Parvo and Boarding Your Dog

Last week I got a call from a potential new dog boarding client. In the course of talking she mentioned that her dog had just recovered from Parvo and her vet had said she was good to go 2 days before. Warning bells went off in my head. I said "I want to call my vet now, and I will call you back".  My vet said you don't want to take a dog that has just recovered from Parvo. It takes 1 to 3 months to be sure the dog is fully recovered. I called the woman back and told her I could not take her dog for a 3 month period of time. I appreciated her honesty, and she appreciated the information.

Parvo is a very contagious virus. The virus is shed in large amounts in the stools of acutely infected dogs for up to several weeks following infection. The disease is transmitted by oral contact with infected feces. Parvo can be carried on the dog’s hair and feet, as well as on contaminated crates, shoes, and other objects. When the dog licks the fecal material off hair, feet, or anything that came in contact with infected feces, he acquires the disease. Parvo affects dogs of all ages, but most cases occur in puppies 6 to 20 weeks of age. Parvo is an expensive illness to treat and can be fatal.*

This is why it is important to isolate young puppies as much as possible from other dogs and from potential sources of infection until they complete the parvo vaccination series at 16 weeks of age. Whenever I have had a puppy I have walked them in my own yard. I took care NOT to walk them where other dogs were walked. This is not easy, but your dog's health depends on it. IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY when it comes to your sweet dog.
*If you have any questions about Parvo or any other dog health matter please contact your vet.

Original Jobs of Small Dogs

This is really fun because I had never heard of some of these.

Most of us know that small dogs were used as lap dogs to keep their owners warm, but did you know that Miniature Poodles were used as handwarmers? They were kept in the long sleeves of nobility during the Renaissance. They were known as "sleeve dogs".

Yorkies were used as War Dogs because they were fearless and could warn soldiers of oncoming enemy advances. They also entertained the soldiers. That part is not hard to believe.

Small dogs were also used as watchdogs and walked the palace walls. Some were expected to guard their Lady's chambers and were used as canine burglar alarms.

For more information on this and other interesting dog facts go to www.dogster.com.

Choosing a new dog...do your homework

It is so exciting when you decide to pick a new dog for your family. You must treat this decision as one of the most important you will ever make. You are choosing a 'forever' member of your family. You have to decide which breed will fit in with your lifestyle. Do you have small children? Which is the best breed for a growing family? Which breed will be a fit for your house or apartment? How big a yard will the dog need? Is someone home during the day to let the dog out? Do you need a doggy door? There are so many questions when bringing home a new family member. There are many resources available to you. You can research books in the library. You can go online. You can speak to a veterinarian or a breeder.

Please give this at least as much thought as you would if you were purchasing a car. An animal should never have to be returned if you have put some thought into the process.

Can My Dog Come with me to Run Errands?

*This is the rule of thumb I use if I want to take one of my dogs with me in the car any time of year, not just in the Summer: 

1. Can my dog come in with me everywhere I am going? 

2. Is there any chance my dog would have to wait in the car while I go inside? 

If the answers to these questions are 1. No, 2. Yes, then I leave my dog home where I know he will be safe and happy.

Dogs (and children) CANNOT be left in your car while you run into the grocery store for a couple of items. All it takes is a few minutes in a hot car for any living thing to expire. Be kind to your pets...when in doubt leave them home.

*I know most of you know this and it seems like common sense, but I would hate for someone to lose a pet because they had never heard this before. 

Did I Forget to Mention...

I LOVE taking care of dogs. Dogs are always honest. They will always find a way to tell you what is on their minds. Their people might forget to mention that they can open a gate and get out on their own, or it might have gone unmentioned that Fido has never been fixed, but sure enough when Fido walks away, you will see the proof waddling away with him. To get the best care for your dog always let your dog handler know about your dog's personality, his little quirks; essentially what makes your pet special. Both your dog and your handler will appreciate full disclosure.

Can you kiss your dog's lips?

Can you kiss your dog's lips? No - because they don't have lips. They have flews.

Have you heard that a dog's mouth is cleaner than your mouth? I say that all the time. I just discovered that it's an urban legend. It may not be true, but now I know that dog bacteria is species specific so you are less likely to catch something from your dog then your human friends. Yes, I know where my dog's mouth has been. Ewwwww! That's probably more than you an say for your human friends. So go ahead and kiss your dog. After all, they love us unconditionally. Don't we owe them the same loyalty? :[)

The Spiritual Lives of Dogs

Are dogs spiritual? Evidence says yes they are. The dog on the left looks like he's praying doesn't he? "Oh doggy universe, please provide enough toys and chewy bones for all of dogkind, especially my best friends, Abbey and Captain. rrrruff and amen."

Seriously, dogs are more open than people are. In that way they are like children. They don't have a belief system that holds them back. We can learn much from our dogs. Spend some time on their level. Get down on the floor and play with them and see things from their perspective. It's not all butts and snouts. Well... yeah... it is. :-)