs do know what you are talking about. Most can differentiate between “Get your ball” and “Get a toy.”

What does this have to do with dreaming? We already know that dreams are our brain’s way of processing our experiences in life. Dogs have experiences and are considered smart enough to need processing time as well. Some experts argue that all mammals dream in order to process and learn. What a dog experiences may or may not impact their dreams, but it is a likely possibility that it does. It’s actually logical to believe that it does.

In our household when a dog is appearing to dream we say they are chasing bunnies. We phrase it as such because our dogs all have a fascination with the exorbitant amount of rabbits in the neighborhood and they constantly want to chase them down. It would simply be logical that one of the events our dogs may process is being denied a bunny chase.

There is less evidence however, that abused dogs dream. Abused people tend to have nightmares and bad dreams. Studies performed on dogs show that severely neglected and abused dogs are more likely to experience a lack of dreaming rather than suffer from nightmares. Although, our puppies are not likely to wake us in the middle of the night asking to crawl in bed with us, so the theory is purely speculative.

Dreams are part of REM sleep. We know that when humans enter REM sleep they are most likely to fall into a dream state. Dogs of course experience REM sleep as well, and this is where the sleep barking and tail twitching takes place.

It is highly unlikely that we as humans will ever be able to truly understand the inner workings of a dog’s mind. They truly are amazingly complicated creatures with a vast array of communication skills. As much as we would like to enter their world and understand their thoughts, the closest we may ever get to that is watching them in their dream states. While in their dream states a dog may yip, run, growl, squeak, bark, even twist and turn the way his humans do. Watching this behavior is fascinating and entertaining. It is also a key to proving they have some capability for thought processing.

The genetics shared between dogs and humans are as high as ninety five percent. Our basic core makeup isn’t really all that different from our canine partners. It is reasonable and logical then to believe that we are more similar than we realize in our brain makeup and our brain functions as well. The human brain and the dog brain is remarkably similar as is our basic neurochemistry.

What makes it so remarkable to us as humans that our puppies are lying at our feet dreaming is that we feel connected to them somehow when we watch them. We tend to feel as though our little buddy letting us in on a secret or private moment. We find them endearing because we can tell if their dreams are happy, and for the most part they do basically seem like happy little dreamers.

Just as we cherish our dreams and often share them with those close to us, we tend to view our dogs’ dreaming activities in much the same light. For those of who actually tuck our pups into bed with a blanket, a kiss, and a “sweet dreams,” we feel rewarded somehow as they quietly lie by our bed at night in their own peaceful little dreamland.

http://www.professorshouse.com/Pets/Dogs/General/Articles/Do-Dogs-Dream/

6 Great Ways to Challenge Your Dog’s Mind…..

I came across this article on the Cesars Way website (there is a link to the website at the end of this post) and found it interesting….. I plan on trying a few of these tips with my dog Lucky. I think we will work on some new tricks in the next two weeks. I always have trouble thinking of new tricks that I would want him to perform though. He knows the basics, such as sit, stay, down, shake, and leave it. If you have any interesting or fun trick ideas for me to teach Lucky, I would love to hear them!

By Nicole Pajer

Just like people, dogs get bored with the same old everyday routine. Keeping  them mentally challenged and constantly exposing them to new things is just as  important as taking them for walks and exercising them. Bored dogs develop  destructive behaviors and take their negative energy out on things like your  furniture.

Here are some creative ways to stimulate your dog’s mind so they don’t get  bored and misbehave:

1. Work on a new trick.

Every time you engage your dog in a training session, you are providing him  with a mental challenge. Search around for new tricks to work on. If you’re  ready to move past the basic commands, check out books, scan the Internet, and  ask a trainer for ideas for new tricks and training ideas.

“My dog, Vince just recently turned 4-years old and I finally enrolled him in  obedience school. It has changed both our lives. Now on days where I work him on  new tricks and such, I have noticed that his temperament has calmed down.  Challenging him mentally makes him much less anxious in general and he has  become more relaxed around other dogs. Vince is proof that old dogs can  definitely learn new tricks.” – Sara Hicks

2. Play with interactive games or toys with your dog.

Purchase a doggie board game or a canine puzzle to challenge your pup. Engage  your dog in a game of Dog Memory or Dog Dominos. Give your dog one of the many  toys that allow you to hide treats and objects inside and engage your dog to  figure out how to work them out.

“This sounds silly but I bought this board game that I saw at the store for  my dog Snickers and I to play together. I put treats underneath a peg and she  has to figure out which ones to lift up in order to find where the treats are.  There is another version where I cover up the treats with this piece of plastic  and Snickers has to spin the board around to uncover the treats. It really  challenges her and I see her brain working so hard to figure everything out.” – Donna Marr

3. Run errands with your dog.

Even a quick run to the mailbox, a stopover at a friend’s house, or a spin  through the car wash will place your dog face to face with a variety of  stimulants.

“Even just taking Ryker for a car ride or to the car wash is stimulating for  him. He gets to see lots of different sights and sounds and experience new  situations. He loves going and gets so excited. And I can see his brain working  as it takes it all in. And when we come home, he falls right asleep, even though  it wasn’t physically taxing.” – Jennifer Brody

4. Give your dog a job to do.

Dogs are bred to complete tasks such as hunting and herding. When they aren’t  able to fulfill these types of duties, they can get restless. Engage your dog in  a game of Frisbee. Get him involved in a sport like agility or Flyball. Take him  for a long walk,  hike, or swim. Find jobs that fulfill your dog’s breed. If you have a  retriever, for example, nothing will leave it more satisfied than a hearty game  of fetch.

“I can take my dog for a walk or a run, but the thing that really makes her  the happiest is a hearty game of fetch. I take a tennis racket to the dog park  and hit a ball as far as I can. She will bring it back to me over and over again  like it’s her job.” – John Kurmai

5. Introduce your dog to new faces.

Every time your dog meets a new person or fellow canine, they are introduced  to new sights, sounds, and butts to sniff. Taking you pup to places like the dog  park will provide him with ample opportunity to engage his senses.

“I frequently take Bruiser to the dog park, which he absolutely loves!  Bruiser constantly meets new friends there and finds people to sniff and get  petted by. This has really made him listen better, less anxious and truly more  satisfied.” – Kat Malkowych

6. Give them new toys and rotate out the old ones:

You wouldn’t want to play with the same thing every day would you? Then you  shouldn’t expect your dog to continue to love the same toy that he’s had for  months. Give him a toy to play with for a few days and when he grows bored of  it, replace it with another one.

“Moogly has so many toys but still gets bored. It’s ridiculous! I am  constantly bringing new toys into the house but he has a short attention span so  they only keep him entertained for a while. We started keeping all of his toys  in a bin in the closet and rotating them out. He has so many now and we’ll  change up a new toy with one that he’s had for years and that he may have  forgotten about. He loves this and whenever we switch them up, he is just as  excited as when he gets a brand new toy.” – Katie Adams

Read more: http://www.cesarsway.com/training/dogtraining/6-Great-Ways-to-Challenge-Your-Dogs-Mind#ixzz2GAQMEunV

Merry Christmas!!!!

Lucky opening presents…. Yay, a new toy!

Lucky loves opening presents!

Lucky loves opening presents!

This one smells yummy! My favorite treats!!!

Wow, a big one…. What could this one be? Maybe a nice warm cozy bed?

The big ones take a little longer to open… Could this be a nice cozy bed?

Time to take a step back and take a diferent approach!

Time to lay in my new bed and chew my new Christmas bone!

Merry Christmas to all! May you enjoy spending time with your family and friends this holiday season, we sure are!

Cold Weather Tips, From Our Pets to Yours…..

Cold Weather Tips

Brrrr—it’s cold outside! The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.

2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.

3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

Lucky sporting his winter coat. He is ready for his morning walk!

