Upcoming Raising Indiana Guests

Raising Indiana airs every Thursday at 8pm EST on http://raisingindiana.com!

So who’s going to be Indy’s guest in 2012?

January 26^th--Part 3 of our fantastic interview with Patricia McConnell, PhD

Dr. McConnell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), highly-sought after dog trainer, speaker and the author of much-acclaimed books including The Other End of the Leash.
http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/
http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/

February 2^nd--Ian Dunbar, PhD

^{Dr. Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist and dog trainer.  Dr. Dunbar is the author of numerous books and DVD series including AFTER You Get Your Puppy.  In 1982, Dr. Dunbar designed and taught the world’s first off-lead puppy socialization & training class.  We’re speaking to Dr. Dunbar as SIRIUS Puppy Training celebrates its 30th birthday!
 http://www.siriuspup.com/index.html
 http://www.dogstardaily.com/}

February 9^th--Kyle Peterson with P.E.T.S. LLC Transport
 Kyle and Pam Peterson’s animal transport company has saved the lives of 34,326 pets since their
 beginning in 2003!  We chat with the star of Animal Planet’s Last Chance Highway about animal 
 rescue, long-haul drives and his love of puppies.
 http://www.petsllc.net/index.php

We have a cool blog addition to this podcast that follows the life on a rescued dog in Tennessee, Sonic, through his foster home (with me and my family), his journey with P.E.T.S. LLC to Connecticut and his life with his new forever family!

Valentine’s Day Special—February 16^th--Sheryl Matthys of leashesandlovers.com

Should we set Luke up with an online dating profile?  Our Valentine’s Day Special Podcast is all about
the love and connection pet owners share.  Sheryl Matthys is the founder of leashes and lovers online match-making service and author of the book by the same name.  You don’t want to miss this Raising Indiana podcast!
 http://leashesandlovers.com/

February 23^rd--Jackie Obando, DVM

Dr. Obando was born in Brazil where she studied veterinary medicine, afterward traveling to Europe to further study homeopathy.  We chat with Dr. Obando about homeopathic therapies and raw food
nutrition.
http://mercyvet.com/

March 1^st--Jill Gainer with Nature’s Variety

Nature’s Variety is a natural pet food company passionate about providing proper, holistic nutrition
for our pets.  Our conversation with Ms. Gainer continues a theme on Raising Indiana to provide
accurate information about the importance of what our pets eat.  If your dog has allergy be sure to tune in!
http://www.naturesvariety.com/

March 8^th--Cathy Ball, VMD, MS with CEVA Animal Health

How do I prevent fleas and ticks is a common question we hear at Raising Indiana.  Dr. Ball
discusses how the CEVA Animal Health line of products including Vectra for Dogs and
Vectra3D can help prevent fleas and ticks.  Hudson tested and approved!
http://www.summitvetpharm.com

March 15^th--Linda Westin from Friends of Cookeville Putnam County Animals
President of the FOCPCA, Mrs. Westin, has exciting news about the first-of-its-kind P.E.T. Care
Campus being designed and built in Cookeville, Tennessee from funds raised by this non-profit
organization.  Shelter Directors, Humane Society Directors and animal welfare caregivers
should not miss this podcast!
http://www.friendsofcpcanimals.org/

March 22^nd--Dr. Jean Dodds of Hemopet
Dr. Dodds founded Hemopet, a non-profit animal blood bank & greyhound rescue/
adoption program, in 1986.  She is a highly-respected authority of endocrine disorders
in dogs, titer testing and vaccinations.  We’ll be speaking with Dr. Dodds regarding the later topic—
vaccinations of our pets.  Dr. Dodds will return to Raising Indiana later in the year to discuss her
other various expertises.
http://www.hemopet.org/

We had an overwhelming response of audience questions for Dr. Dodds.  We’ll be presenting an accompanying blog for this podcast.  Dr. Dodds was kind enough to answer all of our questions there.

**We want to disclaim that Raising Indiana is not against vaccinating our companion animals.  For the safety of our pet population it is important that the majority of the herd population be vaccinated against common diseases.  Please discuss all vaccine options with your veterinainian.

