Living with a Toddler Dog

"I'm Sorry"

"All I want for Christmas is for my Daddy to forgive me one more time. This'll be the last time I promise. I'm sorry for getting to your favorite Grateful Dead hat, your keyboard, your camera, the phone, your wallet, your shoes........ And Mommy did rescue some of that stuff....."

Now in defense of this toddler dog.

Who is the toddler, the dog who hopefully will eventually think a bit before grabbing anything that smells like my husband? Or my husband who hopefully will eventually think to put his stuff away?

My kids had been well trained years ago when we had another set of young dogs that you can't just blame the dog's existence for the demise of their belongings. Things have a place and should be put back in that place. Or at least leave them lay in the areas where the dog isn't allowed.

Yes there are many times when even I am tired of this dog. But we adopted him and made a promise to love him through thick and thin. My kids were annoying at times too, but I certainly wouldn't send them packing. This dog is still under two years old and every dog I've ever had took about five years to really settle down and be able to harness their own high energy.

As Christmas approaches and so many people may be planning on adopting a puppy, please please please understand that your cute little arrival is a baby!! As he grows he'll be learning with everything he sees, touches, tastes and destroys. Please childproof your home and make necessary changes and adjustments not only to your home but with your own habits.

Don't dangle the carrot and then punish the dog for getting into what he shouldn't!

Don't expect the dog to think like a person!

Don't expect him to know what is expensive or treasured!

If something is off limits don't leave it within reach. If it is something that belongs in a room the dog has access to, then realize you'll have to supervise until the dog learns what is 'no touch'. And don't teach him that by scaring the bejeebies out of him through yelling. The dog will back off for sure but it is doubtful he'll connect your anger with the object. And never never never hit your dog!
The best way is to teach him the command for 'drop' in a calm, authoritative voice and distract him with an object they are allowed to chew on.

Remember, dogs want nothing more than to please you!

So, my dear husband, remember as we did with every developmental stage when the kids were small.."This too shall pass".

Cats and Halloween, Debunk the Stigma

The stigma surrounding cats, especially black cats, has long been associated with evil, black magic, witchcraft and superstition. Believers in the metaphysical often use caution around a number of things that are said to bring bad luck, and a black cat crossing their path is one of them.

These negative associations go back centuries, all the way back to Greek mythology.
In Ovid's tale, Galinthias was one of the servants of the mother of Hercules, Alcmene, and her attempts to help got her into quite the predicament.
Alcmene was the wife of Amphitryon. Zeus disguised himself as Amphitryon in order to have relations with Alcmene and she became pregnant. Zeus's wife, Hera, became furious and tried to prevent the birth. Galinthias got involved by playing a trick on Hera which enabled Alcmene to successfully give birth to Hercules. Hera took her revenge on Galinthias by turning her into a cat and sending her to the underworld. She was to act as a priestess of Hecate, the goddess of death and the queen of witches. Because of the connection with Hecate, black cats were then thought to be an omen of death and associated with witchcraft.

The word for 'the fear of cats' is ailurophobia. This came from the name Ailuros, which was the Greek name for the ancient Egyptian goddess Bast. The Greeks saw Bast as a version of their lunar goddess Artemis. It was said that Artemis turned herself into a cat in order to escape the god of wind, Typhon,

During the Middle Ages, superstitions around black magic were abundant, and black cats were targeted. Pope Gregory XI had published the "Vox in Rama" document in 1233 to deal with the subject of devil worship. He claimed that black cats were the incarnation of Satan, therefore, throughout the next century black cats were slaughtered.
Interesting is that with the killing of cats, the rodent population escalated which helped spread the bubonic plague during the 14th century killing millions of people. Pope Gregory may have been long dead by then but superstitions stick and even to this day people associate cats with scorcery.
During the witch hunt era, 1450 to 1750, black cats were seen as being such evil companions to their "witches" that they were burned in baskets alongside their owners.

The trend of labeling black cats as evil came to the United States with the Pilgrims in the Plymouth colony. The Puritan Pilgrims distrusted anything associated with sorcery and actively persecuted black cats just for being the color black. It became a practice to burn black cats on Shrove Tuesday to protect the home from fire. 

As time passed and this practice died down, black cats had become part of all the legends behind witches. As the celebration of Halloween became more commercial, black cats became part of the usual Halloween decorations. The bristled fur, claws and green eyes just added to the desired spooky effect.