6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in  a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him, and his fur, in tip-top shape.

9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal  poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from  your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.

10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Why Do Dogs Lick You?

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I find this really interesting because Lucky is a big kisser and Zeus used to be too. I always wondered if they did it because they meant to or if it was just because of instinct. I love Zeus’ kisses so much! One kiss makes everything worth it! December 18th, 2011 06:41:20 pm. Why do dogs lick you? Anyone who’s met a dog is familiar with their wet greetings. It’s not like you rubbed bacon on your hands before walking in the door, so why do they do it?For the most part, it’s a sign of affection. From the day they were born, their mother licked them to clean them and stimulate them. Because of that, licking is connected to their very earliest social bonds, so it’s a significant part of their social signals. People aren’t exaggerating when they call it puppy kisses – a dog who licks you is showing you love. It’s why your dog licks your hand happily when you walk in the door, and why many dogs will lick you after you’ve been petting them. They’re returning the friendly gesture.Another reason why dogs lick you is to learn about you. Smell may be their strongest sense, but they learn a lot from what they taste as well. That’s why they lick other dogs in greeting, and why they lick people. In the wild, wolves lick other wolves’ mouths to determine if they’ve eaten and if a food source is nearby. Taste tells them a lot more than just how to fill their belly, however, especially in domesticated dogs. What they taste when they lick you tells them about your chemical composition, which can clue them in to other things about you. Human hormones and chemicals vary based on everything from our health to our mood, so they may be able to tell a lot about our state of being by licking us. Dogs may lick people because they like the taste. My family has a dog who loves the taste of lotion – she would eat it from a bowl if she could – so she’ll lick lotion off people’s hands and feet as long as they let her. Dogs also tend to like salty, savory flavors. Human sweat is loaded with sodium, so if you’ve ever noticed your dog licking your feet after a workout, it’s because of the flavor. Licking is also a sign of respect and submission for dogs. They’ll lick higher-up pack members to show acceptance of that member’s higher rank. If your dog lays down and licks your feet, that’s likely their way of showing respect for your authority. Occasionally, licking is a sign of anxiety. Dogs enjoy licking, so they will sometimes lick as a way of comforting themselves. It usually shows itself as licking themselves or licking objects, but they may lick you for relief as well. If you think your dog has anxiety, consult your vet for confirmation and how to handle it. Why do dogs lick you? It’s usually a friendly sign. Occasionally, it may be the sign of a problem like anxiety, but it’s typically nothing to worry about. Enjoy the puppy kisses.

How This Blog Began…

This blog began because of someone very special and dear to my heart. Our very sweet rottweiler Zeus, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Immune-Mediated Pollyarthritis. This genetic disorder was causing his immune system to attack his joints and organs causing him terrible pain and discomfort. I started the “Saving Zeus” blog in hopes to spread awareness about this terrible disease and also connected it to our fundraising website to help raise funds for the expensive medical care that Zeus needed so desperately. We raised $2800 and Zeus received the best medical care in our area and touched the lives of many people. Unfortunately, due to complications from this rare genetic disorder, Zeus’ quality of life started to slip away. He could no longer do the things dogs love to do like going on long walks, playing fetch, trips to the park, playing with his brother, and the last two days, he had even lost his appatite and wouldn’t eat. I could not make my sweet boy  suffer, so my husband and I made the dificult decission to let him go with some dignity. Zeus passed away in our arms at Healthy Paws Vet Hospital at 5pm. on October 12, 2012. He was only 6 and a half years old, but brought a lifetime of love and happiness to our family in that short amount of time. He may be gone from our lives, but will always remain in our hearts.

I have now changed the name of my blog from “Saving Zeus” to “A Wag of a Tail” because Saving Zeus just doesn’t seem to fit now that he is gone. “A Wag of a Tail” will continue on it it’s place in loving memory of Zeus. He had a wag of a tail that could melt anyones heart. His little stub would wag so hard and fast that his whole back end would wiggle to and fro! A Wag of a Tail will include stories about Lucky, memories about Zeus, Great dog and training tips, news, articles on why dogs do what they do, wonderful quotes and poems, and anything else that has to do with dogs. I hope you enjoy the read!

You will live forever in our hearts and memories…..

The Blog On Fire Award…..

A while back “Saving Zeus” was nominated for the blog on fire award, by Jessica and Taylor “I Adopted a Dog-Now What”. I thank you both very much as I am thrilled that out of all the wonderful blogs to nominate, you chose mine. I would have liked to make this post sooner, but I am in school chasing a bachelor’s degree in nursing and have been super busy with my studies. Now that the holidays are here, I have a little time off and would like to thank you Jessica and Taylor for the nomination. I also would like to wish you a wonderful holiday filled with happiness and joy!

Now, with this nomination comes a pretty simple task. I need to share 8 unusual tidbits about either myself or my pet.

I think I will mix it up and share a little about both Lucky and I:

 1.       As most of you know, our wonderful Rottweiler Zeus passed away in October. The saving Zeus blog was started for him. We wanted to raise awareness to the rare genetic disease that he had and we were raising funds to help pay for his medical treatment. The Saving Zeus Blog was a success and Zeus received the best medical care in our area. Unfortunately, due to complications from this disease, Zeus was losing his quality of life and we couldn’t make him suffer. We said our good-byes on 10-12-12. I have just recently changed the blog name from “Saving Zeus” to “A Wag of a Tail”. I did this in memory of Zeus, because he had a stub of a tail that would wag uncontrollably!

 

2.        Lucky is trying to contain himself in his wait for Christmas day to arrive. He loves opening Christmas presents and somehow seems to know which ones are his (even the ones that do not contain any kind of food). He looks at his gifts daily wanting to open them so badly. Of course, I will be posting photos and/or videos (not sure how to do videos on my blog yet, but I will try to figure it out) of Lucky on Christmas morning.

 

3.       Just like Lucky, Christmas is my favorite time of year…. Not just because of the gifts, but because I love everything about it. I love the lights, the decorations, the Christmas songs, the snow, the shopping, and spending time with friends and family.

 

4.       I am hoping to rescue a puppy this spring. My house seems so empty still with Zeus gone and Lucky is lonely too without him. I have no idea what kind we will end up with, but I would like something that will end up being between 50-80 pounds. I don’t mind if it is a mutt or pure breed. I am not taking spring or summer classes this year so, spring would be the perfect time. I know we will find the perfect pup for our family when that time comes.

 

5.       Lucky has made a wonderful new friend since Zeus has passed away. A good friend of mine has a husky named Serenity and Lucky loves to meet her at the park and chase the ducks. These two pals even got their pictures taken with Santa a few weeks ago, these photos can be viewed on my blog.

 

6.       I love to read novels in-between school semesters. This time I am going to mix it up a little though and make more of an effort towards my blog writings and also to read more of the blogs I follow and love.

 

7.       Lucky and I are both looking forward to some snow this year for some good play time. Last year we got very little snow in our area and so far this year is a repeat of last year. We are hoping for at least one good snow day. We love playing in it. Lucky loves playing fetch with snowballs, making snow angels on his back, running through the snow, and helping his dad and I build snowmen.  

 

8.       Lucky is now the dog of the house, since Zeus is no longer with us. He is no longer being crated and has been a really good boy. He is not the watch dog that Zeus once was, but he is making a real effort in that area. He tries to guard our house at every noise he hears. Most of the time, he does a fine job, other times, he can be quite humorous. I give him an A for effort…. He is really trying hard to be the dog of the house, watching over everything, and making sure everything runs smoothly.

