Celebrations that Bother Dogs

Midnight is not an unusual hour for me to see; I've been a night owl since college, the first time it was really possible and permissible for me to do so. Back in high school, there were times in the summer I stayed up later writing, but not often. Now, it's odd if I'm in bed before midnight. I must say, though, the fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve tend to startle me. We celebrate midnight now? Oh, that's right. Auld lang syne.

If fireworks startle me, though, how do dogs feel about them?

The New Year Approacheth

It's that time of year again, when everybody's talking about goals.

I was talking to somebody today who showed me a clipboard with their week's To Do list affixed; I realized that I don't really make To Do lists. I don't even really make shopping lists. I mean, sure, I have a general game plan in mind typically, but it's rare that I actually map out those thoughts in a take along, check list manner.

Which, of course, brought me to my thoughts on the new year.

Product Review: Bergan Dog Auto Harness

It's something that's been on my mind for awhile, but Dogster also had an article lately about whether car restraints for dogs are in fact adequate safety devices, or just a placebo. Of course, I have the EzyDog Chest Plate Harness, which Elka wears on walks (attached to both a leash and her collar, with Liberty's Attachment, for backup safety) and has worn in the car since we got it. She'd already ridden in the backseat once I'd realized that an air bag could kill a dog. But, was the EzyDog Chest Plate Harness safe enough, or only to prevent driver distractions? Should I look at other options as well?

Then one day I was browsing the Animal Rescue Site, and lo and behold, I saw the Bergan Dog Auto Safety Harness, which claimed to be safety rated. It certainly bore investigation! I contacted the Bergan Pet Products company via their web site, and they were kind enough to provide a harness for me to review.

Wordless Wednesday December 26 2012

Just thinking about the holidays is exhausting!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from the Elka Almanac

Would you consider sponsoring a senior Doberman?

Just missed Christmas Etsy fun

I'm told a lot of people do their Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. Nowadays, I think some stores even have some sooper dooper last minute sales, for those 11th hour gift seekers.

It's certainly too late now to get anything shipped for Christmas, but one could certainly order and print a picture, and then put it in an envelope with a "Watch the mail for....!" card. Right? Or is that weird? Maybe it's weird.

Regardless. Submitted for your approval, more Etsy finds!

(and if you missed it the first time, here were my other Etsy finds)

Buddy book giveaway winner!

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to see who the winner is of Buddy (How a Rooster Made me a Family Man), by Brian McGrory. Well, wait no longer!

Zippypaws Review!

I was approached by a representative of Zippypaws to do a review and offer a coupon code (Expires December 31!) to my readers.

Of course Elka is always happy to try out new toys, and I'm interested in seeing what's out there. According to the information that they sent me, Zippypaws designs and manufactures their toys in-house, so that the products are less expensive for dog owners. Well that's nice of them, isn't it? So frequently, I see toys that seem to cost an awful lot of money for what I know for a fact will be destroyed in short order, once it's delivered to Elka's waiting maw. They also have free shipping in the U.S. for orders over $10

Which begs the question, as Zippypaws sent me three stuffed toys with squeakers in them, how do they hold up?

Wordless Wednesday December 19 2012

Witty Title Here

So, I didn't really know what to post about. It's rare that I'm at a loss for doggie words, but there it is.

So, a couple of random things (that I suppose I could have/should have saved for This 'n' That Thursday with 2 Brown Dawgs et al, but, well, it's Tuesday and I'm stalling for a "real" post come Thursday. Dreams really do come true, right?)

An article about BPA leech and dog toys. I can't be the only one who wishes we didn't have to worry about stuff like this. But, with big industry comes big problems. Clearly. And the pet industry is a big 'un nowadays. At least they've finally outlawed it in baby bottles?

Let's see....

Doggie-Vous Francais?

One day last week, I saw on some news site or other, that there was a proposal to make sure all dogs in Montreal understood cues in both English and French. The notion would be that since in that part of Canada, lots of folks speak French, there shouldn't be linguistic barriers if you were interacting with stranger-dogs and stranger-people. Yearly testing to make sure owners were complying, etc. The thought of legislated language requirements in dog training makes me suffer ennui.

