Red Rover Red Rover Bring Fido Right Over!

Stores are increasingly deciding that in order to attract customers, they first have to attract their customers pets. From Nordstrom to the Body Shop, stores that sell non-pet related merchandise are looking for ways to make their establishments pet friendly. And now, Bay Area residents can search out and patronize fido-friendly stores.

Fido Factor is a relatively new website that provides listings of stores in the Bay Area where pets are welcome. On their site you can find listings for dog friendly stores, lodgings, parks, and much more. They also offer a variety of articles (authored by the ASPCA) on traveling safely with your pet.

Besides helping pet owners find new ways to stimulate the local economy, Fido Factor is helping to make a difference in the lives of pets in shelters. Every time someone adds a new fido-friendly location or writes a review of a place already listed on the site, Fido Factor will make a donation to the San Francisco ASPCA. So please, help spread the word. This is a simple way to help make a difference in the lives of pets in need.

The Reason For a Pet Care Back-Up Plan

I take full responsibility for the fact that my dog Jade (now 7) was not fully house-trained until he was over a year old. At the time that I got Jade, he was 10 weeks old and I was a graduate student at the University of Oregon. I lived in an apartment - and to get to the nearest patch of grass I had to take Jade down two flights of stairs and to the end of my block. At 3pm, when I would be coming home from a class, this was a piece of cake. At 2am, it was a different story. The LAST thing I wanted to do was get up, find sweatpants, Jade’s leash and attempt to stumble my way down the stairs and down the street - and then stand around for at least 20 minutes while Jade found exactly the right piece of grass. So let’s just say that I had to pay have my apartment carpets steam-cleaned before I moved out and leave it at that.

Almost two years ago, my husband and I moved into a house with a fenced in yard. When Jade wants out - we simply open the back door. We do actually have a dog door. It was one of the first official purchases we made when we bought the house. We put the dog door in the garage. And no I don’t mean we installed it in the garage - I mean we put the dog door, still in its package, in the garage. We called the number on the package for dog door installation help - $300. The dog door is still in its packaging in the garage.

Until today, it really hasn’t been a problem. During the day, Jade is either at work with me or at my parents. If we are going to be gone for any length of time we take him to my parents so he can go outside at will. Today, I woke up, swung my feet over the bed, stood up with the intent of letting Jade out, and collapsed back on the bed announcing to my husband that I had the flu and that “getting up” was not on today’s agenda. Fortunately, my husband had planned to spend the day at home anyway so he can let Jade out as needed. But I started thinking about what I would do if Tim wasn’t here. Fortunately, I am in the position that I can call my parents and ask them to take Jade for the day and/or night if needed. So my advice to you, have a friend, pet-sitter, or family member on call who can come to your rescue when your dog or cat is perfectly healthy, and you are the one who is sick.  And yes, we will be installing that dog door sooner rather than later.

Monster Hunting

Many dogs were bred to hunt “pests.” Terriers for example were bred primarily to hunt rats and mice in barns. Dachshunds were designed to be able to go down holes after rabbits, weasels and ferrets. Jade, my dog, was bred (or so he believes) to hunt dog treats in all shapes and forms. Shana, my parents’ Coton, was apparently bred to hunt monsters. Astonishingly, neither Shana nor any of us actually realized this fact until approximately a year ago when my dad taught Shana that this was her true calling.

Monster hunting originally started as a “cute routine.”  And honestly, it is cute - as long as I’m not the one who has to take her hunting. To completely understand how this works, you have to understand a little bit about the layout of my parents’ property. Along with the main house, my parents’ property has a second building that contains my dad’s study and workshop. There is a walkway that circles the house with wooden railings.  A large tree grows practically on top on this building, and a variety of fruit trees grow about 60 feet away. The large tree is home to a variety of birds and squirrels, and the fruit trees attract raccoons and the occasional skunk.

One night, Shana and my dad were coming down from the study when Shana caught a whiff of a skunk or squirrel and went berzerk. She alternated between attempting to climb the tree and attempting to convince my father to climb the tree and bring her the squirrel. So my father, not realizing he was tapping into some deep rooted instinct in the dog said something to the effect of “what is it Shana? What is it? Where’s the monster?” And Shana, realizing that someone had discovered her true purpose in life, went tearing off to answer that question - running back to my dad every few seconds to ensure that he was coming along. And a new routine was born.

Monster hunting involves starting on the right hand side of the building and saying to Shana “where are the monsters Shana? Where are they?” And Shana tears along the right hand side of the building (returning every 2 minutes to tug on your pant leg and ensure that you are coming - probably to protect her on the off chance she actually DOES encounter a monster) and sticks her head through the bars of the railing. At that point, you are required to say “Are there any monsters Shana? No? Okay - let’s keep looking!”

After that, Shana runs around the left hand side of the building, charges down a flight of stairs and runs around in  circles with her nose to the ground. You are now expected to say “Any monsters down there Shana? Where are the monsters? Go find the monsters!” 

If you do not move at a speed that Shana considers appropriate for monster hunting (and anything slower than a relatively fast jog is usually considered too slow), she attempts to bring you along by taking a mouthful of pant leg and trying to run off with it. This wouldn’t be so bad except every now and then she also grabs a mouthful of skin along with the pant leg.