 

Next, I would like to pass along a nomination for The Blog on Fire Award to the following 8 blogs (in no particular order), who each display humor, class, and positivity with every post:

 

• mrcrileysclassroom
• stingfromabee
• markingourterritory
• fortheloveofclouds
• worldofwidget
• dearflash
• ourdachundsophie
• iridescently

These eight blogs are unique. They include interesting and helpful information in their writings. Some of them make me laugh, while others may bring a tear to my eye. Overall, I enjoy these blogs the most.

My Heart Still Aches….. I miss you Zeus!

How Important Is The Tail Wag?

Everyone loves a wagging tail!

An article I found on why dogs wag their tails…… I find it fitting since I just changed the

 name of my blog to “A Wag of a Tail”. Our new blog is inspired by our loving

memories of our boy Zeus.

Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails?

By: Alison Kim Perry

You’re at a friend’s house and along comes her collie, Baby, wagging her tail. Good girl! You bend over to pat her and are rewarded with a growl. What went wrong?

“It is so important for people to realize that a wagging tail does not equal a dog that is friendly or wants to be petted,” says E’Lise Christensen Bell, veterinarian and board certified veterinary behaviorist at Veterinary Behavior Consultations of NYC. “It can, but you are much better off looking at the entire dog. If there are stiffened muscles, dilated pupils, tense facial muscles, or ears pinned forward or back, these are signs that you should back off.”

Dogs use their tails to communicate strong emotions such as agitation, annoyance and anger as well as happiness. A person can get bitten by a dog that’s wagging his tail because he read the signs incorrectly. And make no mistake, there is a science to tail wagging.

Dogs have been wagging their tails since…well, there have been dogs. These furry masses of bones serve multiple purposes. The original purpose of the dog’s tail was for balance. It prevents him from toppling over as he makes sharp turns while running or swimming. The tail also balances him when walking along narrow structures, climbing or leaping. Over time, the tail adapted itself to playing a vital role in communication, particularly when a dog is just walking or standing around.

Puppies don’t come right out of their mom’s womb wagging their tails. The majority of them don’t begin wagging until they are about a month and a half old when they have a need to communicate with their litter mates or mothers.

For example, if there’s too much “rough-housing” between the pups, one of them might wave their tail like a white flag to signal a truce to its littermates. As they grow, they wag their tail to beg for food from the adults in their canine family.

“It is a misconception that a tail wag is a sign that the dog is happy,” says Beth Strickler, DVM of Veterinary Behavior Solutions. “This is one of the reasons that children are often unable to differentiate between a friendly dog and a non-friendly or aggressive dog.”

For help with figuring out what the tail wag means, look for the direction of the wag or at how fast his tail is moving. Studies show that dogs wag their tails to the right when they are happy and to the left when they are frightened.

If Baby wags her tail high and back and forth, she’s in her “happy place”. When she’s just being plain nosy, she will keep her tail horizontal to the ground. When Baby’s tail is tucked between her hind legs, she’s either frightened or being submissive. When she’s wagging it low, she’s worried or feeling insecure about something.

Dogs wag their tails for other dogs, humans, and other animals like cats. But research shows that dogs don’t wag their tails when they are alone because there is no need. Just as humans use smiles and body language as social cues in different situations, our canine friends do the same.

“Dogs are much better at reading each other’s body language than we are,” says Dr. Bell. “Dogs that are behaving appropriately in social systems use their bodies and tails to communicate with other dogs even as they are observing the tails and body position of other dogs. This helps them avoid unnecessary conflicts.”

Dogs also wag their tails to spread their natural scent from their anal glands. Each dog has a scent that’s unique to him or her. An “alpha” or dominant dog that carries his tail high will release more of his scent than a dog that carries his tail lower. Often, when we see a dog holding his tail between his legs, he’s frightened and doesn’t want to release his scent. This is his way of flying under the radar.

Since tails are essential to communication, pooches without tails typically approach other dogs with caution so there’s no miscommunication or fights between the two animals. A playful pup might not be able to interpret cues from the tail-less dog, so he doesn’t back down, causing the tail-less pooch to resort to biting or other acts of aggression if he feels threatened.