Animal shelters are very aware of the concern with people wanting to adopt cats around Halloween just to use them in satanic rituals or sadistic pranks. Back in the 1980's and 90's there were restrictions on adoptions in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Today those concerns are still present, however, due to the need for homes with the abundance of cats in shelters, those bans are no longer in place. Adopting black animals in October has even become a promotional tactic to increase awareness of the need for homes for these pets.

The kitty pictured above may look terrifying, but in reality she is just our Bella letting me know she is hungry!

Homemade & Healthy Flea Repelling Dog Treats

Flea season can be exasperating for both pet owners and their pets. We can apply flea and tick preventatives on our dogs, we can vacuum our homes, wash the pet bedding regularly, and yet every time we open our door to the great outdoors those little pests are lurking to hitch a ride back inside.

The diet can have an influence on just how attractive those fleas find our pets. By adding ingredients such as brewer's or nutritional yeast and garlic, we can help our pets to be a bit less appealing to biting, blood sucking fleas.

Bake*A*Bone is a wonderful kitchen gadget that will make the process of homemade treats so much less of a hassle. There is no rolling out the dough or cutting with cookie cutters, both of which can be fun, but realistically, in any given busy week, I for one just never got it done. But using a Bake*A*Bone grill is so much less messy and saves money by not having to heat up the oven.



Below are two sources to find this little grill online. It'll cost about $24.00 and makes for a wonderful Holiday Gift Idea for an animal lover.

Bake*A*Bone from Amazon

Bake*A*Bone from Coupaws
Coupaws is a site of great deals and every purchase provides six meals to pets in need.

Included with the grill is a little book full of delicious recipes made up of wholesome, healthy ingredients. No preservatives, no added coloring or flavoring, no chemicals period. Just good for your dog foods that are great supplements and add variety to their ordinary diet.

Here is a recipe not included in the book. It is a treat that acts as a natural flea repellent.

FLEA-BE-GONE DOG BISCUITS (from the 2015 edition of the Farmer's Almanac)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cups flour of choice
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup brewer's or nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Stir the vegetable oil and garlic powder together in a mixing bowl.
In another larger bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.
Slowly add the oil and garlic mixture to the dry ingredients followed by the chicken broth.
Mix thoroughly until you get a doughy consistency.

Follow the directions that come with the Bake*A*Bone to bake your treats. The grill makes four at a time and each batch will take about 10 minutes baking time. Being the dough is thick it is easier to just add a small blob to the bone indentation and not worry so much about how perfect each one looks. If you want perfectly shaped bone shapes, you can pinch off the excess once they are baked.



To make these without a grill:
Roll dough onto a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.
Use a knife to cut dough into squares or use cookie cutters to make shapes.
Place cut dough onto a large, ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are brown.
Allow the treats to cool completely and then store in plastic bags or tight containers.

The biggest challenge is setting a limit on how many of these your dog gets in a day. My dogs love them to the point I could be offering them far too often than I normally would just because I know how healthy they are.

Another great perk with these treats is that there is no crumbly mess left behind as there so often is with the typical dog bones. If you want them crunchier, the book says to preheat your oven to 350 degrees, place the baked treats on a cookie sheets and put into the preheated oven. Then turn off the oven and just let the treats sit in the turned off oven for 4-6 hours to dry out.

These dog bones will probably get eaten up before you have to worry about spoilage, but they can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for longer storage.

Mystery of Homeopathy...Coincidence..or Not

Our black cat, Taylor, is a prime example of an animal's fighting spirit and the will to live. He is pictured with his brother, Fender, who both came as a package deal.
It was only days before Halloween, five years ago, and we believe Taylor was clipped by a car. My husband just happened to return home probably soon after it happened because he discovered the cat flipping around in our driveway.
Fearing the worst what could he do but bring him inside so at least he wouldn't die alone out in the cold of the night. I've always been intrigued with the alternative therapy known as homeopathy. Its one of those things that if you hit it right with the correct remedy you are amazed, and wonder if it was just coincidence since it is so hard to really understand why this method of healing works.

It was obvious this cat was probably going to die of shock so I aimed to take care of the most acute problem first. Rescue Remedy is a combination of five Bach flower remedies: Impatience, Clematis, Rock Rose, Cherry Plum and Star of Bethlehem. These remedies are for traumatic stress and terror.
Taylor had classic signs of shock such as glazed eyes, pupils different in dilation, irregular breathing, and bodily shaking. I spent that entire night keeping him swaddled and warm. Four drops of Rescue Remedy was given every fifteen minutes for about two hours until he seemed to calm down and his breathing slowed to a more normal rate. (A bottle of Rescue Remedy should be kept on hand for many an emergency be it people or pets. Giving a dose every 15 minutes en route to either the vet or a doctor can make all the difference when there is fear, panic or possibility of shock.)