Of course, it was evidently a spoof. But that doesn't stop it from being an interesting thought. Does your dog understand more than one spoken human language? How is your dog doing with just English?

Good new for Sayrevile, NJ shelter!

I've been checking on the Sayreville, NJ Petfinder page, but hadn't gotten back there for awhile.

Guess what?

I'll let you read it in their words:

DECEMBER 8, 2012: IT'S OFFICIAL...AS OF TODAY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL PETS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN LOVING HOMES! The staff of SPAC would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of our faithful supporters for your kindness and generosity. Thanks to you we were able to remain open throughout 2012 and to find homes for an additional 450 pets who would have otherwise had nowhere else to go. PLEASE REMEMBER TO VISIT AND SUPPORT OUR OTHER LOCAL SHELTERS AND RESCUES WHO HAVE MANY WONDERFUL CATS AND DOGS WHO STILL NEED HOMES. We will miss you all...... 

So, I'm not sure if anybody got there and got a pet because of reading this blog. If so, that's pretty rad. If not, it's still rad. All of those dogs and cats are now at home!

Book Review: Buddy (how a rooster made me a family man) by Brian McGrory

I was given a copy of Buddy (How a rooster made me a family man) by Brian McGrory to review, and to give away to my fine readers! When I heard the title, really I just had to read the book. It's not every day we have heartwarming life lessons coming from roosters (at least not roosters named Buddy; Chanticleer from The Book of the Dun Cow [and various other tales, though I guess he's not the same exact character in every one] I guess has a pretty good track record).

December in the park

On our most recent walk, Elka and I pretty much had the park to ourselves.

We kind of nodded and smiled "hello" at a couple of passers by, and saw one guy who looked like he was doing a snail's pace circuit of the park while doing some kind of martial arts kata (we gave him a wide berth). I can't say that I minded, really.

Wordless Wednesday December 12 2012

A Holiday Giving Tree

The Delaware Valley Doberman Pinscher Assistance, inc organization has a virtual holiday giving tree that they put up every year. You can buy lights and ornaments to help decorate the tree, and help Dobermans! They are a 501-3c organization, so these donations are tax deductible (via Paypal, looks like).

Every year, the DVDPA helps Dobermans find new homes!  From their web site:

DVDPA, Inc. was started in 1989. Our group rescues an average of 100 Dobermans each year in the PA, NJ, & Delaware region. We have also helped to place other Doberman by referrals.

Please consider helping the Dobermans in need this holiday season.

Let's Talk About Worms

I’ve talked about many different health issues affecting dogs, and Dobermans in particular, on this blog so I thought today I might zoom in on a particular problem: worms. Not a nice thing to think about but, thankfully, something we can avoid if we do.

After some research on the topic, I’ve come up with some top tips to help keep your dog worm free.

See your vet regularly
A good vet should keep an eye out for symptoms of worms, and even check their stools once in a while. If they find evidence of a worm infection, they’ll be able to advise you on what kind of dog wormer is best for your pet.

Make your dog’s business your business
It’s not the most pleasant of jobs for us dog owners, but when you’re cleaning up after your dog look for evidence of worms. Basically, anything stringy or irregular should set off alarm bells. If your dog is having trouble going, it might mean a build-up of worms in his gut as well so get him checked out.

Monitor your dog’s behaviour
Keep an eye on your dog’s appearance and behavior. If his energy levels or appetite changes, or if you notice his belly looks bigger than usual, these could be signs he’s battling a worm infection.

Treat worms before they happen
They say prevention is better than cure. I’ve got one word for this: petmeds. It’s so important to keep your dog in good health and that includes a regular dog worming treatment. Adult dogs should be wormed every three months. After each treatment, make a note in your diary to ensure your pet is never put at risk by being unprotected.  