Bark About News……

Bark Busters Newsletter  December 2012

Consider the GIFT of TRAINING for the DOG OWNERS on Your List! Contact us for Gift Certificate details – perfect for holiday giving! Bella Northville, MI Bella is sweet and full of life! She is an energetic lab who enjoys doggy daycare and a good game of fetch. She is working on walking nicely on a leash and other good doggy manners.  Bella is very sweet and silly. She has lived with kids and cats and gets along with other dogs as she has already attended doggy daycare. House-trained and working on crate-training. CLICK HERE to search Adopt-A-Pet.com by location, breed, age and more! Quick Links Visit Our Website See Our Bio Lifetime Support Visit Our Media Den Read Our Quarterly Tips ‘n’ Tails Newsletter Follow Bark Busters Online! Subscribe to our RSS feed today for the latest Bark Busters news. It’s FREE! Check out the Speak Dog Blog for dog training advice and expert commentary. Get Social Client Testimonials MARIL IS VERY PATIENT with me and EASY TO WORK WITH. Verbal commands / praise is easier to work with than “clicker” or “treat” training. My puppy could sit on command at the end of our first lesson. It is so convenient to schedule in-home training and I am glad to have training support as issues arise. – Paula L., Novi MI Maril verbally and physically explained the techniques which made it easier to understand.  Mylo is extremely stubborn, but you could see that he was walking on the leash better buy the end of our session.  The techniques are friendly and easy to understand.  They are very simple, but I had never thought to do them. I LOVE THE TECHNIQUES since it is all about body language, sounds and leadership.  I don’t want anyone hurting their dogs.  It was an enjoyable experience and so much more relaxing because it is done in the comfort of your own home – which is also easier for your dog. – – Colleen Lachat, Northville Very easy to understand and to follow through with.  Mia hasn’t tried to bite my hands since Maril left. WISH I HAD CALLED BARK BUSTERS SOONER. I learned many things I never knew about dogs.  I would Absolutely recommend Bark Busters to anyone with a puppy.  People need to know the way their dogs communicate.  – – Stephanie Good, Wixom More Testimonials G’day, ! Happy Holidays! We hope your holiday season is filled with all that’s good – food, friends, family and fun! And that goes for your tail-waggers too! Any time of year, good manners are essential social skills. In this issue, we offer tips for appropriate dog etiquette that ensure your dog is viewed as well-behaved and amiable to everyone he meets. While humans may enjoy the busy holiday season, it can be a strange and stressful time for your dog. Routines change, visitors appear at the door, and there’s a TREE in the living room! Below you can read tips to help you manage your dog’s holiday stress. If you’re giving your dog toys this holiday to keep him busy and happy, contact me to help you select just the right puzzle toy! to forward this newsletter to all your dog loving friends! Maril & Bob Zbik Behavioral Therapist and Certified Master Trainer 248-752-7782(Bob) / 248-219-3781(Maril) greaterdetroit@barkbusters.com PROPER DOG ETIQUETTE IS WELCOME AT ANY TIME OF YEAR Holiday time brings guests to the house, delicious foods on the table, and delivery people on the sidewalk. If your dog regards these scenarios as exciting, he may display unwanted behaviors in response, such as jumping up on visitors, stealing food, and barking uncontrollably at passersby. None of these behaviors are welcome during the busy holiday season, nor at any other time of year. CLICK HERE to read tips for appropriate dog etiquette both inside and outside the home! PUT PUZZLE TOYS AT THE TOP OF YOUR DOG’S WISH LIST! Help your dog stay busy and out of the holiday trimmings by giving him a variety of fun – and safe – toys designed just for canines. The Buster Cube™ and Kong™ are virtually indestructible puzzle toys that reward your dog with treats and keep him well entertained. Contact me for details! TIPS TO MANAGE YOUR DOG’S HOLIDAY-TIME STRESS While we humans enjoy the cheerful hustle-bustle of the holiday season, the family dog may find it to be a confusing and stressful time. Some dogs enjoy a change of pace in the household, but others may be upset by new activities. Your normally laid-back dog may suddenly begin to display unusual behaviors, like jumping up on people, stealing food, or even growling and snapping at visitors.   As your dog’s leader, you need to communicate and demonstrate to him that, while his world may be different, you will continue to keep him safe and secure. When an insecure dog (of any size or breed) encounters a new situation, he doesn’t know what to do. If he feels threatened, his instinct may tell him to react defensively with a snap or bite. On the other hand, a well-socialized dog is more comfortable with new situations, including meeting and being with others – both dogs and people. Following are some tips to help calm your dog and keep everyone in your home safe during the active holiday season. Boundaries and Security Dogs need to have their own place where they feel secure and calm. If your dog doesn’t already have a peaceful space of his own, create one for him. A crate or pet carrier provides a natural safe haven for your dog. Keep his crate or dog bed in a quiet area of your home, and direct him to go there when you need to set boundaries. While he may not like being separated from you, he will still feel secure. If your dog begins to bark or nip at visitors, lead him to his safe place until your guests have gone. Keep your dog out of certain rooms where he can get underfoot. For example, training your dog to stay out of the kitchen-where most household accidents occur-is a good safety measure. It also helps prevent your dog from begging for food. Use a baby gate or other barrier to keep your dog in a room or area of the house where he can be safely contained yet not feel cut off entirely from the activity. If you travel during the holidays, take your dog’s crate/carrier and/or his bedding to help him feel more relaxed, since “home” is wherever he finds you and his familiar bed. Front Door Behaviors A knock on the door can be a stimulating event for a dog, whether he sees it as fun or alarming. It is natural for your dog to want to know who the visitors are to determine if they are “friend or foe.” However, a dog that explodes with excitement at the sound of the doorbell is both annoying and unsafe. The dog may dash out the door and run into harm’s way; he may get underfoot and become a trip hazard; he may knock people over; or he may become aggressive to the visitor. To help your dog be calmer, exercise him prior to the arrival of guests. After 30 minutes of walking or playing, your dog will more likely be relaxed or want to nap. As a general rule, don’t allow your dog to greet unfamiliar guests, since commotion and unusual situations can cause stress for dogs. Maintain better control of your dog by putting him on a leash before guests arrive. Teach your dog to sit and stay on command. When the doorbell rings, put him in a sit-stay and do not open the door until he calms down. If you know your dog gets overly excited with arriving visitors, remove him from the scene ahead of time. Place him in his crate in a quiet room, and then let him join the party later. Children Visitors Dogs that live in a household with no children may not be comfortable when kids come to visit. The chaos created by youngsters like grandchildren will inherently raise the energy level in the house, causing the dog to worry or stress. Here are some ways to control such situations if your dog does not cope well with children. Always supervise kids (especially very young children) and dogs when they are together. Most dog bites to children occur when kids and dogs are left alone together. Parents of very young children must be vigilant and monitor their toddler’s interactions with the dog. Parents should teach children of all ages to treat dogs with respect and gentleness. Never invite a child to feed a dog by hand-this teaches the dog it is acceptable to take any food from a child. Because of a tot’s small size, the dog may view her as an equal and thus may try to take advantage of the situation. Elderly Dogs Senior-aged dogs may not enjoy the extra hubbub of the holiday season. Be mindful of keeping your older dog comfortable when his routine is disrupted. If your elderly dog gets cranky around visitors, simply take him to his quiet place where he won’t be bothered and can feel secure. Remind children to be considerate of your older dog. Always provide supervision when dogs and kids are together. By anticipating how your dog may react to new activities and visitors, you can help ensure that everyone-both two- and four-legged-enjoys a fun and safe holiday season. To read tips to help your dog stay safe during the holidays, CLICK HERE.    DECEMBER 2012   Q. My dog Gia is a long hair dachshund. Every year around July or August she suffers from alopecia on her mid-back to the base of her tail. My vet said it’s common in doxies and has me give her melatonin. By the winter it does come back, but it hasn’t on her chest. She has been tested for Cushing’s disease. She also has what the vet calls a rat tail. It is almost bald and doesn’t grow back. Do you have any recommendations or solutions for the tail or alopecia? — June D., West Chester PA A. Gia may have two different conditions. First, dachshunds have a breed predilection for canine pattern baldness, most commonly on the chest, ears and head. Melatonin is sometimes prescribed, but is only effective when used within the first 3 months of treatment. The hair loss on Gia’s backend, however, is not usually  associated with pattern baldness and so could be due to a second condition, especially since the hair re-grows during the winter months. Hair loss on the hind end is most frequently caused by parasites, mainly fleas. If an animal is flea allergic, it only takes one flea and one bite to cause itchiness and hair loss in this exact region. The timing for the hair loss could equate to flea season in your area. Another common condition Gia might have is hypothyroidism, characterized by her “rat tail,” a common sign of this condition. Therefore, I recommend you ask your veterinarian to perform a thyroid test and discuss treating Gia for fleas in the summer. If neither condition is diagnosed, then allergy testing would be the next step. — Dr. Janis Fullenwider Tuscawilla Oaks Animal Hospital, Oviedo FL Do YOU have a health-related question for the highly qualified doctors on the Bark Busters VAC? Email it to AskAVet@BarkBusters.com, along with your name, your dog’s name, your city/state, and, if you wish, your dog’s photo! One question will be selected and featured in the BarkAbout e-Newsletter and on BarkBusters.com each month.

Featured Partners Kurgo‘s mission is to help dogs and their owners get out and enjoy the big wide world together. Each of Kurgo’s pet travel products are designed to be easy to use and last for years. Like Kurgo, Bark Busters is committed to dog-owner education, including recommending high-quality dog travel safety products, which is why Bark Busters has awarded Kurgo’s products its prestigious Seal of Approval. Zuke’s was founded in 1995 on the realization that pets need healthy, all-natural treats, just as much as people do. Named after founder Patrick Meiering’s loving chocolate Lab, the company is dedicated to creating tasty, healthy treats and chews that meet the unique nutritional needs of dogs & cats to keep them performing at their best. X KONG® offers a great solution to satisfy that chewing temperament. KONG toys are widely used for therapy and to prevent boredom, separation anxiety and other behavioral issues.

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Beware Of The Watch Dog….

My sleeping little angle

This evening, Lucky was sleeping on the couch. He was all curled up and snoring away when he must have heard a noise outside. He lifted his head to listen for a moment and then began barking. He was in such a hurry to get from the couch to the window to bark at the noise he heard and scare away any unwanted company, that he actually fell off the couch onto the floor. That did not stop my little watch dog though, didn’t even slow him down in the least! In a flash he was on his feet and barking out the window at the noise that woke him up. What a funny, but effective watch dog I have. He makes me feel safe, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but to laugh! Thanks for making me smile!

All I Want For Christmas Is A New Bone…..

My friend Gina and I took our pups to see Santa this past Sunday….. Lucky was so excited to get his photo taken with Santa and his Friend serenity! Usually the four of walk in the park on Sunday’s, but it was raining this Sunday so we surprised them with a fun day indoors instead!

Lucky Went to see Santa to tell him he wanted a new bone for Christmas….. He has been a good boy all year long…. I think there will be a bone wrapped in pretty paper in his stocking come Christmas morning…

The Best Thing To Do On A Cold Night…

My little Lucky Monkey has the right idea on this cold evening in November….

Lux is so cozy and ready to fall asleep. He is loving his new bed especially now that the weather is getting colder. Of course he has three throw blankets in there with him. I love spoiling our babies. His new bed is on top of Zeus’ bed because Lucky was missing his big brother so much that he was still laying where Zeus used to lay. Now he can have the best of both worlds. He can be close to his brother by laying in Zeus’ spot, but he can be warm and cozy by laying in his new bed…. I think he likes this idea!