By morning he was still with us and much more alert. The main concern now was that his body just sank to the ground. When he tried to walk he dragged himself with the right side of his body. Front and back legs worked but only on that one side. We figured if his back was broken both back legs would have been useless. If he was hit in the head he most likely wouldn't have survived at all.
It was concluded he was probably thrown and suffered a concussion and nerve trauma. So we were advised to give our Taylor the gift of time and see how his body responds as the inflammation decreases. As we often do with our pets, once we know what we are dealing with we take care of our own by utilizing what we know from both conventional medicine and alternative methods.

Another wonderful homeopathic remedy is St. Johnswort or Hypericum. This treatment is recommended for nerve injuries and trauma. We gave him the potency we had which was 30x, four times a day and just watched for change. What we were looking for was the hope that once there was a decrease in inflammation there would be signs of improvement.
Sure enough, within two days he could hold up his head. He tried in earnest to get himself to the litter box where one of us would then hold him up to do his business.
What a relief when he started to show an interest in food. He didn't seem to be in any pain so we made him comfortable and waited.

Within a month he tried to stand on wobbly legs but couldn't hold his weight. Another month and he could walk but stumbled and fell easily. By six months he mastered the coordination to once again be able to jump. That show of perseverance was a great lesson for all of us.

Now a few years later the only residual signs of damage are a slight cock to his head and a watery eye. A bit clumsy he has made himself more endearing than ever.
A creature of habit, every evening he follows us to our bedroom and settles in.
Interesting that it is usually those with special needs who hold such special places in our lives.

Did someone intentionally hit him because he is a black cat and it was Halloween?
We will always wonder.  

Infectious Diseases in Cats, Importance of Vaccination

What do you do when a kitten on the brink of death is brought to your door by a neighbor child who found him alongside the road in the gutter and whose parents instructed her to get rid of it?

Feeling terrible not only for the poor cat but for the distraught little girl who didn't know what to do, we said he could stay .

Let's go back years ago to 1997 and so we began a real education on the importance of vaccination as well as the limitations.

Oliver came to us in pretty poor shape. He was an emaciated weight of barely four pounds, thinning fur, pasty eyes, drippy, sneezing, sore nose, and infection in both ears. Where do we begin?

Not wanting to introduce anything contagious to our other cats we separated Oliver from the household until we could get him to a vet. Not even sure if he would make it till morning, we kept him comfortable in our barn for that first night. It was summertime so nighttime temperatures weren't a problem.

I was actually surprised to find him still alive in the morning. Unknowingly, that veterinarian visit was the start of an eight year fight to keep little Oliver going. His age was estimated from six months to a year. Oliver was kept a few days for observation, given fluids and IV medication, and then we were sent home on antibiotics and told to make him comfortable and see what happens. 

Being our other cats were vaccinated I brought Oliver into the house, assuming they would be fine. Turns out that may have been a mistake. Though my cats were vaccinated against the F3 which are the core vaccinations as well as Feline Leukemia, some of them developed symptoms of upper respiratory distress. The vet said there is no way to predict how cat immune systems will respond to vaccination. The symptoms disappeared for some, others had no problems at all, and a few developed chronic respiratory problems for the remainder of their lives. All the vet could say was that is the risk in a multi-cat household. 

Even so, to criticize vaccination in general would have been an attitude of ignorance. As a child growing up on a farm where cats were considered our pets, but proper vet care for vaccination schedules and neutering just wasn't financially feasible, we witnessed time and again the heartache of losing them to distemper or respiratory illness. The strong survived but once the population reached a certain point the cycle started all over again.

The antibiotics used with Oliver varied as we were always trying something new. Viruses in a cat's respiratory tract are incredibly difficult to treat. Secondary bacterial infections develop which results in the yellow discharge from the nose and ear infections. Antibiotics cleared up those symptoms and brought relief for a while but the cycle always returned. The types used for Oliver included Amoxacillian, Clavamox, Baytril, Orbax, Chloramphenical, the anti-inflammatory Dexamethasone and the steroid Prednisone when necessary. We thought we finally found a balance with a combination of Baytril and Prednisone but then something burst in his right ear and so began a life of constantly treating the black discharge from that ear. Ultimately he lost his hearing in that right ear.

We used saline washes to help clear his nose, almond or olive oil infused in garlic to clean his ears and his sore little nose, administered vitamin C and cod liver oil daily. added a supplement blend to his diet which was nutritional yeast, kelp, lecithin granules, wheat germ, oat bran and bone meal. 