Fight fleas
Dogs can catch fleas easily, and fleas spread tapeworm, so if you give your dog anti-flea treatments, you’re less likely to have to deal with worms.

Keep his nose out of it
Don’t let your dog sniff around other dogs’ mess. This is one of the prime ways worms can be transmitted.

Be responsible
While you may be a responsible dog owner, unfortunately not everyone is. You can’t always know if other dogs have flea or worm infections, but when you do, keep your pet away from infected animals.

Hopefully these top tips will help keep your dog healthy and worm free, but if in doubt, speak to your vet about protecting your dog from unpleasant – and avoidable – infections.


Note: This post was sponsored by http://www.vetvits.co.uk/

Sayreville, NJ Animal Shelter closing, Adoptions Free

While I've heard of Sayreville, New Jersey, I've never been there. It's north of my New Jersey point of origin. It boasts an animal shelter that is no kill, The Sayreville Pet Adoption Center, but it's closing after December 31. As a result, with 80 dogs and cats still in residence, they're having free adoptions to try and get everybody safe and home before those doors close for the final time.

(Brutus, a dog listed on the Petfinder page at the time of this blog)

From their Petfinder page:

We're right next door to the Sayreville Police Station.SHELTER HOURS: Monday through Friday: 12 Noon to 7 PMSaturday & Sunday 12 Noon to 4 PM The best and most greatly loved cats and dogs live at SPAC - come and see!It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of Sayreville Pet Adoption Center effective December 31, 2012. Unfortunately like so many others we have fallen victim to the economy. Providing and caring for over 120 animals on a daily basis is no easy task. We have always strived to provide a clean and safe facility along with the best veterinary care for our shelter pets in a warm and nurturing environment. This endeavor has been a joy and a labor of love. The loss of our municipal contracts combined with the rising costs of vaccines, medications, supplies, utilities, maintenance and upkeep of our shelter has taken a toll on our budget as well as the impact of events relating to Hurricane Sandy. Although it is difficult, we are forced to think with our heads instead of our hearts and to face the fact that even with the overwhelming outpouring of donations and support from our many friends, we simply cannot sustain operations any longer. The staff of SPAC would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of our faithful supporters for your kindness and generosity. Thanks to you we were able to remain open throughout 2012 and to find homes for an additional 450 pets who would have otherwise had nowhere else to go. We still have over 80 dogs and cats with us at this time who are looking for their forever homes. We are deeply honored to have been touched by the lives of these precious animals and by our many volunteers and friends. Thank you. PS - It should be noted that the operations of SPAC have been subsidized by Sayrebrook Veterinary Hospital since the time SPAC opened. In today's economy, it is no longer possible for Sayrebrook to do so. We are grateful for everything.

If you're near Sayreville, NJ and looking to add a new family member, this might be a good fit for you. The Petfinder page also cautions that they do no same day adoptions, and that adoption applications may be completed via email. Other important information is that all dogs and cats are spayed or neutered, all dogs are tested for heartworm, and all cats are tested for leukemia.

(Shiraz, a cat listed as available for adoption on the Petfinder page at the time of this blog)

Edited December 15 2012: Apparently, as of December 8, all of the animals at the Sayreville Shelter have found homes! It's a Christmas miracle!

Do you do audiobooks?

Not really dog related (I mean, we could play six degrees here, but I don't tend to play the Kevin Bacon one. I relate everything back to Fight Club instead), but I was sent this awesome infographic about free audiobooks that you can download online. Audiobooks aren't really my thing, personally, but we do a brisk "business" of them at the library, and so I was happy to pass this one along. Reading is reading, right? A lot of people listen to them on commutes, or while working out, or while doing housework.

It's a fairly simple process on that site: You download the Ambling book player, and then you download your free audiobooks (Sorry it's so small, but when I leave it "original size" it's just far too HUGE for the site's format).