March 29^th--Lisa Spector

Luke is in his element with Lisa Spector from Through a Dog’s Ear.  Did you know Luke used to sing opera to his first dog, Malcolm?  Well, we can’t wait to discuss the applied theories of calming your pet in various situations with classical music!
http://throughadogsear.com/
http://throughadogsear.com/lisa-spectors-blog/

April 5^th--Robert Mueller, co-founder of BARF World

We so enjoyed our first podcast with Mr. Mueller that we jumped at the chance to have him back to
discuss disease and diet with Luke.  Catch up with the first interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBW2ZfCrLg0&list=UUg-8QUs87Hq2lVXrKqqgfSA&index=9&feature=plcp

http://www.barfworld.com/

http://www.barfworld.com/blog/

This has been a popular topic with many audience questions that Mr. Mueller will answer in an accompanying blog post.

April 12^t-- Nick Dodman, BVMS from Tufts’ Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Dodman will be joining us and Indy to discuss his books The Well-Adjusted Dog and Puppy’s
First Steps.  Dr. Dodman is one of the world’s most celebrated veterinary behaviorists and prolific
authors.  He also has a book about dogs behaving badly—watch out Indy!                     
http://www.thepetdocs.com/who_nick.html

April 19^th-- Susan Lauten, PhD

We are so excited for Dr. Lauten’s Raising Indiana podcast on nutrition!  As our pets grow and
mature one of the most defining aspects on their health is nutrition.  Dr. Lauten began Pet Nutrition Consulting in 2001, and she works daily with veterinary specialists, pet owners and veterinarians to provide the appropriate nutritional recommendations.
http://www.petnutritionconsulting.com/

April 26^th--Dog Scouts of America
Dog Scouts of America was founded in 1995 as a non-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of
pet owners and their dogs.  This is going to be fun!  DSA has so many fun programs and events—
they love learning new things & so does Indy!
http://www.dogscouts.org/MI_camp_photos_C899.html

May 3^rd-- Kat Martin

Kat Martin from Nashville’s Dogs and Kat has been voted Nashville’s Best Dog Trainer 4 years in a row! Not to mention that she runs the very fabulous See Spot Eat boutique and treat shop.  We’ll chat with Kat about puppy socialization and training.
http://dogsandkat.com/

Indy, Luke and myself have many more exciting guests coming up on future Raising Indiana podcasts. 

Don’t forget we’ve had amazing experts on for previous podcasts such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Stanley Coren and Dr. Sharon Startup, to name a few.  You can listen to all the past podcasts at http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana

Raising Indiana airs every Thursday at 8pm EST on http://raisingindiana.com!

Here’s to Raising Indiana and all of our pets to be the best they can be!

Raising Indiana Producer, Sheila Rinks

Raising Indiana: Dr. Stanley Coren

I don't know how she does it but boy I tell ya, Sheila, our righteous producer, finds some incredibly fascinating guests.  This week we have Dr. Stanley Coren, he's a psychologist, lifelong dog trainer, prolific author and a genuinely enjoyable fellow to talk with.  

His books have been both controversial and ground breaking.  The Intelligence of Dogs ranks 110 breeds according to their intelligence.  Want to know why you're drawn to a Dachshund or a Labradoodle?  Get a copy of his very popular book, Why We Love the Dogs We Do.  

Raising Indiana: A Very Special Podcast with Santa Paws

How do you know if your puppy's been naughty or nice this year?  When's the cutoff date and does your puppy still have time to get on the list?  And straight from Santa Paws - how many puppies have made the list this year?  Did Indiana make the cut? Find out in this very special holiday edition of Raising Indiana.

Plus, help us find a home for a very special puppy, Reggie who came to us from the Austin Humane Society.  Find out more about Reggie on our Finding Fuzzybutt Four Blog.

Happy Holidays

Keep the Faith

and Puppy Up

From Sheila, Our Beloved Producer, & Hudson, Indy & Me, Yer Big Dog

Holiday Stress

Holiday Stress

Author, Jan Casey

Well, here it is again - "that" time of the year. For our dogs, there are some significant
changes which affect them: the weather, the number of hours we engage them in
outside activities, their feeding schedules, their sleeping schedules, our energy
and tolerance levels, perhaps even our demeanor toward them.

