Modern Dog Fall 2015

6 Things You Should Be Adding To Your Dog's Dinner + How to Prevent Separation Anxiety

The lifestyle magazine for modern dogs and their companions F ALL 2015

SIGNS YOUR DOG LOVES YOU p56 15ABLE

R P ADO TO O O PH EAS! ID

Publications Agreement Number 40743013 Return Mail Dept, 202–343 Railway St., Vancouver, BC V6A 1A4

p50

Are You Making These Training Mistakes?

Find out! p112

moderndogmagazine.com DISPLAY UNTIL DEC ‘15

$5.95

YOUR HAPPY FIX

p26

Find Your Perfect Breed Match

is in here

CUTE DOGS GALORE! FREE STUFF!! p22 ACTRESS ELAINE HENDRIX ON WHY RESCUE DOGS RULE

p94

I'm Adoptable!

Is Your Dog Stressed? Depressed? Help is on p28 plus Is Your Dog Manipulating You? Find out on p24

50

VOL 14

NO 3

PHOTO TANYA KING PHOTOGRAPHY

FALL 2015

24

Is Your Dog Manipulating You? Just who’s in charge here? Find out who’s calling the shots on page 24.

28

Solutions for Stressed & Depressed Dogs Modern life is perhaps not all it’s cracked up to be, at least where our dogs are concerned. Here's how to reduce the strain. BY STEVE DUNO

38

Docked Tails: The Long and the Short of It Does a dog's docked tail hinder her ability to communicate?

44

Star Dog: Teddy, the Littlest Superhero This anti-puppy-mill crusader is going to steal your heart!

50

Adorable Photo Op Ideas Breathe new life into your dog photos with these cute ideas for share-worthy photos. BY JENNIFER NOSEK

52

How Does It Work?

These amazing products offer nifty solutions to vexing problems.

56

5 Signs Your Dog Loves You From loving gazes to simple nearness, these five signs indicate a connection that goes far past a room-and-board relationship.

62

5 Ways to Prevent Separation Anxiety How to cultivate a sense of security in your dog.

66

Lessons From Your Dog Our four-legged besties have this life thing down pat.

Here they summarize some of their most valuable tips.

88

Blonde Ambition Elaine Hendrix on her off-screen mission to help animals.

96

A New Breed of Therapy Sometimes the best therapy is simply the company of a dog.

BY NICOLE WILDE

BY STANLEY COREN

BY ROSE FROSEK; PHOTOGRAPHED BY TARA C. PATTY

BY ROSE FROSEK

BY JENNIFER MESSER

BY DARCY WINTONYK

BY JEN REEDER

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26 112

5 Training Mistakes You’re Probably Making Before you write off your canine best friend’s intelligence, you may want to take a humble look in the mirror.

BY TEOTI ANDERSON

BREED PROFILE 26

Your Perfect Match Could the Rottweiler or the Black and Tan Coonhound be the dog for you? Find out on page 26!

104

The Havanese Cuba’s sunny canine export.

BY KELLY CALDWELL

BODY & SOUL 18

Share Why You Give Back; Quotable

72

5 Reasons You Should Be Feeding Your Dog Garlic

BY DR. LORIDAWN GORDON, DVM

74

Ideas To Maximize The Exercise Your Dog Gets When Time is of a Premium; New Animal-Only Crowdfunding Site Funds Pet Projects

76

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Fleas

BY DR. ROB SPOONER, DVM

PHOTO SARAHANN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

FEATURES

78

How To Soothe Your Dog's Achy Joints Six steps to making your dog more comfortable.

82

Dog + Yoga = Doga!

Rachel Brathen, aka Yoga Girl, shares tips for incorporating your dog into your yoga practice.

22

Top This!

Improve your dog's dinner by adding these health-boosting toppers!

Inspiration Cards 34 Spirit-elevating pocket-sized cards to stick on your fridge

or use as a bookmark.

84

86

THE GOODS 54

Look What We Found!

Cool finds for dogs and the people who love them.

92

Fab Finds For Fall Stuff we're digging on this season!

102

Great Gear Nifty essentials and problem solvers for dogs and their people.

LIVING 12

50

Big Dogs Who Think They’re Small Small bed, big dog? No problem!

REGULAR FEATURES 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Contributors 10 Stuff We Love 14 The Scoop 20 Smile! Photo Contest 125 Marketplace

92

ON THE COVER

Elaine Hendrix and one of her rescue dogs, Ellie.

Photographed by Mara Casey.

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We're Giving It Away!

We've got three months of fantastic giveaways, from cute collars to delicious treats and even a GPS pet tracker, and winners every week!

Stars, They’re Just Like Us! Candid shots of celebrities out and about with their pups!

42

3 Habits Hindering Your Happiness and How Your Dog Can Fix Them Three furry friend fixes that slash the blues.

BY SHANNON KAISER

58

DIY Craft: Make Your Dog a Scarf!

Up the adorableness with this how-to for a crochet infinity scarf designed for canines.

BY NATALIE GAGNON

94

Looking For Love These five adoptable dogs are looking to make a love match.

Could your new best friend be among them?

100

Destination Mexico This small-dog-friendly destination is the stuff dreams are made of.

108

DIY Eat: Pumpkin Five Ways Five great pumpkin dog treats perfect for fall!

115

Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good dog and a good book. Editor-in-Chief Connie Wilson’s selection of fall must-reads.

118

Ask Dog Lady Bothered and bewildered? Crazed and confused?

Dog Lady delves into your most dogged dilemmas.

BY MONICA COLLINS

122

How I Met My Dog Keeping Faith.

BY CAREY-ANNE MALCOLM

128

Last Lick: Dogs and Their Non-Dog Besties For these pups love knows no bounds.

In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 14, Issue 3. Published quarterly

by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

PHOTO @ MY_NAME_IS_MAXIMUS ON INSTAGRAM

ILLUSTRATION LINDSAY CAMPBELL

56

EDITOR'S LETTER

You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold.

That is how important you are!

W

ith all the craziness in the world—radicalized groups threatening war, natural disaster, international market instability, and the list goes on—it can be so easy to focus on the bad rather than the good. But if you can cultivate your own happiness despite all this, it has a ripple effect on those around you, radiating out goodness into the world. The trick is how to remain happy in the face of what sometimes seems like unrelenting grim news (thanks 24 hour news cycle). So here’s what I think: endeavour to recognize the wonderful, even if—heck, especially if—it’s just small moments: your dog’s ridiculous sleeping position or her total abandon rolling in the grass, stick legs waving in the air; the stillness of the dog park superearly in the morning before everyone else is up and at it, or the simple gloriousness of breakfast—literally to break your fast. (Our dogs have much to teach us when it comes to really appreciating our meals, reveling guilt-free in the deliciousness of it.) If you acknowledge the good things, the small things, the everyday magic, I promise the improvement in your mood will be vast.

With this in mind we dedicated the fall issue to the theme of Happiness! and accordingly, packed the issue with everything spirit and wellness elevating. Get ready to smile! For starters, to get you in the right frame of mind, flip to page 66 for Lessons From Your Dog, our four-legged guides to unselfconscious enjoyment and living in the now. Then, on page 42, author Shannon Kaiser shares common habits hindering happiness along with simple re-focusing fixes courtesy of your dog.

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If you need more love in your life, why not adopt another dog?

