When trying to educate on dog message boards (warning, .gif post)

We've had a spate of new (and some not so new) users on Doberman Talk who have bought their puppies from less than reputable breeders and are being very public about how it was their choice, they're going to love their dogs anyway, we're all meany butts, etc. etc.

Okay. Fair point, it is their choice. And at least one of them is a troll, more likely than not. It doesn't take a lot of Doberman Talk browsing to learn what the hot buttons are: taking a puppy home too soon, bringing a male puppy into a house where there are other males, ear crop issues when a natural eared puppy was purchased from a backyard breeder and the new owner is searching for or has found a less than optimal cropping vet.

I'm not the most knowledgeable of members on Doberman Talk. There are many people there who have been in Dobermans for longer than I've been alive. There are people there who have been picking up the pieces from bad breeders for years and years, working with rescues, getting puppies shoved at them, almost anything you can imagine.

The ONE thing

I see this topic a lot on dog message boards. I figured I'd ask it here, because after all, you guys are my "dog people" too!

What is the ONE thing you wish you knew before you brought your dog home?

I of course can't limit it to one. But I've got a solid five, anyway.

Dogs and Babies

I got the New York Times "dogs" article alert and sighed when I saw the title: "The Dog Bit Me". Oh boy. I read it anyway, of course. I wanted to know how bad it ended up for the parties involved. For those of you whose stomachs dropped with mine, the kid was bitten, but not "mauled" or disfigured. The dog was also fine; already, in fact, in residence with the grandparents, but this was a family visit.

Some blasts from the past

I've been unpleasantly sick this week, so little "real" blogging is to be had. I figured I'd take today to link to some of my older posts, from "before I was cool" (I tried this on my writing blog, with what seems like minimal success. I guess that one isn't cool yet?) Truth be told, without the computer and blog, I'd be pretty confused regarding what day it is; missing work does throw one for a loop. But there we go, it's after Wordless Wednesday, so that means it's Thursday

Freedom? Or Negligence?

Take a moment and read this article: Hold Tight? Or Unleash?. Don't worry, I'll wait.

Finished? Do you feel kind of ambivalent? Perhaps a little disgusted?

The article, should you decide not to read it, is written by a woman, Lissa Rankin, whose 6 month old puppy was struck and killed on the  road out behind her house, because (to paraphrase), said dog hated her leash and clearly wanted to be a country dog. The property is not fenced, and the author was inside preparing for a teleclass, when the poor man who struck said dog with his car called her, remorseful.

The author continues on, talking about how the dog, Bezoar (which I found to be a strange name, as "A bezoar is a ball of swallowed foreign material (usually hair or fiber) that collects in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines." [PubMed Health]) could have been kept inside that day, much like how parents of the children at Sandy Hook might have kept their children home from school that day.

WHAT?

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/

When is a debt paid? What does forgiven mean?

So, I'm sure it's not a surprise to anybody at this point that Michael Vick is a dog owner again. Or a "pet owner", according to his carefully worded official statement:

“I understand the strong emotions by some people about our family’s decision to care for a pet. As a father, it is important to make sure my children develop a healthy relationship with animals. I want to ensure that my children establish a loving bond and treat all of God’s creatures with kindness and respect. Our pet is well cared for and loved as a member of our family. This is an opportunity to break the cycle. To that end, I will continue to honor my commitment to animal welfare and be an instrument of positive change.”

He was sentenced, he spent 18 months in jail on charges related to dogfighting, and his three years of parole are up. During those three years, he had psychotherapy, and did some speaking out against dogfighting with the Humane Society CEO, Wayne Pacelle. So, do I think Michael Vick should be able to own dogs again?