With the holidays looming, there may even be more changes for our dogs to
contend with - the invasion of strangers into "their" homes, foods
prepared that they may not share, normally quiet times shattered by raucous
cheers from fans gathered around the television as the favorite teams play
football. Our homes may be invaded by
small aliens - children. From a dog's point of view, we humans start to behave
in a way that can only be described as full-blown insanity.

While we can poke fun at our dogs' bewilderment of our changes in daily
life, what isn't so funny is the fact that the number of dog bites increases at
this time of the year. The stresses we
feel may transfer directly to our dogs.
Routines are interrupted, our dogs are treated differently, and we may
entertain people who are not dog-savvy.
If children are invited to a normally childless household, the
ingredients for disaster have been gathered.

To prevent the occurrence of an incident which will ruin the holidays and
could potentially cause a life to be lost, it's important to know the signs of
stress in your dog. Far too many people seem completely oblivious to the
signals their dogs are sending out fast and furiously. Panting when it is not hot and whining are two obvious signals of distress. Lip licking (also called tongue flicks) and
whale eye (whites of the dog's eye showing as a half moon) while little Johnny
gives McKinley a hug is the way a dog screams he is uncomfortable. The vast majority of dogs do not like to be hugged nor ridden like a horse, especially not by the small intruders. Unless you have spent many hours socializing your dog with children and know, without a doubt, that your dog is child-friendly, there is a risk when they are
together. If you think your dog will be just fine with the kids, please Google "child killed by family dog." The number of times parents report "the dog seemed friendly," or "the dog never showed aggression before" may astound you.
I can guarantee the dogs had been sending out stress signals for a long
time, but they went unheeded. Supervision and separation will be the keys to
safety.

The tail - a wag is not necessarily a sign of happiness. Wags convey many messages: large, circular wags or slow, sweeping wags may indicate happiness and comfort with a
situation; stiff, upright, tight wags may indicate discomfort with a situation,
a discomfort that can lead to a bite; fast, small wags at a very low elevation
or between the legs may indicate fear, another signal that a bite may be
imminent.

Dogs are such unique individuals, it's important that you learn to read
your dog and know the signals she sends when she is stressed. Look for wrinkly foreheads, the corners of her mouth pulled back tight, listen for growls (growling dogs mean business), ears plastered flat against the back of the neck, raised lips, yawning,
"shaking it off," scratching, sniffing, pilo-erection (hackles up),
and turning away. While any of these could be normal daily behaviors, when put in the context of stressful situations, recognition of these stress signs can prevent a bite.

While most of us will not change our plans for the holidays just to avoid
stressing our dogs, we can take steps to help the dogs cope with our madness.
Dogs should be given their own places to feel safe, away from all
visitors. A quiet room with a little soft music to dampen the other noises will help. Add a frozen stuffed Kong to the picture and perhaps spray the area with Comfort Zone (DAP). If there is any chance your guests may intrude on the dog's space
accidentally (or on purpose if you are lucky enough to have one of
"those" relatives or friends), then be sure your dog is safely locked
in a crate.

Try to make extra time available to exercise your dog thoroughly on the day
of the festivities. Feed him on schedule, if at all possible, and take him out for a good bathroom break before guests arrive. Ever suffered from a dry mouth during a stressful
situation? Consider your dog may also get dry mouth and leave a bowl of water within easy access as dogs may drink more when stressed as well.

If your dog is highly fearful and/or reactive, you may wish to talk with
your vet about medications to help calm her anxiety during the holidays. While some dogs may do fine with the changes you make to accommodate them, there are some who will be so seriously stressed, they may need extra help from a prescription drug.

Do your best to keep to a routine during the coming holiday months. Daily exercise, staying on a schedule, and sticking to a healthy diet will benefit the dog - and you!

Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer in Florida at Courteous Canine, Inc. www.courteouscanine.com and owner of Smiles and Wags Pet Services www.smilesandwags.com. Mrs. Casey is a member of the Association of Animal
Behavior Professionals. Mrs. Casey is a columnist for the Cookeville,
Tennessee Herald-Citizen Pet Pages and Kid's Korner . This column was originally written for the Herald-Citizen www.herald-citizen.com.