Turn to page 94 for 5 adoptable cuties looking for their forever home. Who knows, maybe it will be a love match! As usual, we have superb, positive training advice to help you live a better life with your dog, including tips for modifying your behaviour to decrease your dog’s separation anxiety. We also have an exclusive interview with actress Elaine Hendrix, a total inspiration and a girl after our own hearts. We also have solutions for stressed and depressed dogs (we aren’t the only ones affected by the pressures of modern life!), adorable photo op ideas, and wellness-focused pieces like Solutions for Achy Joints (p 78) and 6 Things You Should Be Adding to Your Dog’s Dinner (p 84). And of course the Modern Dog staples are rounding out the mix: cute dogs galore, how-to's and DIYs like a crochet infinity scarf for your dog (p 58), inspiring stories, must-read books, and dog gear essentials, from boots to dog beds, so you can get out and there and enjoy the great outdoors before returning home and getting super cozy. Have a wonderful fall season and be good to one another! I hope you enjoy the issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Love,

Connie Wilson, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

DOLLY SUBMITTED BY LESLIE

PHOTO KHAREN HILL

—Eckhart Tolle

C ON TRIBUT OR S FALL 2015

•

VOL 14

NO 3

Publisher

Modern Dog Inc.

One of Ontario’s leading pet photographers, Stacey Morrison lives in Burlington with her husband and fouryear-old son, as well as her bossypants tuxedo cat, Kitty, and ball-obsessed golden retriever, Chloe. She is happiest when she wakes up to find everyone hogging the bed. In addition to candidly capturing the personalities of her furry clients, Stacey volunteers at several local rescues and shelters, using her photography to help animals in need find homes. To see more of her work, visit happytailspetphotography.ca. And to put a smile on your face, turn to pages 66 and 80 to see Stacey’s portraits of Smiley the Golden Retriever.

Editor-in-Chief

Connie Wilson Editor & Creative Director

Jennifer Nosek Audience Development & Digital Marketing Director

Lauren Cheal Social Media & Events Coordinator

Taryn Cheal Design & Production

Natalie Gagnon Sales & Marketing

Kara Gerlach, Julia Klymenko, Jacqueline Lowndes, Angela Wang Accounting and Subscription Services

Celine Benipayo Subscription Services Assistant

Lily Nguyen Controller

Cecilia de Roca Chan Honourary Editor-at-Large

Jytte Wilson

Modern Dog’s own Natalie Gagnon has secret talents beyond her wonderful editorial layout and design skills seen on these pages. She’s also an instructor in Simon Fraser University’s publishing program, mom to super-adorable rescued Rat Terrier Lexi, and the founder of Nattypat Crochet, her small business that specializes in crochet patterns designed to mimic nature's cutest critters. Turn to page 58 for Natalie’s step-by-step how-to for creating a crochet infinity scarf for your dog. Find more of Natalie’s adorable crochet patterns at nattypatcrochet.com.

We’re thrilled to feature the photography of Tara Patty, an award winning certified professional photographer with Professional Photographers of America and current board member of the Professional Photo Guild of Colorado Springs. For this issue Tara trained her lens on the indomitable (and adorable) Teddy, a puppy mill survivor, anti-puppymill crusader, and this issue’s Star Dog contest winner (page 44). Tara has an MA in Visual Communications and Photography and currently owns and operates Tara Patty Photography as well as Springs Pet Portraits. Check out her work at taracpatty.com and springspetportraits.com.

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INTERESTED IN SUBSCRIBING? Give us a call at 1-800-417-6289 or subscribe online at moderndogmagazine.com/subscribe Advertising inquiries call (866) 734-3131 In Canada: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 14, Issue 3.

Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 14, Issue 3. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003.

Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

PHONE

(604) 734-3131 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3131 (604) 734-3031 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3031

FAX

The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of services or products within those advertisements.

Copyright 2015 by Modern Dog Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including the Internet or photocopying without the written permission of the Publisher. Modern Dog and its logotype are the trademarks of Modern Dog Inc. Modern Dog is published four times a year. One-year subscription prices: Canada $16CAD, U.S.A. $16USD, foreign $45USD. Subscription orders and customer service inquiries should be sent to Modern Dog Subscription Services, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4

PRINTED IN CANADA

www.moderndogmagazine.com Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743013 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

! # @

STUFF WE LOVE Modern Dog staffers’ picks of the litter 1 Sydney-based art director Sum Leung's Woof portraits have style in spades—every dog she captures has his or her unique personality reflected through key choice of accessory. Commission a custom portrait and 10% of the portrait price goes to nonprofit animal rescues!—Lily (From $250, woofmodels.com)

BN

$

2 Unicorns, rainbows, and Swarovski crystals? Yes please! My pooch looks amazing in this magical collar from Ella’s Lead. Made of two-inch wide leather in Powdered Magenta, Bubble Gum Pink or Turquoise and your choice of silver or brass hardware, this mystical collar has it all!—Kara ($90, ellaslead.com) 3 Include your pup in your big day with this sweet custom ring holder—just be prepared for your doggie ring bearer to out-cute your flower girl. Each purchase benefits a no-kill animal sanctuary. Be still our hearts!—Jennifer ($24, etsy.com/shop/ thebackporchshoppe) 4 With my long Dachshund back, I’m a big fan of Achy Paws Self-Warming Pet Mat. Its bamboo charcoal core is body-heat activated to soothe achy joints, the natural warmth increasing circulation and easing discomfort.—Miniature Dachshund Esther (From $20, achypaws.com)

BM

%

5 This super-soft hoodie from Peace. Love. Paws. preaches all the important things in life: let’s spread more peace, more love, more paws! Bonus: a portion of the proceeds help support shelters across the US!—Celine ($30, peachlovepawsco.com) 6 Let your dog in on the game day action with a Pet-Pro bowl. Their football, basketball, and soccer ball-shaped bowls are available in three sizes so even small dogs like me can show their team spirit!—Miniature Dachshund Rose ($9–$15, remarkabowl.com) 7 The Easy-Clean Pet Crate with Wire Top from Richell gives your dog a safe, calm space of her own. Use the crate to keep her snug as bug while you attend to errands—door scratching and separation anxiety will be a thing of the past!—Natalie ($370 for large size, richell.com) 8 Gift giving just became more fun with this dog-themed wrapping paper set, which includes adorable greeting cards and gift tags. Now I can wrap all my dog-loving friends' birthday and Christmas presents in suitably stylish fashion.—Cecilia ($46, papergirldesigns.net) 9 I like to soak up the last of the nice weather with my dog and that involves lots of long distance running! I keep comfy and active with my pup in Asics Gel-Kayano 21s. These shoes provide stability and breathability so I can keep up with my pup!—Taryn ($200, asicscanada.com)

BL

10 Did you say car ride?! Pop open the tailgate and let me travel in style on my super comfy Cross Country SUV Bolster Bed from Bowsers Pet Products. Fitting snugly in the back of an SUV, station wagon or van, it gives me my own private road trip lounge space and makes climbing on car seats so passé.—Lexi the Rat Terrier ($160, bowsers.com) 11 The GoDogGo fetch machine is my new favourite canine exerciser. My guy has boundless energy, and this super-fun automatic tennis ball launcher keeps him fit and happy while saving my arm. Now I can just watch him go!—Lauren ($145, godoggoinc.com)

^

12 These handcrafted, one of a kind crystal memorials make an absolutely lovely tribute to a best friend. Artists interweave a small amount of cremated remains with a swirl of colour to create a beautiful way to remember your dog.—Connie (From $200, crystalremembrance.com)

(

& * 10 moderndog

F ALL 2015

BIG DOGS

Who Think They''re Small

Frank has no sense of personal space.