Well, from what I understand from having read The Lost Dogs, he himself had a personal hand in the killing of several of the dogs that he owned. From what I've read when he was interviewed on the topic, the language he used wasn't very sorry. Or, scratch that; the language he used didn't reflect that he was sorry he had tortured and killed dogs. The language he used indicated that he was sorry he was caught and punished. During his enforced three years of no dog ownership, he has said how "unfair" it was that his daughters could not have a dog, and it was "hard for him to explain" the reason behind it. I confess to feeling a lack of empathy for him; he made a choice, many times, to do horribly cruel things for his dogs. I'm supposed to feel bad that he's suffering for his choice, and that the consequence reflects on his daughters? Sorry, but no.

I see in articles that Michael Vick and his family was encouraged to adopt from a shelter or rescue. I'm not sure if they're familiar with the fact that these organizations tend to do background checks. As the Best Friends Soceity points out, "have you owned a dog before?", among others, will be a pretty tricky question to answer. I do wonder who it was actually gave this man a dog.

The bottom line is that it really doesn't matter what I think. The crimes are not mine to forgive. There are a lot of people who think it's no big deal that he fought dogs. There are a lot of people who think he should have had a far worse sentence, including being barred from owning dogs for the rest of his life. There are people who only care whether he plays a good game of football.

I will say this for him: he didn't have to enter a partnership with the Humane Society. He didn't have to speak to Congress in support of an anti-dogfighting bill. He didn't have to go to schools and talk to kids in an effort to steer them away from dog fighting (if I'm wrong about any of this, and these things were actually part of the terms of his supervised release, please tell me and link me the sources. I do not want to spread any incorrect information).

So, do I think Michael Vick should be able to own a dog again? No. I'm not sure if I think it's too soon, or if he's entirely unforgivable, but I do not trust the safety of a dog under his care.

Some statistical popularity

Sometimes, it surprises me what gets the most attention on my blog.

For instance, last Friday's post, A small rant.... has gotten 164 hits, 28 comments (well, 56, but that's because I replied to them all) and 4 shares on Google+!  It's not a surprise that some judicious grousing about something got attention, and there was some equal commiseration, and also some good discourse. I do want to emphasize that I don't dislike small dogs; I dislike irresponsible owners. Often the two dovetail, to my dismay, but to my relief, nobody seemed to think that I hated little dogs. So that's good.

Another popular post lately? The Doberman: Color, which I first posted on April 5. Are you ready for this? That one has gotten 1250 hits. I hope for people to be interested when I post Doberman specific things (this is kind of a "Doberman blog" after all, in addition to being a dog ownership one), and my color post has consistently received readership in the months since it first went live.

To give you a sense of scale, my total hits to date since starting this blog on April 7, 2011, is 57,257. I wonder how much it could have been if I did that color post earlier! Still, more than 50k is pretty good, in my estimation.

I'm not sure how many email followers I have, but I have 82 people who publicly follow The Elka Almanac using the Google widget dealie. Many of you also common with good regularity, which I really appreciate! I enjoy the dialogue that having a blog like this fosters with other dog owners. It really helps me get my nerd out. We're all on this road with our dogs, and I like talking to the people who are sharing the journey and seeing where it takes us.

Dog Bloggers Unite for Rescue

Even though I got Elka from a breeder, I do what I can to support dog rescue, and Doberman rescue, as well. 

Rescue is more than just driving cute puppies around, or finding a box of them on the doorstep. Rescue is heartbreaking, intense, and grueling work. I have nothing but admiration and thanks for people who are on the front lines in the rescue of any breed, and any animal. It takes guts, and stubbornness and patience. It takes faith that there will be money, that there will be a spot, that a vet can be found and a home.

Dog rescue relies heavily upon donations, of time, money, and supplies. Dog rescue survives because of peoples' generosity, and their unwillingness to let the cruelty or inattention of others to go unanswered.

Real dog rescue, where lives are saved, struggles and triumphs every day.

Real dog rescue is what took thirteen emaciated Dobermans, now twelve, from the home of a woman in Conklin, New York. The Broome County Humane Society is to thank for that, and the concerned citizen who reported his or her suspicions. Two of those dogs have found homes, and the other ten are evidently being made available for adoption next week, so they're accepting applications.