We suspect the main issue with Oliver was the Feline herpes virus. We could never really get it out of his system and his entire life was plagued with its relapses. 

Our tough little boy had cycles of wasting away but always bounced back. Aside from the medical treatments and extra nutritional boosts, to this day I believe what kept him going was the love all around him. He was fussed over continuously by my children and when at his worst always could be found sleeping with one of them. Adored by our dogs, they helped keep his face clean with their gentle licking. Never underestimate the power of love and touch. During his good days Oliver played as rough as the best of them. 

Excuse the quality of these photos. They were taken long before digital camera and I could only do so much with editing. But they are precious memories and I attribute those times with helping to develop my children into the empathetic and loving young adults they are today. Both continue to love animals dearly and involve themselves in animal rescue.

Don't ever underestimate the power of love. The will to live and the boost to the immune system can sometimes be almost miraculous.

Vaccinations have greatly reduced the incidence of a number of infectious diseases in our pets. They work by introducing either a modified live vaccine which contains viruses that have been altered so that they are no longer able to cause disease or a killed vaccine of the disease causing organism (virus or bacteria) to the body. This stimulates the immune system, making it better able to defend itself against the disease if the animal gets exposed.

The following information was taken from Cat World.

Core vaccinations are vaccinations that should be given to cats no matter where they live.
 They are called F3 vaccines.

Feline panleukopenia which is feline enteritis or feline distemper
Feline herpes virus which is the cat flu
Feline calicivirus which is also the cat flu

Non-core vaccinations are vaccinations which may not be necessary for all cats. It depends on location and the level of risk such as if the cat is strictly an indoor cat, allowed to occasionally go outside or is an outdoor cat all the time.

Feline leukaemia virus
Chlamydophila psitaci
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Feline immunodeficiency virus which is FIV or Cat Aids
Rabies

While there are chance of side effects with vaccines, the prevention offered from disease far outweighs the risks. There are rare cases of allergic or anaphylactic reactions but usually the pet just gets sleepy or has a day of some sniffling or sneezing. Pregnant cats should never be vaccinated due to risking harm to the kittens.

Vaccination schedules are generally:
F3 (first shot) be given at 8 weeks
F3 (second shot) be given at 12 weeks
F3 (third shot) be given at 16 weeks
F3 (booster shot) be given at 1 year
Rabies be given at 12 weeks
Rabies (booster shot) be given at 1 year

Veterinarians differ in their opinions as to how often a pet needs to be vaccinated after those initial vaccines are given. Indoor cats still need to be vaccinated but if they are a low risk to exposure they may not need to be re-vaccinated on a yearly basis. Every three years may be sufficient. If your cat lives outdoors and is always at risk of exposure to other cats that may not be vaccinated then yearly shots may be recommended.

Fleas are Voracious...Be Vigilant and you can be Victorious

Fleas are Voracious...Be Vigilant and you can be Victorious

Fleas are tenacious critters and their ability to persevere regardless of all of our ways to get rid of them is amazing. We cannot solely blame our pets for the presence of fleas in our homes. Being attracted to warm blooded animals they will make your pet their temporary home for a food source, but there is also a very real possibility they are hitching a ride into your home by way of your shoes or clothing.

The key to flea control is quick action. If you see signs and ignore them, even for a few days, the situation could become a nightmare. Telltale signs of the presence of fleas go beyond actually seeing the buggers. Observe your pet. If he starts with the twitching and sudden jerks to lick, especially areas like the belly, groin area, under the neck and behind the tail along the backbone, it is time to pay attention. 
If you see black specks laying on the areas where your pet spends its time sleeping, that is a good sign that your pet has fleas even if they don't appear to be bothering him. Those specks are "flea dirt" which is actually dried pre-digested blood. 
If you see little, rice shaped worms on your pets back end or on their bedding, that means they have tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum). Fleas are notorious for transmitting  tapeworms to your pets. When your pet itches, they lick and when they lick they ingest the flea, and once the flea is ingested the tapeworm can complete it's life cycle. Adult tapeworms can be several inches in length living in your pet's intestinal tract. What you see are the sections that break off.

It is important to understand the life cycle of the flea. There are four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The typical life cycle will take anywhere from a couple weeks to months. It depends on the temperature in their environment and humidity levels. Fleas like conditions between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 70% humidity.