Frank on his dad Josh

Brian Lawton & Jameson

— Lindsey Leigh

Baylee

Haze

He's a big baby…

—Melissa Lawton

80 pound lap pit bull

She tries to lay in her cousin's bed who is half her size!

#bigdogswhothinktheyaresmall —Denise Tupman

—Nichole Huber

Squish!!

Olen

Chewbacca & Steve Fleming Tim Radcliff & Copper

Silly Leonburgers.

—Kaysha Riggs

Ashley Ralston & Ellie

Zeke

For a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re up to in the MD offices, the latest breaking stories and videos, cool contests, events, & exclusive giveaways, become a fan of Modern Dog on Facebook & follow us on Twitter, Instagram, & Pinterest. Go to facebook.com/moderndogmag, twitter.com/moderndogmag, instagram.com/moderndogmag & pinterest.com/moderndogmag.

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Meet the Miniature American Shepherd, Lagotto Romagnolo, & Berger Picard

E

ver wonder how many breeds are recognized by the American Kennel Club? 187. Aren’t canines wonderfully diverse? There’s a dog for everyone.

Get to know these three breeds newly recognized by the AKC. One just might be the dog for you!

PHOTOS © AKC

New Kids on the Block

ROXY SUBMITTED BY STEVE

CANINE NEWS AND REVIEWS

MODERN DOG POLL QUESTION Do you refer to yourself as a Dog Mom or Dad?

CAST YOUR VOTE AT MODERNDOGMAGAZINE.COM

The Lagotto Romagnolo originated in Italy and joins the Sporting group. This breed is the only purebred dog in the world recognized as a specialized truffle searcher. It is a high-energy dog that loves to retrieve, swim, and play, needing daily exercise. The breed is intelligent, affectionate, and good with children.

Hailing from France, the Berger Picard joins the Herding group. The Berger Picard is a medium-sized, athletic dog that was bred to be a working companion. This goodnatured, loyal breed has a great deal of stamina and drive, requiring daily exercise and mental stimulation. These dogs need weekly brushing and occasional bathing.

*Read Your Breed For more profiles, go to moderndogmagazine.com/breeds 14 moderndog

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Smooooch!

MD ResuPoll lts

93%

of Modern Dog readers kiss their dogs

LEO SUBMITTED BY MARIA

A small herding dog, the Miniature American Shepherd joins the Herding group. Developed in the United States, these dogs are very athletic and energetic. They are eager to please, devoted, good-natured, and intelligent. While they only need weekly brushing, their full coat does shed several times a year.

IMAGES COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX & PEANUTS WORLDWIDE LLC

THE SCOOP

Nuts for Peanuts Charles Schulz, creator of the beloved Peanuts strip, had his first drawing published at just 13. It was of Spike, his childhood dog that would come to serve as his inspiration for Snoopy.

Schulz self-submitted the drawing of his hound/pointer cross to Ripley’s Believe it or Not, who published the image in February of 1937. The public’s love for Snoopy endures—Twentieth Century Fox's all new The Peanuts Movie will be in theaters November 6th.

Need a Reason to Visit Shanghai?

North Americans aren’t the only ones crazy about their dogs!

The number of pets in China continues to grow—currently 33 million Chinese families have a dog or a cat and it is estimated that the pet population totals 288 million.

Granting access to this market is the China International Pet Show (CIPS), this year taking place in Shanghai. When the show opens its doors November 4 - 7, it will welcome an expected 36,000 visitors who have come to check out the wares of an estimated 1,000 exhibitors.

Regarded as a gateway to the entire Asian market and a global sourcing platform for the pet industry as a whole, CIPS sees both domestic and international exhibitors and attendees.

Highlights include a forum to meet wholesalers and distributors from China and Japan, a cuttingedge dog grooming competition, and the display of new and innovative products under the motto “Fashion, Novelty, Charm, and Harmony.” Sign us up! Find out more at chinaexhibition.com.

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Let us brighten your day!

OUR MOST POPULAR POSTS

All-Out Adorableness!

43,803 SHARES 18,943 LIKES! !

573 COMMENTS !

Modern Dog magazine 5 hrs •

"It's a tongue pawty up in here and you're all invited!" #TongueOutTuesday

If you're not already following @ModernDogMagazine on Facebook you're missing all this…

Non Stop Lols!

Modern Dog magazine 22 January •

"Oh hey, we didn't see you there."

3,887 LIKES + 561 SHARES!

Freebies Every Friday!

Modern Dog magazine 5 June •

Your Daily Smile!

Modern Dog magazine

1,949 likes AND 1,827 SHARES!!

It’s time for our first Friday Freebie! 3 lucky pups will win their choice of hilarious pet tag from Bad Tags. Let your dog’s personality shine with one of these too funny tags! To win one, tell us why your dog needs one!

26 April •

This guy getting kissed by all the cows—if this doesn't make you smile, we don't know what will!

For more adorableness, follow us on Pinterest! pinterest.com/moderndogmag

4,605 LIKES + 916 SHARE S!

moderndogmagazine.com

17

Let us brighten your day!

OUR MOST POPULAR POSTS

All-Out Adorableness!

43,803 SHARES 18,943 LIKES! !

573 COMMENTS !

Modern Dog magazine 5 hrs •

"It's a tongue pawty up in here and you're all invited!" #TongueOutTuesday

If you're not already following @ModernDogMagazine on Facebook you're missing all this…

Non Stop Lols!

Modern Dog magazine 22 January •

"Oh hey, we didn't see you there."

3,887 LIKES + 561 SHARES!

Freebies Every Friday!

Modern Dog magazine 5 June •

Your Daily Smile!

Modern Dog magazine

1,949 likes AND 1,827 SHARES!!

It’s time for our first Friday Freebie! 3 lucky pups will win their choice of hilarious pet tag from Bad Tags. Let your dog’s personality shine with one of these too funny tags! To win one, tell us why your dog needs one!

26 April •

This guy getting kissed by all the cows—if this doesn't make you smile, we don't know what will!

For more adorableness, follow us on Pinterest! pinterest.com/moderndogmag

4,605 LIKES + 916 SHARE S!

moderndogmagazine.com

17

THE SCOOP

Check out who’s starring in the latest Coach advertising campaign—Miss Asia Kinney, aka Lady Gaga’s French Bulldog!

Titled “Coach Pups,” the new campaign features canine stars “modeling” Coach’s Fall 2015 star bags in a series of portraits photographed by Steven Meisel.

CAPTION THIS! Exercise your funny bone. Create a caption for this cartoon and submit your entry at moderndogmagazine.com/cartooncaption.

The most comic captions will be published in the next issue.

Stuart Vevers, Creative Director at Coach, enthuses, “'I’ve never had so much fun on a shoot. The combination of Mr. Meisel and the pups was an extraordinary, surreal, special moment. We wanted to create playful images that make you smile."

Mission accomplished! And perhaps best of all, Coach has made a donation to Chicago French Bulldog Rescue (frenchieporvous.org) on behalf of Miss Asia Kinney's besotted superstar guardian.

GRACE SUBMITTED BY MADDIE

AND THE WINNING CAPTION FROM THE SUMMER ISSUE IS…

SHARE WHY YOU GIVE BACK We heart John Paul Pet and Paul Mitchell, makers of awesome grooming products for both pets and people. Not only are we crazy about their hair care products (both people and animal), they’re forerunners in the cruelty-free movement and are all about charitable giving. Now through November, they’ll donate $1 to charity for every tweet or Instagram post sharing why you give back. (One per person, up to $200,000 total.) Just hashtag #GivingIsMyStyle!

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"At first I just ate the homework, Alex. It wasn't until later that I really started to digest the information."