Words For Thought….

It came to me that every time I lose a dog

they take a piece of my heart with them,

and every new dog who comes into my life

gifts me with a peice of their heart.

If I live long enough, all the components of my heart

will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving

as they are….

Anonymous

The Last Update To Our Fundraising Website…

In Loving Memory Of Zeus Crowley

We are going to make a difference in many ways, thanks to all of you who have supported our Fundraiser! I am sending an update to everyone to let you know that the funds from the fundraiser are in and where and how they have been distributed. Our total funds raised were $2818.00! I am amazed that we reached this amount and my heart is warmed by the love for animals that so many wonderful people have shown! I would like to thank you again for all of the help we received in our Quest to help our boy Zeus. Even though his battle has come to an end, we can still make a difference in one or more animal’s lives and we will be doing so in memory of Zeus!

I have contacted the person who paid for the testing Zeus had done at the beginning of September and let her know that Zeus lost his battle with his rare genetic disorder. She was sad to hear of his passing and was sorry that nothing more could have been done for him. I asked her if she would allow us to reimburse her some or all of the cost for the tests that she covered ($800.00), she said she wouldn’t hear of it and wanted it to be donated along with whatever was left over after all of Zeus’ medical bills were taken care of. Again, I was amazed at the generosity so many of you have shown for our cause!

Before I go into detail about how and where our funds were distributed, I would like to tell you a short story about a dog named Buddy. Zeus met Buddy when he was only 7 weeks old and they were fast friends. Because Buddy was a small dog and Zeus was an 11 pound puppy, they were a good match when they first met and were about the same size. Buddy was 7 years old when he met Zeus and was not too sure what to think of the bear cub looking puppy we were calling Zeus. Buddy was a good sport though and didn’t get too mad at Zeus for chewing on him and wanting to play with him. I remember dropping Zeus’ leash and laughing when Buddy picked up the end I was holding and proceeded to lead Zeus on a walk around his yard, it seemed like Buddy was showing Zeus the ropes and his home. Zeus happily followed Buddy around paying special attention to where all the good peeing spots where that Buddy was showing him. This was the day that would start a good friendship between two great dogs. From this day on, Zeus and Buddy would be good friends. Buddy would come to Zeus’ birthday parties to share in the celebration and Zeus would join us at Buddy’s house for Fourth of July BBQ’s. They always had a great time and enjoyed each other’s company.

Buddy’s mom heard the news about how Zeus’ condition had worsened and called me right away. She said she was so sorry and wanted to know if we would like her to meet us at Healthy Paws when we put him to sleep. She wanted to be there for us in our time of need and sorrow to support us in any way she could, even if all she could do was to help us emotionally. I told her that Craig and I would rather it just be us, but thanked her for her kindness. She then started telling me that Buddy wasn’t doing so well either. She had taken him in to Healthy Paws the week before and they had run tests on Buddy and found he was having trouble with his kidneys. She said they really didn’t have the money for the medication and further testing that he needed. She wasn’t sure how she was going to pay for the care he needed. She was pretty upset and I remember the sinking feeling in my heart when we found out Zeus had this rare genetic disorder and the doctors told me the cost of everything he needed. I knew this was how Buddy’s mom was feeling at that exact moment. It is a feeling of helplessness and sadness, wanting to help someone you love and not having the resources to do so. I knew we would have funds left after Zeus’ medical bills were paid since we were soon saying our last goodbyes to him. I also knew these funds were to help another animal in need if they couldn’t be used to help Zeus. Who better to help than Buddy, a good friend of Zeus’? I know Zeus would have wanted us to help his friend just as Buddy’s mom helped us with our fundraising efforts and our event at Putting Edge. Since I hadn’t closed the fundraiser out yet at that time and hadn’t crunched the numbers yet, I told her we could help her with $500.00 of Buddy’s vet bills out of the fund raiser money once we received the funds. She was so grateful for our help she started sobbing as she thanked me. Even though she was crying, I could hear the relief in her voice. I am glad I could help relieve some of the stress and anguish she was feeling. I was amazed at the compassion she showed by offering to be there for us during our heartbreaking moment of letting Zeus go, when Buddy was so sick and she was trying to help him. She was willing to put her needs and loved ones aside to help us through our difficult time. She understood that we wanted to be alone with Zeus and I told her that our appointment to say goodbye to him would be at 5pm that day. She told me if we changed our mind to call her and she would meet us at Healthy Paws, she also told me to give Zeus a kiss for her and to tell him that Buddy said goodbye. Further testing was done on Buddy and he was put on medication. Unfortunately, these medications did not work because Buddy had stopped eating and he went into kidney failure. Out of love, Buddy’s mom took him to Healthy Paws three days after Zeus passed away to end Buddy’s suffering. Zeus would have wanted us to help Buddy in any way we could and I feel we did that. Even though Buddy did not make it, he was worth the try just like Zeus was. We did help Buddy by not letting him suffer and freeing him from the pain he was in. We also helped Buddy’s family to have peace of mind that they did everything they could for their loyal companion. I would like to believe Zeus was waiting for Buddy at the rainbow bridge when he arrived and now Zeus is showing Buddy the ropes and the best places to play and roll in the grass. They were good friends in life and are still good friends in death. They can both rest in peace together now.

Here is a detailed list of the funds, it includes how and where they were distributed.

• Total fundraiser earnings: $2,818.00
• The cost of using the Giveforward website was 7% of the total amount raised.
• After this website cost our funds amounted to $2,631.24
• We helped Buddy and his family with $500.00
• Cahill’s vet bill for Zeus in the amount of $671.00 was paid
• Healthy Paws vet bill for Zeus in the amount of $395.00 was paid
• A donation was made to Dr. Steven Mantay at Healthy Paws in the amount of $885.00
• $180.24 is set aside for a special urn for Zeus who was a special boy.

(Craig and I will be choosing one this weekend)

I picked up Zeus’ remains when I stopped at Healthy Paws to pay his vet bill and drop off the donation.  Zeus will always remain in our hearts and be remembered for the joy and love he brought to our family and home. His final resting place will be here with his family where he belongs.

Again I would like to thank each of you for the help, compassion, support, and kindness that you showed in our efforts to save Zeus. Zeus would not have been with us as long as he was if it hadn’t been for each one of you. Your support gave our family hope and showed us that anything is possible if you reach out to people. I am glad we did not give up when it looked like we were at a dead end, it gave us piece of mind that we were able to do everything we could to help Zeus. No stone was left unturned and there is no doubt in my mind that he was loved by many. Not only did each of you help Zeus, but together we helped Buddy and we are going to help others who are in need of medical attention. I know Dr. Steven Mantay will make sure our donation is put to good use; he is a great doctor and dose extensive work with rescue organizations along with rescuing many animals himself.

I have learned a few valuable lessons in the process all of this. The first and most important is to never take the ones you love for granted, cherish each moment you have with them because they can be taken from you at any moment. We raised enough to cover any medical expenses Zeus needed, but fate had a different plan in mind and all the money in the world wouldn’t have changed that. I am glad I cherished all of our moments we had together while he was here because now I have many memories to take out and replay when I am missing him. Another lesson learned is that even when things look impossible; don’t give up because if it is something you really want and believe in, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything and if you keep trying you will find a way. I never would have dreamed that we would have been able to raise enough to help Zeus. I had no idea what I was going to do and how I was going to come up with the funds needed for his care. I made the decision to put 100% of my effort into helping my favorite dog and I believe I accomplished what I set out to do! Because of my efforts, I reached out to all of you and many others who helped give Zeus 6 months of life that he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Never underestimate the power of determination and never underestimate the power of giving. What a great feeling it is, helping someone who needs it. To know that by giving just a little we can take away someone’s pain and anguish, giving them peace of mind, is a great feeling. We need to keep providing these acts of kindness to make our world a better place. Thank you for helping us and we can now pass your help along to help others who need it.