So let's start with the females that hitch a ride into your home. Those adult females lay eggs following a blood meal from the host animal. Without blood the flea is unable to reproduce and being that is their goal in life they can very quickly make your pet miserable. The eggs are slightly smaller than a grain of sand and white in color. They are laid in the fur in bunches of about 20. One adult female flea can lay about 40 eggs every day. As your pet moves around those eggs fall off which is how the problem can suddenly appear all over the house. Eggs represent 50% of the entire flea population in a home.

With optimal conditions the eggs can hatch in only two days. If the temperatures are cold and dry it'll take a bit longer, perhaps up to two weeks. If the temperatures are warm with high humidity, the eggs will hatch in a few days.

The larvae that emerge from those eggs need to avoid light, so will nestle in carpets, dark corners, clothing lying around and upholstery. What they live on is the flea dirt that is found amidst other organic debris in their environment. The larvae make up about 35% of the population. This is why it is ultra important to wash all bedding your pet uses and to have a good vacuum cleaner. Strongly recommended is a vacuum with a microfiber bag or the type of vacuum using water such as a Rainbow. With a bagless vacuum there is good chance that when you empty the canister into your trash, you will just release those fleas and eggs back into your home. Microfiber bags are made to trap allergens, dust and fleas debris with no escaping. Water canisters need to be emptied each time but the fleas are dead from drowning.
If left to their own devices, those larvae will spin cocoons in 5 to 20 days from the time of hatching from their eggs.

The cocoon or pupae stage is the last developmental stage before the adult emerges that we usually see. The purpose of the cocoon stage is to protect the pupae for as long as it takes for conditions to be ideal for the adults to emerge. This can take from just a few days to years. The cocoons have a sticky coating that allows them to attach to carpet fibers so having a powerful vacuum cleaner is paramount.

What triggers the adult flea to emerge once developed is a rise in nearby body heat, higher levels of carbon dioxide and vibrations. All these are associated with the nearby presence of a warm-blooded body nearby, be that a pet or a person. Once fleas emerge they need to eat within a few hours. After feeding they'll begin to breed, lay eggs and the cycle starts all over again. Adult fleas account for only about 5% of the entire population in the house, but while on your pet they'll continue to feed, breed and lay eggs.

Before dousing your home with toxic flea bombs and chemicals there are other safer weapons of destruction against them: Borax, Diatomaceous Earth and Vinegar and the all important Vacuum Cleaner!



Use borax, Not boric acid!
What you want is Disodium Tetraborate or Sodium Tetraborate which is Borax. Borax is mined from the earth as a complex form of boron bound with other minerals. Boric acid does not occur naturally in nature, but is made from borax by adding hydrochloric acid and water. This increases the toxicity level so it is not a good thing to have around your pets or children.

Borax looks like salt, has no smell and doesn't get absorbed by the skin when touched. It kills fleas by dehydrating them as it makes small cuts in their exoskeleton. This works on the larvae but won't help you get rid of the eggs. Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum to get rid of the eggs.

Borax is also good for killing ants, bed bugs and roaches.
Borax is safe to have in your home and is much less toxic than insecticides.
If you are pregnant, avoid using any Borate substance which includes borax.
You don't want small children crawling around on the floor if there is borax still in the carpet.
Keep your cats away from the borax powder. Breathing in the fumes could cause health problems.
Don't put borax directly onto your pets. You don't want prolonged skin contact.
Keep borax away from your plants.

How to use:
Sprinkle borax liberally all around your carpeted areas.
Use a stiff brush or broom to work the borax down into the carpet fibers.
Wait at least six hours before vacuuming up the borax.

An alternative to borax is Diatomaceous Earth. 

Borax may give quicker results, but diatomaceous earth (DE) is completely natural and much safer for the family and pets. It is a simple mineral-silica. The steps for application are the same as for the borax. It kills similar to the borax by cutting into the exoskeleton and sucks the fluids out of the fleas' bodies. The action is physical rather than chemical. Hundreds of microscopic DE get all over the insect's body, and as the bug moves the DE scratches off their waxy coating and they dehydrate.  

Diatomaceous earth comes in two forms, pool grade and food grade. The type you want is food grade! 

Diatomaceous earth is formed from algae with siliceous shells. When extracted, they are already dead, but the shells remain. Though these shells are sharp they are too small to have any effect on humans. A totally safe, non-toxic method to kill not only fleas but bed bugs and chiggers.

If you don't have carpets, diatomaceous earth can also be used on hardwood floors. Don't forget to apply to the corners and along baseboard edges. 

Don't use in areas with fans blowing. A high draft will send the fine granules all over into the air and may be irritating to breathe it in.

When purchasing diatomaceous earth, read the label and besides making sure it is food grade and not pool grade, also check to make sure the concentration is around 99%. Any other formulation may not be as pure and safe for your family and pets. The other blends may kill fleas faster, but may contain insecticides.