SUBMITTED BY MICHAEL AARON GALLAGHER

RUNNER-UP CAPTIONS "Who is...a good boy?"

SUBMITTED BY MARIA C. KAPUSTA

"'Surprisingly edible' for $100, Alex."

SUBMITTED BY DIANE KARAGIENAKOS

"And that's how it's done, bipeds!"

SUBMITTED BY ROSIE SORENSON

C A R T O O N S © 2015 B Y D A V I D J A C O B S O N

Coach Pups Campaign

!

E L I M S

Modern Dog’s Photo Contest Winners!

Barret Reilly

Finn

Australian Shepherd

Old English Bulldog

Borzoi

Xxx Xxx

Big Sexy

French Mastif

Sammy

Chow Chow/Retriever Mix

Katie

Border Collie/Golden Retriever Mix

Finnegan

Goldendoodle 20 moderndog

Tessa

American Mutt

Riggs Abbey

French Mastif F ALL 2015

Golden Retriever

Gus

Golden Retriever

Callie

Lab/Blue Tick Coon Hound Mix

Toby

Shih Tzu/Poodle Mix

Scooby Doo Coton de Tulear

Bogie

Golden Retriever

Chelsey

Max

Goldendoodle

Labrador Retriever

Bean

Toy Poodle

Einstein Valentino Roland Remy Corgi

Jessie Boxer

Mix

Scottish Terrier

Roxie

Australian Shepherd

Pico

Chihuahua

Maya

Chow Chow

Brooklyn American Bulldog Mix

Think your dog ought to be in Modern Dog?

Starr Kiya

Basset Hound

Upload your dog’s photo at moderndogmagazine.com/ photocontest.

Not only will he or she be entered to be our Dog of the Week, but a selection of the photos entered will appear on these pages!

Timberwolf/Malamute Mix moderndogmagazine.com

21

ENTER TO WIN

INSET PHOTO: SINAA SUBMITTED BY SADETLO SCOTT

s y a w a e v i G t a Gre

We’re giving it away! Enter to win fabulous giveaways each and every week in September, October, and November.

Go to moderndogmagazine.com/giveaways to enter! Lucky readers will win every week.

september

1st-7th

Win 1 of 10 Original Dog Face Decals from Mutt Mad. These unique, waterproof vinyl car decals capture the true nature and character of each dog breed!

8th-14th

15th-21st

22nd-30th

8th-14th

15th-21st

22nd-31st

Win 1 of 5 Sofee & Co.'s natural dog grooming sets! This natural shampoo, conditioner, and deodorizing spray from southern California has a signature white pear scent.

Win 1 of 8 packs of incredible 16 oz.

Chicken Jerkies from Kona’s Chips, the all-American dog treat company born in the USA in 2007!

Win a two-night dog-friendly stay at Hallmark Oceanfront Resorts in Cannon Beach or Newport, Oregon.

Bring your best friend! (Sunday Thursday, excluding July – Sept.)

october

1st-7th

Win a Multi Collars set, the new easy-to-use interchangeable collar.

Includes 1 Base Collar and 2 Trim Straps to switch up your dog’s look!

november

1st-7th

Win 1 of 10 Be Forever Furless Brushes. Lilly Brush effortlessly removes pet hair from upholstery, clothing, carpets, and more! No mess, No waste, No refills.

Win 1 of 3 Pods, the small, real-time GPS tracker that attaches to any size collar, letting you locate your pet, monitor activity, and record adventures on a smart phone or computer.

8th-14th

Win 1 of 2 Picture It Here Freestanding Pet Gates from Richell, customizable with your own 6x4" photos or designs! Suitable for pets up to 17.6 pounds.

Win 1 of 10 sets of John Paul Pet's award-winning dog shampoo and conditioner! Live beautifully with these healthy, cruelty-free grooming products for happy dogs!

15th-21st

Win 1 of 8 sets of Power Paws advanced non-slip socks for dogs from Woodrow Wear, perfect for older/ arthritic dogs that slip on the floor —an indoor/outdoor traction solution!

Win 1 of 5 Julius-K9 IDC Powerharnesses from Europe's number one dog equipment manufacturer. The original from the inventor—high end quality and comfortable wear, since 1997.

22nd-30th

Win 1 of 15 two-year subscriptions to Modern Dog magazine, chock full of helpful articles, heartwarming stories, and so many cute dog photos!

No purchase necessary to enter or win. Beginning September 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM (PST) through November 30, 2015 at 11:59 PM (PST), enter each day at moderndogmagazine.com/giveaways. Each week’s giveaway ends at 11:59 PM (PST). Each week, the specified number of winners for that week’s giveaway will win the prize featured in the giveaway calendar (ARV: $200). Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Contest is open to legal Canadian and US residents 18 and older as of date of entry. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Giveaway subject to complete official rules available at moderndogmagazine.com/giveaways.

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COOPER SUBMITTED BY ELIZABETH WILKINSON

L oo k i n to m y eyes...

IS YOUR DOG MANIPULATING YOU? You bet she is!

By Nicole Wilde

S

oko, a German Shepherd, is ball obsessed. Mojo, her Malmute-mix housemate, enjoys taking Soko’s ball, placing it in the middle of the floor, and then lying down and looking at her as if to say, “Go ahead. Make my day.” Soko, being smaller and non-confrontational, will suddenly prick up her ears as though she hears something outside. She’ll spring up and dart out the dog door, with Mojo hot on her heels. That accomplished, she’ll immediately race back inside and grab the ball.

Soko and Mojo were my dogs years ago, and this scenario happened many times. Was Soko manipulating Mojo? You bet.

Dogs certainly manipulate each other, but do they manipulate us? We like to think not. The word carries connotations of scheming, and we’re hesitant to think that our dogs are capable of such thought—and, if they are, that they’d use those wiles

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on us! But consider this: when I returned from a recent trip, my husband reported that he’d not only fed the dogs each day but had made sure they’d gotten their “dessert cookies.” Dessert cookies? What were those? He explained that after each meal, the dogs ran to the cookie box and looked at him expectantly. He figured the habit was to give them a cookie after eating, so he did. Hah! Score one for the dogs.

To “manipulate” isn’t necessarily a nefarious thing. It really only means to control something or someone. If you think about it, I’ll bet you can come up with several ways your dog manipulates you on a regular basis. Maybe it’s the Dessert Cookies ploy, where you find yourself handing out extra treats after responding to those big puppy dog eyes. Or maybe you find yourself on the floor petting your dog because he rolled over on

JAKE SUBMITTED BY RYAN SWANSON

his back exposing his belly. (I don’t blame you; I mean, what else would any sane person do?) Perhaps your dog scratches on your bedroom door, waking you earlier than you’d like to take her for a walk, so out you go.

The above are all examples of your dog getting what he wants by behaving in a calculated way. And really, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Smart dogs! The problem comes when your dog is the one making the decisions. I’m not suggesting it’s a terrible thing to give your dog extra treats or affection when she asks; it’s just that you should be the one to decide. Let’s say you’re watching television. Your dog places his paw on your knee and looks at you as if to say, “You know you want to rub my chest.” Should you? Sure, if you want. If not, ignore your dog. If you’d like to pet him, ask him to do something first, such as sit or perform a trick he knows.

What you ask your dog to do when he wants something isn’t as important as the fact that you’re asking him to do something in order to earn the valued resource. That’s called leadership. In social groups, whether human or canine, the one with the most power gets to agree to or veto the ideas of others. For example, in a group of dogs, a lower ranking dog will solicit play, and the higher ranking one will either engage or not.