Thank you from the bottom of or hearts!

P.S. If you scroll down, you will find the letter that I wrote to Dr. Steven Mantay enclosed with the donation that I dropped off at Healthy Paws vet, I thought you might like to read it. Dr. Mantay was also with Craig and I when Zeus left us on October 12, 2012. I am glad Dr. Steve was the one to bring Zeus’ pain and suffering to an end because Zeus loved him dearly and trusted in him so much.

October 27, 2012

Dear Dr. Steve, Dr. Mike, and staff,

    Zeus’s life came to an end on October 12, 2012; it was a sad day for us and one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make. Zeus was a big part of our family and was loved dearly; he brought so much joy and love to us and our home over the last six and a half years! He was gentle, loyal, loving, and dedicated to his family. As you all know, he loved everyone who treated him with respect and love. He will always hold a special place in our hearts that no other could ever fill; my only hope is that he knew how much he was loved and how hard we fought to help him battle this disease. Although we did everything we could to help fight the terrible disease he had, fate could not be swayed.

    Craig and I would like to thank each and every one of you for the wonderful care you gave to our sweet boy. Zeus loved visiting your office and didn’t care what you had to do to him when he was there, he had a special bond with each of you and loved it when he got to see you and get attention from you. He would get so excited whenever he had an appointment and would wait at our front door for a half an hour before we had to leave the house. This tells me you treated him well and kindly even when my husband or I were not present. It really means a lot to know he was in such good hands and that he was taken care of so well when he was at your office and under your care. Complete trust is a hard thing to earn and when it came to Zeus, we trusted you 100% in everything you did for him, from your care, to your medical decisions, the advice you gave, and the recommendations you made. You always had his best interest in mind and you truly cared about his wellbeing. These things meant the world to us over the last few years and made losing him a little less difficult. Because of the trust we have in you and your medical knowledge, along with the good advice you have given us, we have no doubts and know that we made the right decision of letting him go. We didn’t want Zeus to suffer and we know you felt the same way because you have always had his best interest in mind.

    We would also like to thank you for all you have done for us; you have worked with us when our finances were tight and made sure that the health of Zeus and Lucky always came first. They never had to go without medical care because of financial reasons and I can’t begin to tell you what that has meant to us. I can tell you though that you chose your profession for the right reasons and that you are making a big difference in the lives of many people and animals, you sure made a difference in ours and in Zeus’ life. Because of your love for animals, your knowledge, and your excellent treatment, I recommend your office to everyone I know and I will continue to do so. You have shown professionalism, compassion, kindness, understanding, and love in more ways than you know over the last few years. I don’t know what we would have done without you and I don’t think Zeus would have been with us as long as he was if each of you had not been a part of his life.

    As you know, I started a fundraiser for Zeus when we found out he had this rare genetic disorder and needed extensive veterinary care. I am proud to say that we have raised $2,632.00! Unfortunately, no amount of money would have been able to help Zeus and give him a long, healthy, pain free life. We do have vet bills of his to take care of out of these funds, but we will have $885.00 left over. I am enclosing a check in the amount of $885.00 and would like it to be used for another animal that is in need of medical care. I would like to think that since we couldn’t save our wonderful boy Zeus, maybe we can help to save another in need of assistance, in memory of Zeus. We know you will put these funds to good use and help someone who really needs it.

    We are still missing Zeus terribly and our home feels quite empty and quiet. Lucky is also missing him and still looks for him from time to time. Eventually we will add another dog to our family, but for now, we still have heavy hearts and are feeling the heavy loss that has come with saying goodbye to Zeus. I will still be bringing Lucky in for all of his medical needs in the future, although we may not see you as often because he is much healthier than Zeus was. Lucky will also be visiting your facility for daycare, I think it will do him good to get out of the house and be around other dogs. I do look forward to a long future of great care with you for all of our pets! Thank you for being such wonderful doctors and giving the best care to your patients!

     Thank you for your compassion and kindness,

                       Melissa and Craig

P.s. I have enclosed a poem that I have written about Zeus, I thought you might like to read it. I am also enclosing a photograph of Zeus for you that was taken about a month before he passed away. He looks so happy in this photo and this is how I will always remember him to be.

Paw Prints on My Heart

You left paw prints on my heart

My gentle, loyal friend, right from the start

Your life so short and time going by so fast

I have never loved a dog like I have you in the past

You will hold a special place in my heart forever and always

I did my best to make the time you had left, your best days

You have made me smile, you have made me laugh

At the thought of losing you, my heart breaks in half

You have made me proud and my love for you will forever be

Thank you for being so loyal and loving me

Your brown eyes were so sweet and true,

I hope you know how much I love you

I have done everything I could to keep you here with me

But the time for goodbye has finally come; I have to set you free

I can’t make you suffer, not a single day,

More than you know, I wish you could stay

Although, my heart is at ease knowing you will go with dignity

I couldn’t be selfish, just to keep you here with me…

I remember the day I brought you home

A tiny bundle of energy, just wanting to roam

You were so cute and wanted to play

What I wouldn’t give for us to play for one last day

I will forever miss your heavy head in my lap,

Now that you are gone, my heart will forever have an endless gap

The way your stub would wag, your whole back end seemed to sway

You always knew how to make me feel better and brighten my day

Your medical care was expensive

The tests you needed were extensive

But don’t you worry my dear, sweet friend

You were worth it, even in the end

Some say you were just a dog, but to me, you were so much more

You have touched my soul at its very core

Without you here I feel so alone

Even though we tried our best, your soul has flown

To a place far, far, away

For you and I to meet again some day

I tried to help you fight this terrible disease

So you could receive treatments and from your pain, you could be freed

I wanted you to have many more happy days

So you could be a dog and run and play

But, fate has a mind of its own and has taken you away

I felt my heart breaking and could not find the words to say

How much you meant to us in so many ways,

What I would give for just one more single day

As we said our goodbyes, I was reduced to tears

I thank you for the wonderful memories over the last six years

We told you we loved you and what a good boy you were

I kissed your head and buried my face in your fur

You kissed our faces to show your love,

I know your loving eyes will watch over us from above

As you took your last breath, my hand over your chest

I felt your last heartbeat, something I will never forget

I have done everything I could, for you, I had to try

When I think about you, I can’t help but to cry

I miss you so much, more than you could ever know,

But I am so grateful I had the chance to watch you grow

I love you now, and loved you through the end

Thank you for being such a special friend

You left paw prints on my heart

I will hold them close now that we have had to part

Thank you for all the joy you have given me

You have been a wonderful dog and always will be

I am glad you are at peace and finally free

bY: Melissa

Every Once In A While……

Saw this on Pintrest and wanted to share!

Hanging In There…..

Lucky and I relaxing in the grass.

Although our family misses Zeus terribly, we are hanging in there….. Our house seems empty and quiet, but we are trying to keep busy and continue on like we know we have to. Lucky has also been missing Zeus a lot too. He looks for Zeus every time he goes outside and doesn’t want to go out without him. He also is not wanting to eat without Zeus eating too. He has been laying in Zeus’ bed all curled up and looking sad too. It will take time for him to get through this loss just like it will us. We have been doing things for Lucky to try to make this easier for him and in the process help ourselves too. I took Lucky to Pet Smart last Sunday to pick out a new toy and boy was he excited! he got some treats and we saw Laura there, she used to do Zeus’ nails and she knows Lucky too. Laura Showered Lucky with attention and love and he gave it right back to her. While we were at Pet Smart, I also fitted Lucky for a seat belt and tested it out on the way home. It worked great and he didn’t mind it at all. If you have a dog, I reccomend getting a seatbelt for them to keep them and yourself safe while driving!