Once the fleas come into contact with the powder, they usually die about 4 hours later. If possible, leave the powder on the floor overnight to ensure the fleas are dead before vacuuming.

Since flea eggs hatch after about a week after the eggs had been laid, it is best to repeat the process once a week for a month. You need to get to all four stages of the flea's life cycle.

Don't be concerned if you feel you did breathe in some of the DE powder. Unless you are dusting a garden and expect to be exposed to the dust for a period of time (in which case you should wear a mask) you should be fine. However, those with asthma may want to wear a face mask.

Diatomaceous earth is also used internally to treat for parasites, so don't be concerned as long as you are using food grade DE.

DE can be used as a way of flea treating your dog, but in moderation. If applied to your pet on a daily basis it can cause dry skin. Also, don't use on kittens, puppies, rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters. Their small body mass could be a problem. 

To use on a pet for fleas:

Once a week application.

Put a towel over the head so the powder doesn't get into their eyes irritate their lungs.

Rub about 1 Tbsp into the fur of a dog over 35 pounds.

For dogs less than 35 pounds or for cats use about 1 Tsp.

To use on a pet for worms:

Add to food once a day till see no more signs of worms (stool, vomit, coughing, on bedding)

Add 1 Tbsp to the food for dogs.

Add 1 Tsp to the food for cats.

Diatomaceous earth can also be used in chicken bedding boxes to help with mites and lice.

Just sprinkle around the bedding inside the boxes.

Don't let the DE get wet. Moisture will reduce the effectiveness.

Good sites to visit for more information about DE are:

www.earthworkshealth.com

www.morethanalive.com

Last we have yet another use for vinegar!

Vinegar has been used for centuries to clean and deodorize. It has been used to get rid of ants and fruit flies in the kitchen. It has its use in the garden to prevent aphids from destroying plants. Weeds can be controlled with vinegar. 

Our beloved pets can smell fresher with a vinegar rinse and then towel dried. Kill two birds with one stone and send fleas packing as well.

To use as a flea bath:

Use Dawn Dishsoap to lather up your pet. Pour vinegar over your pet and massage it in. Let this mix stay on the pet for at least 10 minutes while you massage it throughout the fur down to the skin. Then rinse it all out.

To repel fleas:

Add a bit of vinegar to your dog's drinking water. This makes the pet's blood and skin more acidic and unfavorable to a flea's taste. 

Vinegar added to a cat's water may be too acidic for a cat's system. 

Another option is to spray vinegar (dilute if too strong) on the fur and massage to distribute it all over your pet.

This is a good method for both dogs and cats.

Spray vinegar onto pet bedding to deter fleas.

It doesn't matter whether you choose to use white or apple cider vinegar for spraying onto the pet or it's bedding. 

But for adding to the drinking water, use apple cider vinegar.

Good prevention also must include a good flea comb. Long-haired dogs and those with thick undercoats can be a challenge to flea comb but for short-haired dogs and cats it is a wonderful, very practical tool. Get in the habit of going over your pet on a regular basis and make it part of your pet's grooming. Flea combing is the best method for cats. Since cats' systems are so touchy with toxins, just running a flea comb over them is ideal. The cat loves the attention, it gets its grooming and you can nip any problems in the bud. Have a bowl of water next to you with a dash of dish soap and drop the fleas into the water as you find them.

Pictured below are two herbal vinegar blends useful for people and their pets to help deter not only fleas but pesty bugs as well. Click on the link below the pictures for more information on them.

Herbal Vinegar Insect Repellent, Plantain, Comfrey, Yarrow

Herbal Vinegar Insect Repellent, Lavender and Plantain

Thanks to Jennifer Kvamme, DVM for her informative article on flea control

Thanks to Natasha Anderson for her informative article on Diatomaceous Earth and Borax

Thanks to the article from FleaBites on the use of vinegar and as a great source for information and supplies.

Hound from the Pound, a Marley update

Then

4 months later

It has been four months since Marley came into our lives from The Greenbrier Humane Society in West Virginia. I can now say we've made the adjustment and thank goodness it is behind us. That is said with a tired laugh because getting Marley (previously Henry) acclimated to become a well-mannered house dog has been quite the challenge.

We know as parents it does our kids a disservice to compare them to one another. It is the same with our dogs. To compare Marley to our other dogs wasn't at all fair and we sought out information on his breed several times to try to understand just why certain behaviors were so frustrating.