The bottom line is, you get to decide whether to ignore your dog’s request or to give in—but again, if you do, ask her to do something to earn it.

Manipulative? Maybe, but only in the best sense of the word. n Nicole Wilde is the award-winning author of Help for Your Fearful Dog, Don’t Leave Me, Hit by a Flying Wolf and other books. Her books, DVDs, and Wilde About Dogs blog can be found at nicolewilde.com.

To “manipulate” isn’t necessarily a nefarious thing.

It really only means to control something or someone.

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YOUR PERFECT MATCH

The Rottweiler

The Watchman

Those Rottweiler eyes. Big, dark, expressive. Watchful. Taking everything in.

Protecting hearth and home.

Records of the Rottie stretch back almost 2,000 years, when Roman legions on the march used mastiff-type dogs to control and protect livestock. In the German town of Rottweil, the breed was fine-tuned into an all-around helper for tradesmen, pulling small carts, carrying the owner’s purse around his neck for safekeeping, working stock, and guarding family and property. The breed became known as the Rottweiler Metzerhund—the butchers’ dog of Rottweil.

Today’s Rottweiler retains almost all of the characteristics prized in the old Metzerhund. Weighing in at 90 pounds plus, he is a large, muscular dog with immense strength and surprising agility. He is calm but bold, usually aloof with strangers, and can still be called upon to herd livestock or do draft work when required.

As the AKC notes, the Rottweiler, an inherent protector, is self-confident and assertive. A Rottie will determine what is under his protection, stake out a territory, and defend it. Leadership is vital when dealing with this breed, due to this breed’s size, strength, and temperament. The Rottweiler with a job to do and guidance in how to do it is a happy dog. Almost all Rotties will enjoy obedience, agility, carting, herding, or some other purposeful training.

Could the Rottweiler be the breed for you? Read more at moderndogmagazine.com/rottweiler.

The Black & Tan Coonhound Southern Gentleman

In a shady meadow in northwest Alabama, you can walk among the gravestones and read the names: Smokey, Ranger, Preacher, Bear Creek Sue. Some stretch back decades, others are recent. All mark the resting places of dogs so beloved their owners laid them to rest in the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard, a cemetery dedicated solely to coonhounds. Such is the passion engendered by the long-eared, long-running, deep-voiced hounds of the Deep South.

All coonhound breeds, including the Black and Tan, were developed in America, bred to track and tree raccoons. Coonhounds are nocturnal specialists, with instinct honed to trail game methodically until it seeks refuge in a tree; the dogs then remain below, baying loudly to lead the hunters to their location.

But does a breed created to hunt prey through woods in the dark of night and chase it up a tree, all the time baying loudly enough to be heard from miles off, have a place in our modern, largely urban world? The answer is: most certainly.

The charming, goofy Black and Tan has great social skills with people, children, and other dogs. Though there is that “rebel yell.” If you’ve never heard a coonhound baying, surf on over to YouTube-—appreciation of this dog’s “music” is essential.

Could the Black & Tan Coonhound be the breed for you?

Read more at moderndogmagazine.com/blackandtancoonhound.

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PHOTO SARAHANN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

Are Either of These Breeds Right For You?

SOLUTIONS FOR STRESSED & DEPRESSED DOGS A

hundred years ago, most dogs herded, hunted, guarded, ratted or tracked much of the day, then ate scraps for dinner before retiring for the evening, sleeping either outside or in a cold kennel with other dogs. They rarely saw the veterinarian and often didn’t even see the inside of a home. Life was utilitarian; they had jobs, and any affection or leisure time came as payback for a job well done.

Today, most dogs are treated as companions and as family members. They eat balanced diets, visit parks, spend much of their days in the home, and visit the veterinarian and groomer regularly.

Life spans for most dogs have nearly doubled since last century.

They go to doggie daycare and dog parks, have boxes of toys, and sleep on cushy dog beds.

Compared to dogs a century ago, life is pretty cushy.

Or is it?‌

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Modern life may not be all it’s cracked up to be, at least where our dogs are concerned

By Steve Duno Illustration by Kim Smith

The Good Old Days Though life was harder a century ago, dogs back then were better able to express their canine instincts on a daily basis. Instead of living in an apartment or in a small home with a tiny yard, they lived on farms or in rural areas that allowed for running, exploring, chasing, hunting vermin, and socializing with other dogs. Canine obesity was unheard of among such active animals. Behavioural and environmental enrichment, a term used today to describe techniques to reduce dog boredom, was never needed. Dogs were engines of purpose and never got bored.

Modern Day Pressures

Today’s dogs, though better cared for and treated with more respect, are under pressures that dogs of old never dreamed of. Denied the chance to express their innate drives and abilities, they often languish and feel discontented.

They internalize their frustrations, which can translate to undesirable behaviours, like tearing apart the couch or excessive barking.

In addition to boredom and lack of exercise, today’s dogs are more isolated than their predecessors. They generally leave their litters at eight weeks then have only transitory contact with other dogs from that moment on. (Puppies should not leave the litter until at least 12 weeks of age.) Most families have only one dog, which spends much of his day in the home or yard, with little socialization. This isolation is one reason why trainers see much more antisocial behaviour among dogs today. Dogs are meant to be social creatures; unfortunately, many today live more like cats than canines.

When today’s dogs do get socialized with other dogs, it is often in an excessive manner, at a dog park or doggie daycare, with too many strange dogs—dogs who, more likely than not, have also lived a life of isolation. Instead of being an enriching experience, it becomes a study in stress and contention. Add in the bustle and noise of urban life and you begin to see that modern dog-life might not compare all that well with days of yore. So what’s a dog lover to do?

1

Avoid overpopulated dog parks or hectic doggie daycares

Contrary to popular belief, most dogs do not enjoy being thrown into a mob of strange, pushy or fearful dogs. They prefer to instead be with a group of dogs they know and trust.

Overcrowded daycares can be even worse than parks, as the space is smaller, allowing a “critical mass” of tension to moderndogmagazine.com

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Modern life may not be all it’s cracked up to be, at least where our dogs are concerned

By Steve Duno Illustration by Kim Smith

The Good Old Days Though life was harder a century ago, dogs back then were better able to express their canine instincts on a daily basis. Instead of living in an apartment or in a small home with a tiny yard, they lived on farms or in rural areas that allowed for running, exploring, chasing, hunting vermin, and socializing with other dogs. Canine obesity was unheard of among such active animals. Behavioural and environmental enrichment, a term used today to describe techniques to reduce dog boredom, was never needed. Dogs were engines of purpose and never got bored.

Modern Day Pressures

Today’s dogs, though better cared for and treated with more respect, are under pressures that dogs of old never dreamed of. Denied the chance to express their innate drives and abilities, they often languish and feel discontented.

They internalize their frustrations, which can translate to undesirable behaviours, like tearing apart the couch or excessive barking.

In addition to boredom and lack of exercise, today’s dogs are more isolated than their predecessors. They generally leave their litters at eight weeks then have only transitory contact with other dogs from that moment on. (Puppies should not leave the litter until at least 12 weeks of age.) Most families have only one dog, which spends much of his day in the home or yard, with little socialization. This isolation is one reason why trainers see much more antisocial behaviour among dogs today. Dogs are meant to be social creatures; unfortunately, many today live more like cats than canines.

When today’s dogs do get socialized with other dogs, it is often in an excessive manner, at a dog park or doggie daycare, with too many strange dogs—dogs who, more likely than not, have also lived a life of isolation. Instead of being an enriching experience, it becomes a study in stress and contention. Add in the bustle and noise of urban life and you begin to see that modern dog-life might not compare all that well with days of yore. So what’s a dog lover to do?