Bloat, the Mother of All Emergencies

Bloat, the Mother of All Emergencies
What you need to know about this life-threatening condition
Shea Cox, DVM | November 30, 2011

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There is no quicker way to jump to the front of the ER line than if you walk into the hospital with a distended dog. Bloat is a life-threatening condition that I treat frequently, and a good outcome is time-dependent. Last week, JoAnna Lou wrote about recognizing the signs of bloat and included an educational video of an Akita experiencing GDV (don’t worry, he survived!). This topic elicited excellent comments and questions, prompting me to want to expand upon it further. I hope to answer some of the questions put forth by readers as well as dispel misconceptions that could potentially harm your pet. First, some vocabulary: Bloat is a condition when the stomach fills with air and/or fluid (dilatation). This can progress to a twisting of the stomach upon itself, called GDV (gastric dilatation volvulus). Bloat is often used to describe GDV, but there is a vast medical difference. We’ll get to the details of GDV in a moment, but let’s start with the most important take-home message: If you even remotely suspect bloat or GDV, take your dog to a veterinary hospital IMMEDIATELY! What NOT to do:             Do not give anything by mouth.        Do not attempt to relieve gas            from the stomach with medications or by other means. A note about the use of Gas X: This medication may help to reduce the amount of stomach gas in the case of “simple” bloat, but it will do nothing to help your pet in the case of GDV. The problem with GDV is not the gas, but the actual twisting of the stomach (think of a balloon being twisted in half, like when a clown makes an animal figure). It is the twist that kills, and a medication will not undo the deadly rotation of the stomach. Please do not waste valuable life-saving moments waiting to see if the medication helps! Taking an x-ray of your pet’s abdomen is the only way to tell the difference between bloat and GDV, allowing for appropriate intervention. What is GDV and why is it so serious? The twisted and bloated stomach presses on the major blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart, stopping normal circulation and sending the dog into shock. Making matters worse, the stomach tissue is literally dying because it is stretched tightly and blood cannot circulate through it. Intense pain is associated with this disease, causing the heart to race at such a high rate that heart failure will result. There can be no recovery until the stomach is surgically untwisted and the gas is released. A dog with GDV will die in a matter of hours unless surgery is performed. For each hour that goes by, there is a greater risk for complications during surgery as well as during the recovery period. What are the signs of GDV or bloat? The biggest clue is the vomiting: A dog with GDV appears highly nauseated and retches but little comes up. Drooling. There is usually an obviously distended stomach, especially near the ribs, but this is not always evident depending on body configuration. Anxiousness, agitation, restlessness and pacing. Depressed attitude. View some of these symptoms in the video we posted last week. What dogs are at risk? Classically, this condition affects deep-chested breeds, and dogs with deep chests that weigh more than 99 pounds have a 20 percent risk of bloat. Although a rare occurrence, I have also treated three small-breed dogs for this condition in my ten-year career. There are many theories regarding what triggers GDV, but truly, no one really knows—it remains a veterinary medical mystery. Risk factors, lifestyle and personality profiles that may increase a dog’s potential for developing GDV have been identified over the years and include:         Feeding only one meal a day. Having closely related family members with a history of GDV. Eating rapidly. Being thin or underweight. Moistening dry foods (particularly if citric acid is listed as a preservative in the dry food). Feeding from an elevated bowl. Restricting water before and after meals. Feeding a dry diet with animal fat listed in the first four ingredients. (Contrary to popular belief, cereal ingredients such as soy, wheat or corn, in the first four ingredients do not increase the risk.) Fearful or anxious temperament. History of aggression toward people or other dogs. Male dogs are more likely to bloat than females. Older dogs (7–12 years) are the highest risk group. On the flip side, the following factors may decrease the risk of GDV:          Inclusion of canned dog food              in the diet. Inclusion of table scraps in the diet. Happy or easygoing temperament. Feeding a dry food containing a calcium-rich meat meal listed in the first four ingredients. Eating two or more meals per day as well as feeding a smaller kibble size. Not breeding animals with a history of GDV in their lineage. What else can I do? For breeds with a high risk of bloat, a preventive surgery called prophylactic gastropexy can be performed at the time of spay or neuter. Gastropexy involves surgically “tacking down” the stomach to the inside of the abdomen to prevent rotation. If your dog has already been spayed or neutered, the same procedure can be done laparoscopically, and is minimally invasive. I had this procedure performed on my own Dobie, Bauer. I saw him bloat (and thankfully not twist!) one day at the park, and treated him at work. The next day, I scheduled the laparoscopic procedure. This is a same-day surgery with a quick and comfortable recovery. In the Bay Area, the cost is generally $1,500–$2,000, which is far cheaper than emergency surgery, and worth its weight in gold for peace of mind. One of my biggest fears was to have Bauer bloat while I was away for the day, only to return home to find I was too late. It should be noted that gastropexy does not prevent future bloat, but it does prevent future twisting, which is the deadly component of the condition. What is the prognosis? Decades ago, a diagnosis of bloat was almost always a death sentence, and only 25 percent of pets with bloat survived. Today, the survival rate is better than 80 percent! Part of the reason for this is increased owner awareness (go, pet parents!) leading to rapid intervention and treatment. The earlier the veterinarian gets started with treatment, the better chance for survival. Extremely aggressive medical and surgical intervention early in the course of the disease has the most dramatic impact on overall success. This is a condition I see much too frequently, but I have to say from personal experience, nearly all dogs return home (95 percent or greater) with early and appropriate treatment. Being the doting mom of two Dobies, this is a subject that hits close to home, and one I have experienced personally. Thank you to JoAnna for helping raise awareness of this all-too-common condition in our large-breed babies. Feel free to ask questions; I am happy to further elaborate on any area. For now, I’m off to hug my boy, being especially thankful that he is with me today.