Would Your Dog Protect Your Home? (From SomethingWagging)

Head over to Something Wagging This Way Comes, where Pamela posted about a topic I've ruminated upon before (most recently in September): Would your dog protect your home? Thsi is a topic visited periodically on the Doberman board, and I guess amongst dog owners in general. There's a video, you see, wherein CBS Atlanta first planted cameras in a home, then took a dog trainer in a bite suit and had him "break in" to each house.

The "test" was interesting to watch, though not scientific in any regard. More for fun, I guess. My issues with it are somewhat nitpicky, but hey, if we're going to play at housebreaking, it might as well be realistic as possible, for the dogs' sakes, right?

I did comment on Pamela's entry, but I'll repeat myself here.

(guy in a bite suite, from the Wikimedia Commons)

Holiday things to benefit the Doberman Assistance Network

December 15th deadline! Place your order with Gina Austin at Dobieblue AT aol DOT com and send your payment to helpdobes AT dobermanassistance DOT org

Also, the Doberman Assistance Network is having a raffle!

(picture from Day 3)

As of December 1st, D.A.N. is conducting a "12 Days of Christmas Raffle". Over the next 12 days, we will add a new gift to the raffle.

Raffle tickets cost $3.00, or (2) for $5.00. Payment MUST be made by check to (PayPal payments are NOT accepted):

Doberman Assistance Network
c/o Heidi Merriman
3852 LaColina Road
El Sobrante, CA 94803

Once your check is received, your raffle ticket numbers will be emailed to you.
Please share and cross-post this raffle to other Doberman groups that you belong to, post to your Facebook page and Twitter feed, and share with your family and friends. All money raised goes to help with pull fees, boarding before transport can be arranged, vet fees and medication when needed and health certificates.

Wordless Wednesday December 5 2012

Nature's Logic, Sardine oil and food review

So, waaaaay back in October, I won a giveaway from CindyLu's Muse for a 16 oz bottle of Nature's Logic Sardine Oil. I thought "Awesome!" because we give Elka olive oil or coconut oil on her kibble about once a day, especially in the winter, because she'll frequently end up with slightly dry and flaky skin.

Well, when the rep contacted me for my address, CindyLu's Muse had mentioned that I was a blogger as well. So, I was offered a bag of Nature's Logic kibble, my flavor choice (well, I had the choice of canned as well, but kibble works out better for us)! Good deal, right?

Elka was pretty excited when I told her...primed at the food bowl, in fact.

Farewell, Gummy Bear

Well, Elka's Gummy Bear (first seen here, as it was a birthday gift) has gone on to the next world.

Really, it was a tough toy. From May to November? That's a definite squeaky toy record. Most of them are ten minutes. It always makes me wonder, this pet toy people, if they actually have pets or what. Most toys, I can gauge their play life just by handling them in the store. Most of those toys stay at the store.

The gummy bear was rugged, though. And loud.

Make Santa Pay!

How cool is this? From the Special Needs Dobermans Facebook page:

NaNoWriMo: And, done

Well, I didn't finish the book, but I certainly reached 50,000 words (50, 937 according to the word count validator, though Open Office says 52, 037. That's a disappointing discrepancy). And ordered the t-shirt.

This was an interesting novel to (mostly) write. I outlined most of it, for one, though there was a point at which the outline didn't matter anymore. I made some changes in the actual writing of the novel, which made some things make more sense, and made the outline eventually obsolete.

My interest in dogs has quite permeated my writing, depending on the topic. Considering this is a werewolf series (well, duology currently. I'd like to make it a trilogy, I think), I made an effort to use canine body language, even when the characters were acting as humans rather than canids. It made sense in the context, and was interesting to think about. What does angry look like? Interest? Nervousness? It's interesting to compare these things to human body language as well; have you watched the show Lie To Me? You should.

Red Female Doberman for Adoption in Texas

Look, guys, this is Ginger! She's a 4 year old red Doberman in Waco Texas.

She's spayed, heartworm negative, and fully vetted. Apparently her owners dumped her in a high kill facility when it turned out that she didn't get along with cats. I don't know where she's from originally (meaning what breeder, bloodlines, etc.) or how long those people had her, but her life is not in danger. She was pulled from the kill place, and is in foster care now, but obviously, she'd love to have a home to go to!