Real rescue is Doberman Rescue Unlimited, who takes in those Dobermans whose families had another baby. The Dobermans whose people are moving, and didn't find an apartment that takes dogs, or found an apartment that bans Dobermans specifically. DRU takes those dogs that ended up with same sex aggression when they reached maturity, the Dobermans who have thyroid disorders or Dilated Cardiomyopathy. The Dobermans who were "too energetic" and strong for their owners. 

There's the Doberman Assistance Network, that pulls Dobermans out of kill shelters and gets them into foster or rescue groups all over the country. People who transport dogs for them aren't paid to do so, or at least not in money. They volunteer their time, and are paid in thanks. A pregnant Doberman, dumped into DAN's hands, just had puppies not long ago. Who abandons their pregnant dog?

There's a Doberman who came to Distinguished Doberman Rescue because she got fleas....so her family decided to keep her outside instead. Without treating her. 

Then there are smaller ways to help. Freekibble.com donates kibble daily to dogs (and cats) in animal shelters. You just need to answer a question; you don't even need to get it right.

Every purchase on HelpingUdders.com will donate a percentage to the rescue of your choice.

A lot of people don't think about rescue, or don't think that rescue has pure breeds. A lot of pure breed rescues are in fact pretty full, and a lot of those dogs are surrendered for the same reason dogs end up in shelters: they're too big, too energetic, too destructive, etc. etc. Many people who get rid of their dogs do so rather than putting the time in to make their rather normal dog a good canine companion. They don't come out of a box like that, people! 

So, for your next dog, consider adoption or rescue. Look into what organizations exist around you. Taking one of these dogs in can be more rewarding than you realize!

Stop Breed Specific Legislation

In light of what happened to Lennox last week in Belfast, Northern Ireland, I'm following along with many of my fellow bloggers, including Sleeps With Dogs and my buddy Z on LiveJournal. I posted about Lennox before, and if you want to read somebody more versed and more experienced, this is Jim Crosby's very articulate post on how he feels the case was "handled", and his breakdown of a video of Lennox's behavioral evaluation.

Lennox was not killed because he was a dangerous or vicious dog. Lennox was killed because he looked like a "pit bull", which is a dog banned in Northern Ireland as a result of the Dangerous Dogs Act. Shit like this happens in our country as well, people. In Denver, Colorado, for instance.   Maryland is making gestures towards it. At least one county in Florida has it. Ohio had it and, thankfully, dropped it.

Breed Specific Legislation does not reduce dog bite incidents. Breed Specific Legislation kills dogs.


The only way, I feel, to reduce dog bite incidents and dog attacks is to educate people about dogs. That's everybody. Educate dog owners on how to properly raise, train, and socialize their dogs. Educate the general public on the basics of dog behavior and how one should or should not behave around a dog. Start with little kids, as they're learning about the world. Include it in school, with canine guest speakers and visitors. You can't force people to learn, unfortunately, but you can try to educate. You can try to be informative, and friendly, and prove them wrong by example, with responsible dog ownership.

What happened to Lennox could happen to any dog. It could happen to a Doberman. It could happen to a German Shepherd. It could happen to a Rottweiler. It could happen to a Boxer. I am, without equivocation, against Breed Specific Legislation, and feel it needs to be stopped.

Free Advice Thursday: May 31 2012

My last Free Advice Thursday was back in October. Truth be told, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a regular thing. It still might not be.

Today, though, I actually heard advice requested on a topic that, in person, I wasn't really comfortable giving. Not at work anyway. Or maybe not at all. Advice that I give, here or in person, may not be taken as legal advice. If you actually have this kind of problem, you should contact a lawyer, discuss with police, at the very least call your vet or even your breeder!

The Disclaimer: I am not responsible for what you do with the information and discussion that you take away from here. I'm merely airing concerns.

So, what is is that has me bothered?