Later that evening, Lucky was nice enough to accompany me through the drive through at KFC to pick up my dinner even though I wouldn’t let him have any. The next morning, Craig and I took Lucky to Chaps Feed to get cat food and Lucky got to pick out a new bone. Of course everyone there had to give him treats. I think he ate about five of them.

Monday, Craig and I went to Meijer to get groceries and we saw a nice bed on sale for $23.99 that was perfect for Lucky. We decided to pick it up for our little guy and see what he thought about it when we got home. At night, Lucky used to sleep with Zeus in Zeus’ bed in the living room. The first few nights I slept on the couch to be close to Lucky and to Zeus’ memory. I didn’t want Lucky to feel all alone sleeping by himself in the livingroom without Zeus, so we put his new bed in our bedroom next to my side of the bed. We weren’t sure he would sleep there, but were surprised because he slept in it all night! I would allow him to sleep in bed with us, but our bed is really high from the floor and Lucky likes to chase our kitties. I am afraid he will take a flying leap off the bed running after one of the cats onto the hard wood floors and hurting himself. I never could get Zeus on the bed because of how high it is, he would never do it. Lucky doesn’t mind being up there, I just worry about him jumping off. Anyone have any ideas on this? I would love to hear them and maybe come up with a solution so he can snuggle with me at night. Until then he is happy and cozy in his new bed next to me at night.

Lucky and I have also resumed our daily walks, he seems happy about this and I think getting him out of the house and into the fresh air is doing us both a lot of good. For the last 4-6 weeks, we haven’t been able to walk much because Zeus wasn’t up to it. I couldn’t take Lucky and not Zeus. I think getting back into the walking habit is good for both of us and I swear every once in a while I feel like Zeus is right there walking with us…..

From Our Family To Yours…..

Thank you for all of your kind words and condolences….. Friday was such a heart breaking day for us and Zeus will be missed terribly! He was loved so much and will NEVER be forgotten. I hope someday he and I will meet again in a far better place. Thank you all for following my blog and for your help in our quest to save him. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, fate has a different plan that just cannot be swayed. I will be continuing my blog in the future and will be writing when I have time to do so (between work and school, I have been quite busy). I will be writing stories about lucky, dog tips, anything that has to do with dogs, and of course about my memories of Zeus. I will be changing the name of my blog also but I haven’t come up with a name yet and want something unique, so I will have to think on it a bit. I hope you will continue to follow and enjoy my writings. Thank you again!
Melissa

R.I.P OUR SWEET BOY, PLEASE KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE YOU…

You will live forever in our hearts and memories…..Today…Today we had to say our last goodbye

We shared our last touch; I told you I loved you so much

I’m sorry, but when you passed, I couldn’t help but to cry

Your life so short, I can’t help but to ask why

You have touched my heart in so many ways

You made me smile, you made me laugh

I will treasure all of those wonderful days

I helped you as much as I could, I did my very best

I hope you are in a better place

You fought so much, now it’s time for you to rest

In a place where you can be free

You can run and play now my sweet boy

I only hope you will remember me

I will miss your warm brown eyes, your head in my lap

I will miss everything about you,

Especially the way you made me laugh

I hope someday we will meet again

I can’t bring myself to think

That today really marks the end

No other will ever take your place

I couldn’t have asked for a better dog

I will always remember your sweet face

Know that I love you, today and always

I will never forget you

And all of your wonderful sweet ways

Today I am sad, but you are free

No more pain, no more bad days

In peace, is where I want you to be

Know I love you and know I miss you

Know I did everything I could to help you get better

But most of all please know I will never forget you,

I will love you forever and ever

R.I.P Zeus. October 12, 2012

   Today we are sorry to say that Zeus is no longer with us. He had ex-rays done today on his abdomen and the news was not good. He had fluid around his heart, fluid starting in his lungs, and enlarged lymph nodes. He has not been feeling well for the past two weeks and he had been sleeping a lot. I could see in his eyes these past few days that his fight was gone. I think he was ready to go. He was a wonderful, loving, kind, loyal dog and I couldn’t ask for more than he gave. He touched many people with his gentle ways and will be greatly missed. He will live forever in our hearts and memories.

  I will be closing out the Saving Zeus fundraiser this weekend, we have raised $2,708. I will be paying the remaining balance of $757 at Cahill vet in Flat Rock with it along with the cost of his last visit to healthy paws today. Also, I will be calling the person who paid the $800 for his tests to see if she will let me reimburse her because it is such a large amount. Anything that is left after that, will be donated to help another dog in need, I think it is what Zeus would want.

 

Quick Update…

Just a quick update on Zeus…. I took him to Healthy Paws to see Dr. Mantay because he has been showing more side effects from the predisone in the last ten days due to the higher dose. These side effects include a distended belly, muscle wasting, and he has had No energy at all. I wanted to be sure these things were not serrious or life threatning and they are not according to Dr. Mantay. His Dr. from Flatrock, Dr. Grear called with bloodwork results while Dr. Mantay was examiining Zeus, which was great because they discussed his side effects and test results along with medications. I feel much better now that I had him checked out. The latest bloodwork showed that the immune disease is not what is causing his thyroid to be low, which is good and means he may not have to be on thyroid medication for the rest of his life. It will have to be monitored, but eventually may improve enough to take him off the thyroid medication at some point in the future. Dr. Mantay sent me home with one thyroid medication today after talking with the other Dr. and we started Zeus on it this evening. The other thyroid medication has to be ordered. Also, Dr. Grear (the one in Flatrock) is cutting his prednisone dose to 40mg. once daily instead of twice daily. She is also ordering an immune depressant drug to start him on in the next two weeks and the plan is to get him off of the prednisone completely and use this other drug instead. This other drug (I will let you know the name of it when I get it) has less side effects and is safer than the prednisone. As far as I underdstand, the test results have shown no other issues other than the immune disease attacking his joints, which is why she is able to change his medications. All of the tests had to be run to make sure there wasn’t anything else going on. If there was another issue, certian medications could have been really harmful to him, so she had to make sure before putting him on medication other than the presnisone. We have an appointment with Dr. Grear in Flatrock on Saturday, October 20 at noon, so I should get more information then along with his other medications. Dr. Mantay did say today that if we start the Thyroid medication that he gave us today, this evening and start the lower dose of prednisone in the morning tomorrow, that Zeus should perk up within the next week or so and have more energy. That’s all the info I have for now, I will update all of you again after our appointment on the 20th. If you have any questions or advice, please feel free to e-mail me at:

http://www.melissacrowley66@att.net

Thank you for your support,

Melissa

Friendship…

This is the kind of friendship our dogs share wtith us!

Our Family…..

Here are our family photos that a good friend of ours took for us. It was really hard to choose my favorites. She took about 500 pictures, so trying to choose about 50 to post was not easy. We hope you like them as much as we do! Sorry it has taken me so long to post these, I have been so busy with vet appointments, work, school, and homework. I feel like I have been neglecting my blog, but no matter how hard I work to get things done for a little extra free time, something seems to always come up and I just don’t have the time to make a post.

Our handsome boy Zeus…. He is the love of my life!

Zeus looking cute.

When ever I talk to Zeus he tilts his head like he is really trying to figure out what I am saying…. He has done this since he was a puppy, it is so cute and something I love about him.

I have tried saying off the wall stuff to see if he was tilting his head like this because of key words that he knows, but realized that he tilts his head no matter what I say. I have even spelled mississippi to him and he looks at me like this, tilting his head like I am saying something super important and he is really trying to figure it out.

I love talking to Zeus because he listens to what I have to say and looks so cute while he is doing it.

Did you say treat?

What are you talking about mom? It must be something good that I would love if you are telling me about it!

Six years old and Zeus still has a puppy face….

I love this photo of Zeus. He is such a beautiful dog!