Ginger is in Texas under the purview of ADAPT rescue (it stands for "A Doberman Adoption Placement Team", according to the log on their site.)  Following that link, you can donate to the rescue directly, even if you're not interested in adopting Ginger. If you ARE interested in adopting Ginger (I guess you'd guess that the gist here is "no cats"), the information can be found on her Adopt a Pet web page.

Wordless Wednesday November 28 2012

Dishwasher Safe

Every once in awhile, like a mother pulling a security blanket (or security stuffed animal) from a child, I'll run Elka's puzzle toys through the dishwasher. I should probably do it more often, but really, she licks her butt. How concerned can I be?

The little Kong looks about good as new

Letting Elka just be a dog

There are times I think about all of the expectations that we have for Elka, and the expectations that dogs carry while trying to live in our society, and it's kind of overwhelming, really. I know that for me, sometimes  it's hard enough to remember all the social rules; dogs are really very smart, to do as well as they do.

There are times, though, I just have to let her be a dog. At the park especially, as I talked about in my recent sniffing post. Sniffing is important to dogs; their olfactory sense is just so strong as to be incomprehensible to me. You know what else is kind of a dog thing? Getting dirty.

Friday followup: Pancho, the puppies, and a DAN auction (ends tomorrow)

One thing that drives me crazy about finding information on the Internet, about "death row" dogs, and sick puppies, is frequently you never hear how it turns out. You assume the worse, really. Though it's better to hope that they were adopted, and went to lovely homes where the adopters are not nearly as interested in the Internet as the rest of us.

I've done that too you a couple of times here. It wasn't intentional, obviously, but I don't always learn the answer either. Today, though, I have a couple of partial answers!

The puppies who may or may not have had Parvo are still holding on. Bluebell is unfortunately still not well, but is trying to hold her own.

Thankful

There are many things I'm thankful for.

Having Elka has changed and enriched my life in a fantastic way. The fact that I can share these experiences with my friends, my family, and you fine people is pretty amazing.

I'm thankful for my job. I'm thankful for the roof over my head. I'm thankful for my fiancé. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for my friends. I'm thankful for my dog. I'm thankful for my love of writing, and my enjoyment of it. I'm thankful for the readers of this blog. I'm thankful for my love of reading.

I'm sure I've mentioned in passing here that I don't much like poetry. I've talked about it on my writing blog (which is not family friendly, so any of my younger cousins reading this, please don't get me in trouble with your parents!)

There are some poets that I like, though. Mary Oliver is somebody I'm reading recently. T.S. Elliot I like. Allen Ginsberg (and it delights me to no end that somebody on Twitter tweets a line from Howl every hour) (Howl is also not family friendly, depending on the age. I read it first my Freshman year of college. At the end of this post, I'm going to be very thankful for my family. And their understanding that I'm a grown up and use grown up words sometimes). But yeah, Mary Oliver. In New and Selected Poems, Volume II, she wrote Percy, about her dog. Part 1 is Monday Mischief worthy, about a chewed book. Part 2 is pure dog love.

Percy

(One)

Our new dog, named for the beloved poet,

ate a book which unfortunately we had

left unguarded.

Fortunately, it was the Bhagavad Gita,

of which many copies are available.

Every day now, as Percy grows

into the beauty of his life, we touch

his wild, curly head and say,

"Oh, wisest of little dogs."

(Two)

I have a little dog who likes to nap with me.

He climbs on my body and puts his face in my neck.

He is sweeter than soap.

He is more wonderful than a diamond necklace,

which can't even bark.

I would like to take him to Kashmir and the Ukraine,

and Jerusalem and Palestine and Iraq and Darfur,

that the sorrowing thousands might see his laughing mouth.

I would like to take him to Washington, right into

the oval office

where Donald Rumsfeld would crawl out of the president's 

armpit

and kneel down on the carpet, and romp like a boy.