1

Avoid overpopulated dog parks or hectic doggie daycares

Contrary to popular belief, most dogs do not enjoy being thrown into a mob of strange, pushy or fearful dogs. They prefer to instead be with a group of dogs they know and trust.

Overcrowded daycares can be even worse than parks, as the space is smaller, allowing a “critical mass” of tension to moderndogmagazine.com

29

develop. Many dogs can take days to recover from such “play.”

Instead, visit a dog park with a low population of easygoing dogs that your dog tolerates. Or find a daycare that monitors a maximum of six to eight dogs in a large room (at least 1000 square feet), all of similar congenial temperament. More social, outgoing, boisterous dogs many be just fine in a more crowded park or daycare situation—it’s all about knowing your dog. If your dog is running about, visiting all the dogs, and waving his tail like a flag, he’s having a great time. Tail clamped and hiding behind yours legs? Not so much.

2

The Right Social Environment: Creating a Clan for Your Dog

Canines are very social animals, but usually only with those they know, or with those they feel present no danger. There is a clannish sense among dogs; they feel safe with their “kinfolk,” but will often be uncomfortable around strangers (canine and human alike). It’s up to you to create that “clan” for your dog.

Try the following:

dogs are often better than one, and will A. Two keep each other company while you are gone.

The younger dog gets to see the older, “mentor” dog in action; housetraining, obedience, and the overall home routine are all learned more quickly through modeling. So if possible, consider getting your four- or five-year-old dog a friend. Avoid getting two puppies at the same time, however, as the mentoring effect won’t take place, and you will be burdened with teaching two puppies instead of one.

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B. Find your dog local dog-friends.

Having a calm, friendly neighbourhood dog come over for regular play visits will perk up her day and help her to satisfy her innate social needs. Build up a “clan” of local dogs and interact with them on walks, at parks, and around the home.

group walks with three or four C. Gootherondogs and their people.

Called a “directed walk,” it should be less of a social event and more of a “mission” in the dogs’ minds. They are out with a few trusted others, patrolling the sidewalks, exploring smells, sharing the experience. This builds a lasting sense of camaraderie, and a real sense of dog community. It’s one of the best things you can do to enrich and inspire your dog.

D. To the park!

If your dog is well mannered and confident around other dogs, take her to a well-managed dog park with a reasonable number of dogs in a large enough space. Avoid parks with too high a density of dogs; try for no more than fifteen dogs per acre (about the size of a soccer field). Spirited play is fine, but be cautious of dogs who play too rough or who seem to be on the verge of aggression. The key is to find a park with regular visitors who you become familiar with and whose dogs appear balanced, confident, and eager to play.

3

Training, Training, Training!

Give your dogs something to think about and do by teaching them to perform meaningful actions. Daily training sessions (even five minutes!) not only improves your relationship and your bond, it also contributes to fulfilling your dog’s need to think and perform a job.

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4

Boredom Relieving Activities A. Trick Training

You’ve filled in your dog’s social calendar. Now it’s time to create activities designed to stimulate your dog’s mind and body. Try:

Basic obedience is necessary, but tricks are where the fun is! So, every month, teach your dog one new trick. By teaching your dog new tricks on a regular basis, you will be increasing her repertoire of behaviours and expanding her mind. You will literally be creating new neural connections in her brain, making her smarter and happier. And trick training is completely positive and a great way to bond.

The basic tenants of training are “capturing” a behaviour—waiting until your dog spontaneously performs the action you’re looking for, then rewarding—or “shaping”, where you encourage your dog to do something by luring her into a position with a treat or toy.

B. Enrichment Techniques

In and around your home, try to make your dog’s environment as stimulating and fun as possible. Have toys and chews on hand. Provide food dispenser toys packed with treats around the home when you leave to get your dog to problem solve and self-reward. Hide a few small treats around the home to stimulate her nose and hunger drive. Drop a frozen, low-sodium chicken broth cube into her food dish. When home, play fetch or hide-and-seek games outside. While in the yard, give her a whole uncooked egg and see if she can figure out how to get the prize inside!

C. Exercise

No matter the size or age of your dog, find daily activities to share. For most dogs, the absolute minimum is a half an hour walk, morning and night. For many dogs though, particularly those that are young and athletic, this won’t be nearly enough.

Turn to page 74 for ideas to maximize the exercise your dog gets if time is of a premium.

D. Classes

Dogs have many potential skills that go unused. Consider tapping into these hidden talents by taking classes. Obedience, tracking, agility, herding, or flyball classes are just a few you can consider. In addition to your dog learning new skills and expressing her innate abilities, she will get plenty of exercise, and make new dog friends in the process.

Tailor what type of class you choose according to your dog’s personality and energy levels. If she is a bundle of energy or hyper-focused, consider an agility class, with lots of running, and complex task solving. If she is constantly sniffing around the home, take a tracking class, and put that nose to good use. Shy or independent-minded? Try a tricks class, where learning fun new behaviours will boost confidence, all in a laid-back atmosphere that doesn’t require interaction with other dogs. Social butterfly? Choose a social skills class that encourages controlled interactions with other sociable dogs. Crazy to fetch? Take a flyball class, where your dog can retrieve a ball to her heart’s content.

Though today’s dogs may no longer have to work for a living, it doesn’t mean they can’t still lead productive, fulfilling lifestyles, filled with activities and stimuli that enrich, teach, and satisfy. The key is offering opportunities for engagement, mental stimulation, and enough exercise. By trying some of the above techniques, you will be well on your way to eliminating modern day pressures from your dog’s life. She will be healthier, smarter, trimmer, and more confident. And so will you! n

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They talk to their dogs

Kevin Dillon of Entourage seen with his dogs on the Malibu beach.

Bitten star Laura Vandervoort is seen walking with her pooch after a photoshoot in Hollywood.

SMO

They us! like

O CH!

They don't let a cone get in the way of a good time!

wi th evenne i'm a co able ador

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They bring their pups whenever possible

aid she s ?! what

Susan Sarandon seen carrying her dog Penny while arriving at the Today Show in NYC.

PACIFICCOASTNEWS; © GZR, PACIFICCOASTNEW; © PACIFICCOASTNEWS

! s r a St ’re just

Hugh Jackman and wife DeborraLee Furness walk their dog Allegra at Hudson River Park, NYC.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: © DONNY / SAGE, PACIFICCOASTNEWS; ©

They cruise with their best buds

Jennifer Lawrence arriving at a hotel with her pet Pippi in NYC.

Liv Tyler seen out and about in West Village, NYC.

They greet with enthusiasm

They protect their pups

Setya’rresj!ust

New daddy Alec Baldwin is all smiles as he steps out for a coffee and impromptu dog cuddle in NYC.

HI! HI!

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Their best accessory is their dog Jane Fonda makes her way through LAX with her pooch Tulea.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: RGK, © PACIFICCOASTNEWS; © PACIFICCOASTNEWS;

They go in for the cuddle!

! like us

© PACIFICCOASTNEWSS; MHD, © PACIFICCOASTNEWS

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Docked Tails: The Long and the Short of It n signals Tail positio sus a r a social ve itude— hostile att the tail but what if to is reduced ? tump all but a s

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Does a dog’s docked tail hinder her ability to communicate?