Zeus is a such a lucky boy…… So many people love and adore him!

Our little Lucky Monkey….. He is a mixed breed and we don’t know what he is mixed with, but we think he is a beautiful dog. I love his brindle coat and his happy go lucky spirit!

This is one of my favorite photos of Lucky and I love that you can read his name tag too. Our friend Gina did a wonderful job taking photos of him, he is full of energy and it is not easy to get him to sit still.

Lucky wearing his quarter bark jersey…. Super cute!

Me walking my boy….

Zeus is really good when I take him for walks.

Because of Zeus’ auto immune disease, he can only handle short walks and some days he is limping too much to walk at all. I hope once we get him on the proper medication and treatments, he will be able to enjoy more walks and longer ones too.

My husband Craig and his boy Zeus.

Me and my wonderful boy Zeus!

My boy Zeus and I…. I wouldn’t trade him for the world!

All of the medical issues he has, and he is still a happy boy…. He is full of love for everyone!

All of the time and money we have spent due to his medical issues, every minute and penny have been worth it every bit….. We would do it all over again for him if we had to!

We are so greatful to all the amazing people who have helped us and are continuing to help us raise funds to help our wonderful boy….. Without the help we have been so blessed with, I don’t know if Zeus would have been here to have these photos taken….. Thank you for your help!

Zeus loves getting his picture taken…. Any time the camera comes out, I swear he puts a huge smile on his face!

Such a happy boy!

Beware!!!! The most dangerous part of Zeus’ body is his tounge….. He loves to give big, strong kisses….. You may actually drown in slobber!

I love Zeus’ kisses so much! On kiss makes everything worth it!

My husband Craig, Zeus, and I…

I love snuggling with Zeus and hugging him because there is so much of him to hug!

Craig and I showering Zeus with attention….. Zeus loves it when we do that!

Taking Lucky for a walk…. His favorite thing in the whole world!

Lucky is really good on his walks and he could walk forever! I swear this boy never gets tired!

I wish I could walk both of our boys together, but they are crazy when they are together on a walk…. I can’t handle both of them at the same time, so I walk them individually.

Walking my boys takes a good hour and a half….. One hour to walk to walk Lucky and half an hour to walk Zeus….

Happy, happy boy!

I love going for walks with Lucky and seeing him so happy! That makes me happy too!

Me and my Lucky Monkey!

Getting Lucky to sit still for these photos was not easy… He loves to snuggle, but not until he is super tired…..

Such a happy boy and full of energy!

Lucky is so funny and brings so much joy to our family! I couldn’t imagine life without them….. How boring that would be!

Lucky and I relaxing in the grass.

Our photos turned out great! I love them and am planning to get some framed to hang in the house.

Craig with his little man….

Happy boys!

Smile pretty!

Lucky looks sooooo happy in this photo!

I love this close up photo of Craig and Lucky!

We have the best dogs!

Craig, Lucky, and I…

Our family….

Me with my three favorite boys!

Lucky loves Zeus so much, it is super cute. He loves snuggling and playing with Zeus. He also loves to follow him around and copy him.

Missi, Craig, Zeus, and Lucky…. The Crowley Family!

I couldn’t ask for a better famiy!

Hoping we can enjoy many more laughs and wonderful times together!

We hope you enjoyed these photos as much as we have, Thank you to all of you who are helping us save our boy Zeus! He wouldn’t be in these photos if it were not for all of you amazing, loving, caring people!

Love, Our Family

Test Results…

I spoke with Dr. Grear last evening reguarding Zeus’ test results. All of the results are in and they all confirm arthritis. The digital x-rays showed that his arthritis is moderate and they also showed joint lesions and joint degeneration. The joint taps suggest an auto immune desease, but are inconclusive because we cannot get him off of the prednisone for two full weeks (Without prednisone, he cannot walk after 3 days). Because he was off the prednisone for only 24 hours before the joint taps were done, the prednisone masked some of the results. Dr. Grear did say that his blood work was very telling though and there are a few things suggesting auto immune disease. She did not see any damaging sings from the prednisone in his blood work results. The biggest clue that his blood work showed is that his thyroid levels are really low, she said they are on the low side of low. His thyroid has pretty much bottomed out, which would explain whey he has not had much energy and has been sleeping a lot lately. Also, when the thyroid is this low, the body cannot matabolize medication properly, making the medication not as effective as it should be. Dr. Grear wants to run a more detailed blood panel for his thyroid and it should show the autoimmune component that is causing his thyroid to be so low. His appointment for this blood panel is this Saturday at noon. Once she gets these results back, she wants to start him on thyroid medication and re check it in 4-6 weeks. Zeus has been limping for about the last two weeks, even while being on the prednisone. Dr. Grear said that the 20mg a day that he is on, is not enough to supress his immune system and is a really low dose for his size. Before putting him on an immune depressent drug she wants to increase his prednisone to a dose that would fully supress his immune system to see if his lameness goes away completely. She wants to increase his dose to 80mg a day for one week. If the lameness competely goes away then she will be sure that it is the autoimmune disease that is causing all of his symptoms. After a week of the higher dose of prednisone, she will talk to me again and will most likely start him on an immune depressent drug and begin weaning him off the prednisone, hopefully for good. I will post any updates and info as soon as I get get it from the doctor. I will also keep you posted this week about how he is doing on the higher dose of the prednisone.

Tests Are Done!!!!!

My sweet boy!

Zeus had his tests done yesterday! The vet did digital x-rays of his limbs and spine and joint taps on 5 or six of his joints. The joints were tapped with a needle and joint fluid was extracted and sent to the lab, these joints have little patches where his hair was shaved so they could see the joints better while doing the procedure. He looks a little funny with little squares of no hair on his knees, elbows, and wrists! We droped him off in the morning and picked him up around 6pm. He was a little groggy, but was doing well and even ate his dinner around 8pm last night. Dr. Grear said the results should be back within 7 bussiness days and once she gets those, she can begin a treatment plan.

I had a wonderfully generous person contact me a few weeks ago wanting to cover all of Zeus’ medical expences. She did pay for all of the testing he had done yesterday. I don’t know yet how much of his treatments she wants to cover for us. (Treatments include medications and maybe even a stem cell implantation surgery costing $3000. The stem cell procedure lasts about 2-3 years). Once the test results come back, Zeus will be put on medication, if that fails, he will need the stem cell. I don’t know how long the medications will take to see if they are working or not and I don’t know if there are different medications we can try either yet. I am still raising funds for the stem cell until I know for sure that Zeus’ “guardian angel” wants to cover that too if he needs it. I will keep all of you posted and up to date with Zeus’ test results, treatments, and how he is doing.

I can’t believe we were finally able to have these tests done, a few short months ago, they seemed so out of reach…. Thanks to a very giving person, his test are done and we are waiting for the results. Thanks to all of you who have also helped in a big way by contributing, and sharing his fundraising information, we almost have enough for his stem cell surgery if he needs it and we have to use the funds we have raised! If this special person decides to pay for that if Zeus needs it, then the funds you have helped raise will go to help another animal, maybe even more than one who needs it!

Thank you all for your help and concern for our boy Zeus!

Family Photos…..

Our wonderful boys Zeus and Lucky

My little Lucky monkey!

My little Pookie

Little Lucky Monkey

Our sweet little Pookie

A good friend of ours came to our house yesterday to take family photos of my husband and I with our boys. Here are a few that she took with her phone in retro mode. I can’t wait to see the ones she took with her camera! I will post them when I get them, I am sure you will enjoy them!

As you can see by the captions of these photos, our boys have nicknames…… There are many names that they answer to! These nicknames in these captions are my favorite ones. There are many more and some are pretty silly. Do you have nicknames for your dogs? If so, please leave them in a comment, I would love to hear what they are!