For once, for a moment, a rational man.

Wordless Wednesday November 21 2012

Puppy Elka, the night that she came home.

Of course, she hasn't stopped being a lapdog. She's considerably larger than the 16 pounds she was, though!

(43,811 words)

Thanksgiving is coming!

This happens to me every year, perhaps because of National Novel Writing Month, but Thanksgiving has snuck right up on me!

Last year I posted about this lovely holiday play set that Target had. I don't think Target has brought it back, unfortunately, but because I've carefully guarded it, we've still got it! But, I also talked about food safety, and things like that bear repeating.

One thing that we've noticed at holiday time with Elka is that sometimes, when somebody *coughnotmecough* feeds her things like turkey skin, she has the runs after. I guess this is a good indicator that she has just enough fat in her diet, and doesn't need more of it in "lump sum" quantities. We've never given her what seems to be a massive amount of turkey skin, but we won't be doing any of that this year. Pancreatitis is one of those things you have to watch out for, and I've seen other blogs and web sites caution against loading your dog up on high fat things at any time. There are other ways to give them treats, they don't need to be greasy and fatty!

I've discovered this year that Elka really loves sweet potatoes. Mostly because every time I have sweet potato, she sings at my plate until I give her some. I tend to just bake them, with some butter or some olive oil, and find they don't really need much more than that. I didn't used to like sweet potatoes; add it to the list, I guess.

So, safe and happy holidays, folks!

Do Not Eat

So, my lovely Elka. My mostly well behaved dog? Yeah, she tried to give me a heart attack the other day.

We got an item in the mail that must have had one of those silica gel packets in it. I didn't see the packet when I opened the package.

I did, however, see it when I found it chewed open on the couch when we left her alone in the house for like, fifteen minutes. Little bead looking things everywhere. Torn paper.

I picked it up, and immediately called the vet. Elka was still dancing around in her "yay, you're home!" fervor. 

I laid it out for the person who answered the phone, she asked how big Elka was, then asked if she was in their system. Then she said "Oh, the Dobie." I said "Yes, the Dobie," impatient but starting to be hopeful. The person who'd answered the phone sounded somewhat amused. "We just went through this not too long ago with somebody else," she said. "I think she'll be all right, but hold on, let me make sure." I waited on hold for what seemed like an interminable amount of time but was really less than a minute. When she came back on, she said "Yes, she'll be fine. I asked a tech, who also asked a vet, and there's nothing to worry about with her size."

Of course, it could be that Miss Elka never ingested any of it at all, just chewed on the paper. I'll never know. This was Friday, and she's been fine since, behaviorally and gastrointestinally. But when something says "Do Not Eat", I tend to think it's for some dark reason. According to the Wikipedia article (the hallmark for good solid online medical research, I know /sarcasm), "Silica gel is non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-reactive and stable with ordinary usage." However, it does also say "Silica gel is irritating to the respiratory tract and may cause irritation of the digestive tract", which is in fact a valid reason not to eat the things (do you hear this, Elka? Hmm, Missy?). 

(NaNoWriMo wordcount is 40,136 words)

Place an order through Zen Paw Creations, help Dobermans!

Zen Paw Creations, on Etsy, has a fantastic offer right now. When you place an order through them, $5 gets donated to the Doberman Assistance Network (when you note it in the order comments, of course, that you're ordering with this in mind).

(image on the Zen Paw Creations Etsy store)

Perusing the store, she really has some nifty stuff. People who  know me, though, know that I really like jewelry. 

(image on the Zen Paw Creations Etsy store)

So, if there's a dog lover in your life who you think would be thrilled with the double gift of a custom made piece and a donation to help Dobermans in need, consider picking something up for them from the Zen Paw Creations store on Etsy.

Doberman on Death Row in Manhattan

This is Pancho. See what a handsome boy he is?

He's in a kill shelter in Manhattan. I'm not sure how many days he's supposed to have. Or how many days he has left. 