Fortunately, Shana usually turns and runs into the orchard after only one lap around the building. At this point you can usually distract her by throwing fruit that has fallen from the trees - Shana loves chasing fruit almost as much as she likes monster hunting. My husband however has discovered that Shana is not always so easily distracted.

We were house-sitting one night not too long ago when my husband came charging into the bedroom “Are you ready to go yet honey???” (we were preparing to go out to dinner). “PLEASE tell me you are ready to go!” I looked at him with some surprise (it was early, we weren’t meeting people, and we didn’t have reservations or anything) and said that yes I just needed to put my shoes on but what was the hurry? “The hurry,” said my husband collapsing on the bed “is that I have been monster hunting with Shana FIVE times in the past 10 minutes.” And people wonder why Shana loves my husband so much.

The 3000 Year Old Dog Collar

This past weekend I had the chance to visit a marvellous exhibit at San Francisco’s De Young museum. This exhibit, entitled Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, had approximately 7 rooms filled with artifacts taken from both King Tut’s tomb, and from those of tombs thought to belong to his relatives. Purely from a historical standpoint, this exhibit was fascinating. But one of the objects that really stood out to me was a 3000 year old dog collar (I tried to find a photo online to post here but no luck - if you have one let me know and I will gladly post it).

That collar caught my attention for several reasons. First, there was the mere fact that I was actually looking at a 3000 year old dog collar. Second, I have to admit that the collar, in terms of decoration, did not look a whole lot different from many of the dog collars we see today. And third, I had never given much thought to the role of dogs in ancient Egypt. Much is made about how important cats were to the Egyptians (mummified cats have even been found in tombs), but this was the first time I think I had even realized that dogs were a part of Egyptian life.

In retrospect of course it makes complete sense. Dogs would have provided Egyptians with protection, acted as hunting companions, and served as herding animals for the herds of cows, oxen, sheep and goats that the Egyptians kept. I applaud this exhibit for being the first Egyptian exhibit (at least to my knowledge) to pay homage to the important role dogs played so long ago.

10 Tips For Taking Great Photos Of Your Dog

This guest post is brought to you by Dog Fence DIY’s staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY has several different types of electric fences for dogs. They will help you find the best system that suites you and your pet, help you install it, and train you to use it your new system. Dog Fence DIY offers the best competitive pricing as well.

Our dogs are very much a part of the family, and we love to share our leisure time and special occasions with them. This means that we like to include them in our family photo album. However, photographing our dogs isn’t always easy, and it can take practice to get the best results. Here are some suggestions to help you take the best photo possible of your dog:

1. Train your dog. Having a dog that will sit and stay when you ask him to will mean you can take your time when you go to push that shutter button. Because you know he won’t move, you don’t need to rush and take a less than perfect “grab shot” because he’s just about to get up and wander off. The other advantage of training him is that you can photograph him without his leash and collar ruining his good looks.

2. Make sure he’s groomed. Give him a bath and a haircut if necessary, and brush his coat until it shines. If he looks his best for his photo shoot, you’ll be much happier with the results. Put a packet of wipes in with your camera to clean away the inevitable eye mucus and give his mouth a wipe before you take the picture.

3. Pick a nice spot to take photos of your dog. Perhaps there’s a nice park with a garden bed nearby, or a dog friendly beach or lake. Watch out though - don’t let him get wet before you’re finished taking his photos. The “wet hair look” doesn’t look great on film. One last thing, have a look at the area around your dog and make sure it’s clear - be sure that there isn’t a light post or similar object that looks like it’s sticking out of his head!

4. Learn the basic features of your camera. Know how to turn the flash on and off. On a bright day, you’ll still need to use the flash. A bright background will perhaps leave your dog in shadow, so adding some flash will light him up in the photo. Use a zoom lens to crop right on on your dog without having to get up close - dogs are curious creatures and will often leave a nose print on your lens.

5. Recruit an assistant. If you really want to take the best photos of your dog, you will need an extra set of hands. Imagine telling your dog to sit and stay, then moving away to take the photo, and calling his name to make him look at you. In most cases, it doesn’t work! Having someone to take care of your dog will leave you to enjoy working at the other side of the lens.

6. Take your time, and think carefully before pushing that shutter button. I know that with digital photography, there are no film and developing costs, but it’s still very much worthwhile pausing before you take the shot. Check your background, make sure your dog is looking where you want him to, and that his fur is in the right place.

7. Set up your photo shoot in the shade. Bright sunlight will cast harsh light on your dog, and may also result in very dark shadows. Both of these are hard for a camera to deal with, particularly in a dog that’s predominantly black or white. Bright light will also make your dog squint, which is a most unattractive look. The best time of day to photograph your dog is either first thing in the morning or at the end of the day - the light is gentler.

8. Experiment with your position. Don’t just stand in one spot and take his photograph from above. Try lying down or squatting so you’re at his level. Another good way to photograph him is by lying down and photographing him from underneath. This will also give you a nice background - trees, or a cloudy sky. You’ll need to make your flash fire, or his face will be in shadow.