Hounds are scent dogs which means they get easily distracted. Getting them to stay focused when outside to go potty and not get sidetracked can make a five minute pee time stretch into fifteen. Also, because he had been confined to a cement floor for weeks, I believe he thought that using the basement floor as the spot for elimination was the right thing to do. Once a certain spot is used, the habit of returning to that same spot can be hard to break. I've relied on enzyme sprays and vinegar to eliminate any odor that he may detect even if unnoticed by anyone else.

We brought Marley home during the month of November which was not an ideal time of the year. First of all, it was hunting season and the sound of gunfire sent this dog between my legs several times, totally thwarting any further attempts to get him to go potty. Who knows what he went through with his previous owner and "puppy hunting dog training", but loud noises seriously unnerve him.


Second, winter weather can be quite the deterrent to getting outside enough for adequate exercise if dependent solely on the leash. We already had the underground, invisible fencing system for our other dogs. We just had to wait till the weather broke so we could have the fencing company come back with more flags and give Marley a bit of training. I also wanted to have some time till we had walked our property perimeter enough so that Marley would have a sense of his limitations and the line would be well marked with the dogs' urine spots.

We had our doubts that underground invisible fencing would work with a hound. Usually, the advice is that an actual physical fence (at least six feet high) is necessary to keep this type of dog home when off leash. They are scent dogs which means once on a mission they may go right through the warning beep and zap of the underground line. They are excellent jumpers and have even been known to try to climb trees (they were bred to tree a coon so if excited will try in earnest to climb after something they want). But with Marley, so far our system is working. It could be that he is just a sensitive soul, or perhaps he just wants to stay home with the other dogs.

Again, being a scent dog as well as a tall dog, it is still difficult to keep Marley from jumping up to reach things on the counter, stove top, stay out of the trash, recycling and compost bucket under the sink. Two things that do deter him are either the squirt of the water bottle or a shake from a can filled with coins or screws. The cabinets are child-proofed to keep his prying nose out of there.

It is very accurate that these dogs are described as chow hounds. I have to really pay attention at feeding time or be sure Marley eats in his crate. Since he had a history of hunger and eats so fast compared to the other two dogs, he needed to learn he couldn't just stick his head into their dishes and help himself.

Initially, when the three dogs first met, Marley was the submissive one and seemed to be fine with that status. But as a young adolescent male, as he grew more secure with his new environment we did have a few incidences where he challenged one of the other dogs. Thankfully they worked out their issues, but the experience of fighting dogs almost cost Marley his happy home. Thanks to some good advice, more time, and plenty of opportunity for exercise, there is peace and play again.

Interesting with this dog is that whereas with the other dogs, a loud voice was usually enough to grab their attention and nip in the bud any path of destruction. Not with Marley. Yelling was futile and didn't phase him one bit. What works is a loud "eh eh" followed by distraction and positive reinforcement. I think he just does things since he knows I'll come running and get involved in his antics.


We have a gate across the hallway leading to the upstairs. Marley knows that is where the cats hang out along with all their crinkly, jingly toys. So any chance he can get, he'll sneak up there. There is a 10 x 7 inch cat door as part of the gate and this sausage bodied dog, though now a good 55 pounds, can still amazingly slide right through that hole with hardly a sound. Hopefully, he'll eventually be able to have free run of the house but for now he is too unpredictably destructive. One of his favorite games is to get under the blankets and have a good old time.

Now that life has settled down we are really starting to enjoy this dog. He is just such a happy to be alive free spirit who bumbles his way through the day. Anyone who needs a good laugh should spend time with a hound dog. Given room to run and stretch those long legs, it is so satisfying to just watch this dog and reflect back on how far he has come. The way he leaps and prances, it reminds me of a young frisky foal, chasing the wind.

Anyone thinking of getting a hound dog needs to fully understand their need for enough play, enough time to sniff to the hearts content and just run around. Pent up energy leads to long, frustrating days of pacing and whining and anxiety ridden trouble. If there is the need to be cooped up in a crate during the day, there has to be a release when set free to get all the boredom out of the system.
A tired dog makes a good house dog.

Updated May 2015
Six months in his new home, 25 pounds heavier and what a transformation

Our Pets and Winter Cold

Social media has been a blessing for raising awareness and changing attitudes in the care of cats and dogs. Depending on the region, cats, dogs and horses are either considered part of the family, part of a working farm or ranch, or considered simply a watch or guard dog. Naturally the quality of their care goes hand in hand with the value of their worth to the owner.