PANCHO - A0951039
I am an unaltered male, black and brown Doberman Pinscher mix.
The shelter staff think I am about 1 year old.
I weigh 79 pounds.
I was found in NY 10030.
I have been at the shelter since Nov 14, 2012

Know anybody in Manhattan who could use a beautiful, fit, Doberman? Or pull him and help him get a great home? Maybe his owners will see one of these posts online, and be able to reclaim him in time.

There are links here and here about him on Facebook. I dearly hope that my post is redundant, and his rescue angel is already on his or her way. I don't know his history at all, only that he is intact.

But look at his face. I've never seen a picture of a dog in a shelter look like that. He looks happy, and confident, and cared for. I wonder if he was displaced by Sandy? Maybe he wasn't microchipped, or the chip moved. I guess he wasn't tattooed either. Also from Facebook:

For more information on adopting please read the following:
https://www.facebook.com/Urgentdeathrowdogs/app_137541772984354
DO NOT call the shelter and say you are adopting unless you truly intend on physically going to the shelter to adopt the dog. It ties up phones lines and is a waste of the staff's time to explain the adoption procedure over the phone for someone who is purposely not going to show up. They need every free second of their time to answer calls, assist actual adopters, process intakes, and care for the animals. More importantly, they will note the dog’s file that an adopter is en route which will prevent an actual adopter from saving the dog. This is considered a "fake adoption" hold and that is how dogs fall through the cracks and end up being killed.
For more information on a particular dog, email adoption@nycacc.org but ONLY if serious about adopting, and ONLY if you are able to GO TO the shelter in-person. Please do not email for status updates... the only thing you will accomplish is spamming their in boxes and causing REAL adopter emails to go un-noticed. Contact the NYC ACC at (212) 788-4000 for further automated instructions.

Edited to correct: His "out date" is November 17, according to the second Facebook page.

To sniff or not to sniff?

When you're out on walks, do you allow your dog to sniff willy-nilly?

Do you use sniffing as a reward?

Do you say no sniffing, no how?

I do all three, depending on the situation. Sounds confusing? Elka mostly has it straight. I've come to my criteria as we grew together.

Urgent: Doberman puppies need help! (updated 11-16)

The Doberman Assistance Network rescued four 10 week old puppies from a breeder in South Carolina yesterday. Sadly, they all have parvo. There were in fact five puppies, but one has died.

If you can help them in any way, please visit the sponsorship page on the Doberman Assistance Network website.

Parvo is an infectious disease that is almost always fatal in puppies. They vomit, they get diarrhea, they become lethargic and dehydrated very quickly.

Parvo is something that is vaccinated for by responsible owners, but at 10 weeks, these puppies would not have received adequate immunization against it. 

The puppies are receiving emergency care at non discount prices. No amount that you can give is too small; if you can donate at all, it could mean a big difference for these puppies' lives. 

Please, if you can spare it, donate to the care of these puppies. They didn't ask for this.

Edited to add on November 16: Unfortunately, the little red girl (who the Doberman Assistance Network christened Rose), did not make it. Her sisters, Violet and Bluebell, are scheduled to come off of IV's today. Their brother, Dodger, has remained full of beans. When Violet and Bluebell were moved to a different vet, their Parvo tests actually came back negative, but they were full of parasites (hookworms and whipworms), so it would seem their prognosis is better than anticipated! It's unclear whether the first vet was incorrect, ran an incorrect test, etc. Thank you everybody who has donated, and anybody who will consider donating. It saves lives!

Dodger (don't you love his face? He's trouble, clearly!)

Dog Treats From the Grocery Store

There are times Elka is picky about the treats handed to her.

Oh, she'll always take them, but whether she eats them is something else. The last time we were in Tractor Supply, she very nicely took the Milkbone from the cashier, and then set it down on the plastic bag loader (not even on the floor!) and looked at the lady, as if to say "All right, what else do you have?"

So, as a followup to my recent post about having found decent food in my grocery store, I also found decent treats. Just a few ingredients. They are, however, little crunchy bone shaped biscuits.