Article courtesy of BARK magazine and Dr. Shea Cox
http://thebark.com/content/bloat-mother-all-emergencies

Raising Indiana: Thanksgiving Edition

This is a very special podcast in that I talk to four new puppy parents, all of whom I'm deeply grateful for who helped Hudson and Murphy and I on our cross country trek for canine cancer and comparative oncology. It was a particularly tough podcast since this is my first Thanksgiving without Murphy and why it was late. Damn I just miss him and although we had a blessed weekend, damn I just miss him. I have Indiana now and isn't that the spirit of Thanksgiving to bow our heads in silence for the ones we've lost but be grateful for the ones in our lives?

While I'm still trying to understand it all, listen to Kerry, Buddy, Patty, and Nicole talk about how their new puppies have changed their lives...

4 Puppies in a Tent-Buddy's Story

Sabrina

Fonto

Buddy & Sabrina

Author, Buddy Brock

In April my Great Pyrenees female, Drea, passed suddenly
from twisted intestines just before her 5th birthday. I was devastated and mourned her
passing. My male, Fonto, who was a year
older than Drea went into a depression too.

Six weeks later a wonderful Facebook friend, Robbin Sneddon, and her husband
Kerry from New Jersey posted a picture of a 12 week old Pyr puppy in a Texas rescue
that a friend, Pamela Pyle, was fostering after the Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue
had rescued 3 sister pups from a dog pound.

I saw the picture and fell in love but then saw it was $350 to adopt her and
$200 to fly her to my home in Washington
State, plus the cost of a
kennel. And the logistics to get her
from the Texas-Oklahoma border to the Dallas
airport. My hopes were soon dashed as I
couldn't afford her.

I posted to Robbin that she
was darling but I couldn't afford her...then the Magic started!

Robbin put out a plea for help
between facebook friends. Within minutes
people were chiming in that they were willing to send money, arrange transportation,
do vet checks, and anything else that it would take to get my Sabrina to
me! Kerry Sneddon contacted the people
at the Texas
rescue and sent them the full amount of the adoption to put a hold on Sabrina till
I could go through the adoption screening. Jay Revees form Arkansas fronted the $200 for the
flight. Jo Anna Perkins of Dallas arranged to pick
her up, buy her a kennel and take her to the airport. And special people from around the country
and Canada
started sending money to Kerry to help the cause! I would like to thank Vicki, Bonnie, Jay , Robbin
and Kerry, Jo Anna, Joyce, Erika, Marcia, Maureen, Deborah, Sherry, Jacquie and
Janet and others that contributed time and money for making this fairytale come
true!!! And a special thanks to Becky and Pamela of the Texas Great Pyrenees
Rescue for saving Sabrina and her 2 sisters that were scheduled to be put to
sleep.

Thank all of the rescues across country for saving lives!!

Buddy is a board member of http://www.2milliondogs.org/
and organizer of the 2 Million Dogs’ Puppy Up!
Walk in Washington
State.