If at all possible, please don't leave your pets outside during horrid weather. They are creatures of comfort just like we are. If we opted to take on their care then it is our responsibility to do it with their best interests in mind. An outdoor shed or garage is better than being left to fend for themselves. 

During the bitter cold of winter, people have to understand that just because animals have fur doesn't mean they can always acclimate to harsh winter conditions. With dogs it depends on the breed and what type of fur they have. Dogs that have only a single layer of coat can withstand some cold but basically, if it's uncomfortable for you to be outside without a coat then your dog is probably going to get cold too.

Breeds with an undercoat (such as Eskimos, Huskies, Samoyans, Chows, Elkhounds, Akitas, Iceland Sheepdogs, Chinooks, and Wolf-hybrids) have a thick, downy layer that will help them keep warm.
The bodies of dogs who live outside will adjust to the change of seasons. They will instinctively eat more in early fall so as to add layers of fat for winter warmth, and then shed in the spring to ready themselves for the heat of summer.

Dogs that must live outdoors need to have proper shelter from the elements, good quality food and fresh, not frozen, water. Heavily fill the dog house with straw, filling it over half-full. Dogs love to circle around and stomp down the bedding in order to make a nest to curl up in. Also place plenty of straw at the entrance to the dog house so the pads of their feet won't be directly on the snow or ice.  Blankets may seem nice and soft, but they tend to just feel cold to the pet.
Have a wind block over the opening to protect the dog from wind blowing in and creating a draft.

Be prepared to break ice two or three times a day in the water bowls. Don't expect your dog to lick ice or eat snow to stay hydrated. Dogs will eat the snow but don't have them rely on that for their need for water. Eating snow will lower core temp very quickly, faster than the body can compensate.  Because it gets the body cold from the inside out, dogs can easily get hypothermia and freeze to death in frigid temperatures.

Provide extra food to the diet to help compensate for the energy necessary in keeping warm.

Keep an eye on their feet. Ice and snow balls can develop under the nails of dogs, especially on those who have fur between the toe pads. These harden and can make walking painful.

Even the most skittish stray dog is usually noticed before too long and help is gotten for its capture. Cats on the other hand are a different matter. Cats wandering around are rarely given a second thought at first because it is usually assumed they belong to somebody. People have the attitude that there will always be cats and as predators they are fine fending for themselves. That is a misconception. It may sound counter-productive, but in reality, a well-fed cat hunts better. A cat is only successful 2-3 times per 10 times it hunts. Cats need food on a daily basis so they can be strong enough to hunt. Also, being domesticated animals, not all cats have the desire to hunt. Just like us, they all have different personalities. Some will kill anything that moves, others would rather watch and be entertained.

Outdoor cats need care just like our dogs. They need fresh water, regular feeding and proper shelter. Just because cats will crawl under a bush somewhere, don't have the mentality that they know how to survive and will be fine. We have taken in a few cats over the years who arrived with frostbitten ear tips and toes.

Unless you know the food gets eaten immediately, don't bother with canned or wet food. It is easier to feed dry food being it won't freeze if left out for hours.

Keep fresh water available. Dry food may be more practical but if that is what the cat is eating, it isn't getting the needed water content. Cats (and dogs) that don't drink enough are prone to kidney problems. Dehydration is a real danger if available water is frozen. Don't expect a cat to eat the snow. Eating snow only lowers the body temperature, increasing the risk for hypothermia.

Here is an excellent video on how to build a feral or stray cat shelter. Whatever shelter you arrange for outside cats, remember four things:
Elevation...you don't want water or snow creeping inside.
Two holes, one for an entrance, one for an escape.
Access to the inside for cleaning purposes and getting to an injured cat.
Use straw for bedding rather than hay or cloth. Hay and cloth hold moisture.

Cats will crawl into the oddest places of seek warmth. Try to remember to check under your car's wheel wells and under the hood before starting it up.

Taking care of stray cats is wonderful but if these animals are not to be your pets or are feral please use the TNR (trap, neuter, release) method. If you are feeding stray cats, you have to realize that if you are feeding them they are not going anywhere. Your intentions may be in the right place by helping stray cats survive, but you must take responsibility and have them neutered so they don't reproduce. Besides adding to the number of mouths to feed, an increase in number is only inviting the risk of premature death due to disease, fighting and overpopulation.

As public awareness increases, so is empathy for the plight of animals who are so defenseless and dependent on people for their care. Domesticated animals may survive on their own but too often they needlessly suffer. State by state it is becoming illegal to leave a pet outdoors in unfit weather. In doing so, the owner risks his pet be picked up by animal control and being served a fine. If that is what it takes to get people to pay attention than hallelujah.

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