By Stanley Coren

W

hen it comes to canine communication, much of the tale is told by the tail. It is well known that dogs broadcast a lot of information about their emotional state and intentions using their tails. Observing tail signals can tell us whether a particular dog is happy, worried, or threatening. The specific motions that the tail makes—like whether the tail is held high or droops to a lower position—combined with the speed that it moves conveys a lot of information. While all of this may be generally well known, people forget that in order for the tail to be an effective means of communication there has to be enough tail to be visible. Consider for example a note that I received about a Labrador Retriever named Molly. It read in part: After her accident [involving a collision with a motorcycle] the vet had to amputate her tail, leaving a stump of only around two inches. She recovered okay and still has a personality that is good with people and kids (just like before the accident) but something has changed in her dealings with dogs. We always took her to an off-leash dog park not far from our house and she always had good relations with the other dogs. Since her tail was cut off though, other dogs seem to be suspicious of her and they don’t come up to her the same way they used to. A few have actually snapped or growled at her, which never happened before. Could this be because her tail is gone so that the other dogs can’t understand her tail communications anymore?

The idea that the tail length of a dog might affect its ability to communicate is something that I have been thinking about for a number of years. The reason this has bothered me is because of the practice of tail docking, wherein a dog’s tail is deliberately cut short in certain breeds of dogs, such as Rottweilers, Doberman Pinchers, Cocker Spaniels, Boxers, and so forth. Certainly common sense should tell us that docking significantly limits the usefulness of tail signals and thus reduces the effectiveness of a major channel of communication in dogs. This issue concerned me, but for a long time I could find no data in the scientific literature that addressed the question of whether dogs with short or missing tails had signaling problems.

I decided to try to shed some light on the matter so I carried out a fairly simple observational experiment. In our study we observed dogs interacting in a confined city park area where dogs were allowed to be off leash. We tallied 431 encounters between dogs. Most of these (382 or 88 percent) were typical canine greeting behaviours, often followed by play behaviours including the usual chase games. The remaining moderndogmagazine.com

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49 encounters contained an aggressive element on the part of one or more of the dogs involved. These could be as mild as a snarl and a snap with no physical contact or, in one case, as severe as an actual physical assault drawing blood. The dogs that we observed were coded simply on the basis of whether they were tailless (most likely docked) or with a tail (undocked or only partially docked). To be classified as being tailless the dog had to have a tail that appeared to be shorter than approximately 6 inches in length (we eliminated small toy dogs from the sample confining our observations to dogs that stood around 18 inches at the shoulder or more). The proportion of dogs with tails was considerably higher in this population, amounting to 76 percent, as opposed to 24 percent of dogs without tails. However, when we looked at the dogs involved in aggressive incidents 26 of these confrontations (53 percent) included dogs without tails. On the basis of the number of dogs with and without tails, we would have expected only 12 aggressive incidents (24 percent) to involve tailless dogs. The surplus number of confrontational incidents involving tailless dogs is highly statistically significant when we do the appropriate calculations: our results show that dogs with short or absent tails are twice as likely to have aggressive encounters as dogs with longer and hence more visible tails.

One cannot help but wonder if the increase in aggressive encounters in short tailed dogs might not have to do with the ambiguity or absence of appropriate visible tail signals that could have indicated a social versus a hostile attitude on the part of the docked tail dogs, thus allowing other dogs to steer clear of a potential conflict.

Although I found our results interesting, I worried a bit about the possibility that this study might be flawed. This is because many of the dogs that have docked tails are working dogs designed for guarding and protection functions, such as Rottweilers, Boxers or Doberman Pinchers. Dogs bred for such purposes might be expected to have a somewhat more forceful and insistent personality which might lead them into more confrontations with other dogs. While it would be important to eliminate the differences in the temperament different breeds might bring, we obviously couldn’t go around randomly docking the tales of various breeds of dogs for the purposes of our investigation. So we were left with suggestive but not conclusive results.

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Fortunately, science progresses and definitive answers are eventually discovered. In this case a clever pair of biological researchers, Steven Leaver and Tom Reimchen of the University of Victoria in British Columbia, figured out an alternative way to test to see if tail length affected how dogs communicate with each other. Their procedure completely avoided any confounding due to the breeds of dogs involved. They constructed a robot dog which stood around 20 inches at the shoulder and was stuffed with cotton and covered with black synthetic fur so that it looked much like a Labrador Retriever. It could be fitted with a 12-inch long tail or a 3.5-inch short, stubby tail, and these tails’ movements could be remotely controlled.

Starting with the long tailed version of their robot dog, they placed the mechanical canine in an off-leash exercise area. They found that when the robot’s tail was wagging (in a manner which was a nonthreatening signal) other dogs would approach it in what looked like a playful manner; however, when its tail was held upright and was motionless (a dominant threat signal) the other dogs avoided it. This is exactly what we would expect if the dogs were reading the robot’s tail signals as if it were a real dog. Next the researchers replaced the long tail with the short “docked” version and on another day placed the robot dog out in exercise area. Now the other dogs approached it cautiously and in a guarded manner, regardless of whether the tail was wagging or not. The impression the researchers got was that the other dogs were acting as if they could not make up their minds as to whether the robot would receive their approach in a friendly or a hostile manner.

Obviously a real dog with a docked tail could try to use strategies involving other aspects of their body language to offset some of their problems associated with a missing tail.

However this study shows that, at the very least, dogs with short docked tails are at a disadvantage when interacting with other canines and this disadvantage can place them in jeopardy of misunderstanding by other dogs. The evidence shows such cases of disrupted communication might lead to aggressive encounters. Tail movements and tail positioning are vital channels of communication among dogs and perhaps we humans should think twice before we dock our dogs tails and deprive them of its benefits—especially if the tail docking is being done solely as a matter of fashion or style. n

3 Habits Hindering Your Happiness & How Your Dog Can Fix Them

3

nd Furry Frie t Fixes tha Slash the Blues

By Shannon Kaiser, the author of Adventures for Your Soul, a book to help you transform habits and reach your full potential

S

everal years ago, my doctor diagnosed me with clinical depression. That same week I read an article about how dogs can help cure depression. I trusted my inner voice and reached out to my local Golden Retriever rescue center.

One week later, my new best friend, Tucker, entered into my life, and everything changed for the better.

Before I adopted him, I was suffocating in my own fear and anxiety. Waking up in the morning felt like a chore. The thing about depression is it’s isolating, but dogs can provide a loving companionship that helps you feel less alone.

Tucker’s unconditional love and companionship helped me live life more authentically. He taught me how to get out of my own way by showing me my life was worth living. Today I am happy and living my life with purpose and passion.

Many of us have emotional habits that block us from living life fully. But our furry friends can help us get back on track and live a happy life. If you are feeling stressed, stuck or frustrated, turn to your four-legged friends for inspiration.

Here’s how our dogs can help us change three emotional bad habits that block us from living our full potential…

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#1

Habit Hindering Happiness: WE FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS MISSING Many of us put happiness into experiences outside of ourselves. We say things like “when I meet my soul mate, I will be happy” or “when I lose the extra weight,” I will be happy. The truth? Happiness won’t come in those external things. The feeling that something is missing is because we are searching outside of ourselves. Take note from your dog and be thankful for what you have.

Furry friend fix: Gratitude the attitude Dogs are content in the moment and happy with what is in front of them. A bone, the dog park, cuddle time—no matter what they do, they are happy as long as they are with you.

Let your furry friend inspire a gratitude practice. Instead of looking outside of yourself for happiness, be thankful for what you do have. Live for the moment like your dog does, and together you can choose happiness.