To learn more about Texas
Great Pyrenees Rescue visit http://www.txpyrs.org/TGPRescue/index.jsp.

4 Puppies in a Tent-Nicole's Story

Thatcher, his friend Olive and Dakota

Nicole with Thatcher & Dakota, courtesy Dan Rapoza Photography

Cooper & Dempsey

Author, Nicole Fernandes

Lesson I learned from my puppy: "How to save a
Life"

Losing your pup is one of the hardest things, but when your pup loses both of her brothers in 14 months
then what? How do you explain it to her and help her through it?

My sweet chocolate Lab Dakota had spent her life with her
big brother Cooper (Bull mastiff) and her baby brother Dempsey (Frenchie). The
3 of them were absolutely inseparable. When we lost Cooper to cancer in April
of 2010, Dakota was devastated and it took weeks for her to become herself
again. Then this past June we suddenly lost Dempsey and Dakota's heart was
completely broken. Her pack was gone and she was alone.

I own a doggie daycare which Dakota has many friends at, but
they were not "Hers". People who think “come on, it's just a dog",
they have no idea the heartbreak to watch your dog stop playing, stop eating
and the saddest thing of all stop living.

So what do you do? How do you help her?

I tired different flower essence for grief it did nothing. Dakota
was going down fast, she had lost 9lbs in 1 month. In speaking with her
veterinarian I did not have many options I was losing her. Her vet and I had
discussed putting her on an anti- depressant, which neither of us wanted to do.

My vet then said I know you may not be ready, but I think
the only thing that will help her is to get her a puppy. You can never replace
what she's lost BUT you can bring a little piece of love back into her world!

Baby Thatcher walked into our home and saved my Dakota's life.
As much as our hearts are breaking for the loss, our pups grieve just as deeply
and sometimes as I learned even deeper.

An Unconditional Love is not only felt between people, it's
felt between souls.

Nicole began http://www.anunconditionallove.com/ in 2010
when Cooper was diagnosed with cancer.
She is also the owner of http://pawzdoggiedaycare.com/ and a board
member of http://www.2milliondogs.org/.

Welcoming An Adopted Dog into Your Home?

Welcoming an Adopted Dog into
Your Home?

Love Has No
Age Limit the latest from Patricia McConnell
and Karen London should be attached to the collar of every newly adopted dog,
five months and older!

ATTENTION RESCUES & SHELTERS; Deeply
discounted for shelters and rescue organizations, Love Has No
Age Limit is affordable, accessible and destined to help
more dogs find and stay in their forever homes.

Read
an excerpt from the book:

Meeka is our 1 year old Border Collie. She was found in southern Illinois as a stray when
she was only 3 months old. She was rescued by Midwest
Border Collie Rescue where she stayed with a foster family for a little
over a month. A friend told me about her, so I looked her up online. When my
husband and I saw her and read about her online, we just had to meet her. We
loved her from the first time we met her. She did come with a small handful of
issues, including resource guarding, some fear issues, & car chasing/motion
sensitivity. We've worked through almost everything now. Most people we meet
can’t believe she’s a rescue dog. She enjoys playing with her little brother,
Ralphie the Papillon, even though it took about a month to convince him it
might be fun to play. She also loves walks, hiking, running in the fields,
swimming, learning new tricks, training for agility & obedience, and is
always up for a good cuddle. She is a blast and we couldn't have found a better
pup! -Shannon Baade

This post is courtesy of Dr. McConnells' website theotherendoftheleash.com. Please visit for more information on animal behavior and training.

A Dog's Christmas

A
Dog’s Christmas

Author, Jan Casey

According to the
American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 44.8% of households in the U.S.
owned a dog in 2006. From their survey, that equates to approximately 73.9
million dogs. They report “The overall majority of pet owners buy their pet a
gift, usually for Christmas or often for no occasion at all, spending an
average of almost $20.00 per pet gift.” Now that you see you are in good
company, what will you buy for your dog?

An article sent to me by
Bob McMillan of the Herald-Citizen prompted the topic for this column. The AP
wire service published a story about the latest offerings for the doggie
in-crowd. Included were puppooses (crocheted slings in which to carry your dog
across your chest), non-alcoholic dog beer, and wigs for dogs. Wigs for dogs?
As if they didn’t already leave enough hair behind. Rather than send you on a
search for these people-pleasing as opposed to dog- pleasing gifts, I have some
suggestions to make.