9. Watch his head position. The most attractive portrait position is with his head at forty-five degrees to the camera. It usually works out much nicer than if you take his photo when he’s staring directly at you. If he’s trained well enough, try using a squeaky toy to make him look alert. It makes for a fabulous portrait.

10. With the advent of digital photography, many people take loads of photos and don’t ever get them printed. It’s important that you aren’t guilty of this. You’ve put a lot of effort into photographing your dog, so get those images enlarged and on your wall. If you’re a bit more artistic, you may want to try scrapbooking some photos.

The most important part of taking good dog photos is practice, practice, practice. Fortunately, our dogs are usually willing subjects, and with a bit of effort, you’ll have great photos of him that you’ll be proud to hang on your wall!

The Dog Who Will Not Eat From A Bowl

Until approximately a year ago, I thought I had the only dog (heck the only pet) that refused to eat out of bowls. From the way Jade reacts to bowls, you would think I had severely beaten him with bowls for most of his puppyhood. The truth of course is just the opposite - Jade’s bowls always meant something positive (they contained kibble usually sprinkled with tasty morsels since he seemed reluctant to eat (a behavior that has now gone to the other extreme hence my ongoing battle to figure out how to help Jade lose weight).I could even put high value treats (Jade was hugely into lamb lung as a puppy) into the bowl and Jade would approach the bowl with the same caution that a human would approach a Great White Shark.

I’m not 100% sure what led me to try putting Jade’s kibble into a Kong toy. It might have been my trainer explaining that stuffed Kongs provide a great way of keeping pets occupied and intellectually stimulated (and since I was in graduate school and gone for several hours at a stretch, this seemed like something worth trying). Jade LOVED this solution. The next week, I went to my trainer and said “my dog will ONLY eat food out of a Kong toy.”

My trainer said nothing - giving me a look that clearly stated she was waiting to hear what the problem was so she could respond appropriately. Finally, when it became clear that in my mind my dog refusing to eat from bowls was the problem, she said “what’s the big deal Tara? All a bowl is is a type of container. A Kong is just another type of container - and one that happens to provide your dog with both food and intellectual stimulation.” Seven years later, Jade still eats out of a Kong or Petlane Birthday Cake.

And I have to give a huge thank you to my trainer. About six months ago a co-worker came to me with a familiar problem. Her Golden Retriever would eat food out of Petlane’s Birthday Cakes, Kong Toys, and Talk To Me Treat Balls. Not bowls. (Just between you and me, I think she learned this behavior from Jade - the two dogs were frequently in the office together and the Golden frequently helped herself to the food in Jade’s toys). My response to the Golden’s behavior? “A Kong is just a container. As long as the dog is eating and healthy, there is no reason she has to eat solely out of bowls.”

Swine Flu and Pets: Are Your Animals At Risk?

The answer to that question is: possibly. The American Veterinarian Medical Association has confirmed that on October 9, 2009, a ferret was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus (commonly known as swine flu) and that on November 4th, a cat also received the same diagnosis. Both animals recovered. To date there has been no reports of the swine flu appearing in dogs or birds.

First, keep in mind that this is two animals out of the hundreds if not thousands of animals that live with people that have either contracted the swine flu, or been exposed to people who have contracted the swine flu. Second, ferrets are (as it turns out) known to be susceptible to flu so it’s not altogether surprising that a ferret would contract swine flu from its owner. And third, in the case of the cat, both owners were down with the flu, not just one.

In summary, this is NOT a time to panic or engage in extreme measures. The AVMA recommends that anyone who is ill, and has a pet, engage in the same precautions as prescribed for preventing the spread of swine flu between humans such as washing your hands frequently and, if possible, limiting exposure between pets and an infected person. And if your pet does show signs of being ill, a trip to the veterinarian is definitely in order.

It’s National Shelter Appreciation Week!

In 1996, the HSUS deemed the week of November 1st through November 7th to be National Shelter Appreciation Week. The goal of this week, according to HSUS, is to thank and honor the more than 4,000 shelters across the country that house more than 6 million homeless animals. While making a monetary donation to your local shelter is certainly a wonderful way to help, there are other actions you can take that can make a difference. Here are five suggestions for celebrating National Shelter Appreciation Week:

1) Make a donation of worn towels and blankets - Shelters use towels and blankets to provide bedding for pets who otherwise would be forced to sleep on a concrete slab. 

2) Spay or neuter your pet - Spaying or neutering your pet is probably the number one action any pet owner can take to help ensure that more unwanted animals do not wind up in shelters. If you need financial assistance, many animal shelters provide low-cost spay and neuter programs.

3) Adopt or foster a rescue animal - Fostering an animal frequently means that that animal becomes more socialized and therefore eminently more adoptable. And adopting an animal means providing a permanent home to an animal in need.

4) Volunteer - Rescue organizations need help with everything from people who can walk pets to those who can organize events. Contact your local rescue organization to see how your particular talents can be put to work.

5) Host A Petlane Fundraising Party - Contact your Pet Advisor (or send an e-mail to tara@petlane.com) to find out how your holiday shopping can make a difference.