Most dogs like toys.
There are the usual toys – balls, stuffed plush animals, Frisbees, to name a
few. Better than those, look at toys that not only exercise the body, but also
the canine mind. Buster cubes, Kongs which can be stuffed with food, and treat
dispensing balls are great. For owners and dogs who know the rules of tugging
(a must before you play tug), a new tuggy toy or combination tug/leash is
great. For dogs that are well-socialized with both people and other dogs, a
gift of doggie day care would be wonderful. How about a sandbox for digging?

Food gifts are also high
on the list as dog gift favorites. Due to recent and ongoing scares within the
pet food industry, my first suggestion is to get online and research some
homemade doggie treats. There is such a wide variety of treats available with
just about every conceivable ingredient. Of course, if you think the smell of
baking liver or tuna might not add much to the wonderful smells of Christmas in
your house, check out some of the wholesome treats available through some of
the local retailers here. A few retailers subscribe to the Whole Dog Journal
which tracks the quality of pet foods and stock only the best suggested foods.
As the Journal does not accept advertisements, it can report in a completely
unbiased way.

While I doubt I would
find equipment on your dog’s wish list, it is something many folks give to
their pets at Christmas. You could make your selection more appealing to your
pet if you replace any aversive equipment (choke collars, prong collars, shock
collars) with more dog friendly equipment. There are wonderful new anti-pull
harnesses out there such as the Easy Walk and Sensi if you have a dedicated
puller. Many of the smaller dogs in my classes have arrived sporting very
flashy material harnesses, a great alternative to collars that can easily
damage tender throats and tracheas.

Of all my
recommendations, I most strongly suggest you give your dog the gift of more
time, not just during the holidays, but all year long. Dogs are social
creatures who want to be a part of the family. Buy yourself a book on games to
play with your dog. Enroll in a class with your dog – take something fun like
agility, flyball, or Rally-O. If your dog is lacking manners, take a basic
manners class that emphasizes building your relationship with your dog as well
as learning behaviors which make them more welcome companions. Commit to
walking a little more with your dog. It will do you both good. When the weather
is nasty, have some good inside games. Hide the dog’s toys. Make it easy at
first by showing the dog where you are hiding the toy, then ask him to find it.
As the dog gets good at this, make it harder. There is a game called 100 things
to do with a box. Set out an ordinary cardboard box and shape your dog into doing
different things with that box. Teach your old (or new) dog some tricks.
Nothing makes clients more tickled than to see their pups learning to hit the
Staples Easy button for a treat or learning a simple shake hands. There are
plenty of books available on trick training.

Christmas is a season
for giving. If you have the available funds, please remember the animal
organizations in the area that need donations – both money and goods – for the
many animals that will not be a part of someone’s Christmas celebration at
home. If you don’t have a dog or any other pet with which to share your life,
give yourself one of the best gifts ever – adopt a pet in need of a home.
You’ll get more back than you can ever imagine.

Jan Casey is a
reward-based trainer in Florida
at Courteous Canine, Inc. www.courteouscanine.com
and owner of Smiles and Wags Pet Services
www.smilesandwags.com. Mrs.
Casey is a member of the Association of Animal
Behavior Professionals. Mrs.
Casey is a columnist for the Cookeville,
Tennessee Herald-Citizen Pet
Pages and Kid's Korner . This column was originally written for the Herald-Citizen www.herald-citizen.com.

Raising Indiana: Jim and Rene with Tripawds

Tonight's Episode is a particularly special one. My dear friends, Jim and Rene, with Tripawds join us to talk about adopting two and three legged canines and critters. We go way back to before the walk and share the same scar from losing a dog to bone cancer. Theirs was Jerry, a handsome shepherd mix who like mine, Malcolm, had a coolness about him and I had the great fortune to meet in 2008.

When Sheila, our producer extraordinnaire, put a couple of tripod Pyrenees up on the blog we came up with the idea for a show on how special needs dogs find good homes. Well, the dynamic husband and wife duo at Tripawds are doing just that. 

We're on Twitter!

Check us out at @FindFuzzybutt4!

Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.

Raising Indiana Ep 6: Robert Mueller

What's in a name? Well, when it's BARF, I'd say alot. This week we're delighted to have on our podcast a true pioneer in pet nutrition and co-founder of BARF World, Robert Mueller, to talk about why the raw diet is better suited for puppies than cooked food or kibble.

I'm The Boss!

Indiana and Mommy S

Look at that expression. Doesn't it just say "Yeah, I'm the boss!"

I jokingly say that Indy is my boss but really if it weren't for this cutie-pie there would be no FFBF or Raising Indiana podcast.

I do have to admit that he is the cutest boss I've ever had!

OK, OK. Back to work Mommy S, back to work...

Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.



The Last Will and Testament of An Extremely Distinguished Dog

The Last Will and Testament of An Extremely
Distinguished Dog

This is the full version
of Eugene O'Neill's The Last Will and Testament of An Extremely
Distinguished Dog, which he wrote to console his wife Carlotta shortly
before their dog Blemie's death from the illnesses of old age.

Last Will and Testament

I, Silverdene Emblem
O'Neill (familiarly known to my family, friends and acquaintances as Blemie),
because the burden of my years is heavy upon me, and I realize the end of my
life is near, do hereby bury my last will and testament in the mind of my
Master. He will not know it is there until I am dead. Then, remembering me in
his loneliness, he will suddenly know of this testament, and I ask him then to
inscribe it as a memorial to me.

I have little in the way
of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than men. They do not set great
store upon things. They do not waste their time hoarding property. They do not
ruin their sleep worrying about objects they have, and to obtain the objects
they have not. There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and
my faith. These I leave to those who have loved me, to my Master and Mistress,
who I know will mourn me most, to Freeman who has been so good to me, to Cyn
and Roy and Willie and Naomi and — but if I should list all those who have
loved me it would force my Master to write a book. Perhaps it is in vain of me
to boast when I am so near death, which returns all beasts and vanities to
dust, but I have always been an extremely lovable dog.

I ask my Master and
Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life I
have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy
in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should
cause them pain. Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier
life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown
blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit
could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick,
bewildered humiliation. I feel life is taunting me with having over lingered my
welcome. It is time I said good-by, before I become too sick a burden on myself
and on those who love me.

It will be sorrow to
leave them, but not a sorrow to die. Dogs do not fear death as men do. We
accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys
life. What may come after death, who knows? I would like to believe with those
of my fellow Dalmatians who are devout Mohammedans, that there is a Paradise
where one is always young and full-bladdered; here all the day one dillies and
dallies with an amorous multitude of houris, beautifully spotted; where
jack-rabbits that run fast but not too fast (like the houris) are as the sands
of the desert; where each blissful hour is mealtime; where in long evenings
there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning and one curls oneself
up and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave
days on earth, and the love of one's Master and Mistress.

I am afraid this is too
much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain.
Peace and long rest for weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleeps
in the earth I have loved so well. Perhaps, after all, this is best.

One last request I
earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, "When Blemie dies we must
never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another
one." Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a
poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again. What I would not like to
feel is that, having once had me in the family, now she cannot live without a
dog! I have never had a narrow jealous spirit. I have always held that most
dogs are good (and one cat, the black one I have permitted to share the
living-room rug during the evenings, whose affection I have tolerated in a
kindly spirit, and in rare sentimental moods, even reciprocated a trifle). Some
dogs, of course, are better than others. Dalmatians, naturally, as everyone
knows, are best.

So I suggest a Dalmatian
as my successor. He can hardly be as well bred, or as well mannered or as
distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must
not ask the impossible. But he will do his best, I am sure, and even his
inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green. To him I
bequeath my collar and leash and my overcoat and raincoat, made to order in
1929 at Hermes in Paris.
He can never wear them with the distinction I did, walking around the Place
Vendome, or later along Park Avenue, all eyes fixed on me in admiration; but
again I am sure he will do his utmost not to appear a mere gauche provincial
dog. Here on the ranch, he may prove himself quite worthy of comparison, in
some respects. He will, I presume, come closer to jackrabbits than I have been able
to in recent years. And, for all his faults, I hereby wish him the happiness I
know will be his in my old home.

One last word of
farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to
yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the
remembrance of my long happy life with you: "here lies one who loved us
and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not
all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

Thanks to Canine Connection LLC http://www.dubuquedogtraining.com/

and http://www.dogquotations.com/