JACKSON & BRIE SUBMITTED BY BLIMA POSLUNS

#2

Habit Hindering Happiness: WE FIXATE ON OUR FLAWS

Many of us unconsciously focus on what isn’t working in our life, and we pick apart what we don’t like about ourselves. This can rob us of joy and keep us feeling depressed. Instead, do what your dog does and do what makes you happy.

Furry friend fix: Follow your joy route Dogs are unconditional balls of joy. They don’t worry about things they can’t control; instead they opt for playtime and spending happy moments with you. Rather than focus on your flaws, do what brings you joy. And see yourself the way your dog does: beautiful and perfect.

#3

Habit Hindering Happiness: WE THINK OUR LIFE IS OFF TRACK

Do you feel stuck, out of alignment, or trapped by life circumstances? Many of us think our life is off track or we aren't where we thought we would be at this point. Instead of thinking you’re off track, let your dog inspire you to be more present.

Furry friend fix: Sweet surrender Dogs are always in the moment. They are present and surrender to each moment. Dogs know that happiness is not a destination but a way of life. Adopt your dog’s point of view and be more present. Together you can practice reaching joy in each moment. n moderndogmagazine.com

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STAR DOG WINNER

“I'm a Rescue!”

National Mill Dog Rescue—the organization that saved me—is on a mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home discarded commercial breeding dogs and to educate the public about the cruel realities of the commercial dog breeding industry, aka puppy mills. To date, the nonprofit has saved a whopping 10,090 dogs. You can get involved (think volunteering, donating, fostering, adopting, fundraising) by visiting milldogrescue.org or following them on various social media platforms, including facebook.com/ nationalmilldogrescue.

“

INY IF ONE T A U H CHIHUA E A K CAN MA CE, N E R E DIFF CAN E N ANYO

”

Y D D TE t s e l t t i L the Hero Super

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Photographed

by Tara C. Patty

*

Thanks to our amazing Star Dog Contest sponsor GetPiper.com!

This anti-puppy-mill crusader is going to steal your heart!

L

ittle Teddy spent the first seven long years of his life in a wire mesh cage housed in a commercial breeding facility. Until his rescue from a Kansas puppy mill, he had never set foot on grass or known the comfort of a loving touch. Teddy was a breeding dog used to sire pups, a cog in the wheel of a puppy mill churning out the puppies you see in pet store windows. (There is heartbreak behind those little furry faces for sale in pet stores, believe it.) The sad fact is that Teddy’s story is not uncommon—there are legion Teddys out there, the endless days turning to years as the wire mesh cuts into their feet, the least of the ailments most mill dogs suffer.

But! Teddy was one of the lucky ones—this wasn’t the totality of his story. At age seven, Teddy’s real life was about to start. National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR), an amazing non-profit dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of mill dogs, plucked him and other past-their-prime breeding dogs from the Kansas puppy mill housing them and set them on a path to a new beginning.

Michele Burchfield, a volunteer with NMDR, was there the day Teddy’s rescue went through, helping with the paperwork, the weighing of the dogs, the photos. She went to visit Teddy daily and this little dog, completely unaccustomed to kindness and human companionship, chose her. “He bonded with me from day one… he had never had his own 'person' and once he found me—that was it!” Michelle says. Thus, five days after his rescue, Teddy, along with his little soul mate Gwinnie, another mill rescue, went home with Michelle to begin a new life.

It was a journey. Both dogs were extremely thin, very scared, and completely un-socialized. Teddy had eye ulcers and rotting teeth, a condition very typical of puppy mill dogs who receive little to no veterinary care, along with scars on the top of his nose and small chunks missing from both of his ears, possibly from cage fights or frostbite.

Gwinnie suffered pyometra and hernias from the countless litters she had borne. And both dogs had to learn about life outside the cage. Michelle shares, “all the experiences that a typical dog learns as a puppy were brand new…they had to learn about the outdoors, trust, belly rubs, stairs, drinking from a bowl (rather than a lick-it water bottle), leashes, doorways, mirrors, treats, and love.”

Shortly after rescuing Teddy and Gwinnie, Michelle started a Facebook page to spread awareness about puppy mills, sharing posts and videos in hopes of inspiring others to take a chance on a senior rescue dog.

“Rescue dogs can learn and can love, even if they are senior dogs,” Michelle says. “For Teddy, life began at seven, when he was rescued and adopted.”

Teddy has gone on to become an active ambassador for National Mill Dog Rescue.

He currently has over 27,000 fans that follow his page and share his stories with the world. Along with his best buddy Harley, another puppy mill survivor featured on the cover of the fall 2014 issue of Modern Dog magazine, Teddy helps rescue other dogs from puppy mills, actually traveling with the rescue team, and raises funds and awareness about puppy mills through the initiative Harley to the Rescue. moderndogmagazine.com

45

STAR DOG

Teddy & Michelle Burchfield

Teddy Facts!

Nicknames: Tedster, Bubba, Little Love Teddy goes crazy for… belly rubs—seriously crazy!

Not that it’s all a picnic. Michelle notes that puppy mill survivors can be challenging to adopt after a lifetime in a cage.

But many, like Teddy, are starving to learn about love and freedom and to find their own special person, regardless of how many years they were mill dogs. As Michelle asserts, after years of neglect and producing a profit for puppy mills and pet stores these dogs deserve a life in a home.

“I've had many dogs over the years,” says Michelle, “but Teddy has truly taught me about resilience, forgiveness, and unconditional love—and that it can happen regardless of how old the dog is when you adopt him!” n Find out more about Teddy & National Mill Dog Rescue: facebook.com/teddybearburchfield milldogrescue.org facebook.com/nationalmilldogrescue

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STAR DOG

the Top

10

Runner Up Dogs

1

Keller

Find out why these amazing dogs stole the hearts of hundreds of thousands

When Pit Bull Starbuck was just three months old, he was thrown from a car and left for dead. Mercifully, he survived, but he lost his leg.

Little Starbuck had a lot of things going against him, reports his adopter, Allison Phillips: “Being a Pit Bull means he had a 1 in 600 chance of getting adopted, Starbuck the Tripawd being disabled made it almost 20 percent harder, and black dogs usually spend twice as long in a shelter.” Lucky for Starbuck, his parents-to-be fell in love with him, and he’s changed their lives too; together they work to help other so-called undesirables!

2

Red woolly Siberian Husky Topaz was a terrified dog with a looming death sentence when Pet Angels Rescue saved him from a kill shelter.

But since his adoption he has blossomed. “People say he's always smiling even though he suffers from K9 epilepsy,” reports his dad Brian. Topaz’s condition certainly hasn’t slowed him down: he’s living life to the hilt with his three rescued Husky pack mates!

4

Topaz

When mixed-breed puppy Oakley was just a few months old, he was dropped off at a local shelter with the claim that he was born without the use of his lower body. Tests done by a vet, however, discovered the abuse Oakley had suffered: a bullet near Oakley's spine Bulletproof Oakley was in fact the cause of his paralysis. Oakley’s adoptive mom Kristie Karcanes was undeterred by his condition. “Oakley's determination and unstoppable attitude is an inspiration,” Kristie says. “Our mission is to prevent animal cruelty and abuse.”

3

Rescued Cairn Terrier Sprout specializes in “spreading hope,” says his adoptive mom Val Rae Boe. Sprout was very sick when rescued from a puppy mill; vets quickly discovered a liver shunt, a life threatening birth defect, but Col. Potter rescue did everything possible to give him a second Sprout chance. His mom reports he is now happy and healthy, a sweet, silly little boy who has a personality that melts hearts.

5

Angel Baby, an American Pit Bull Terrier, “definitely fits the description ‘I'm a lover not a fighter,’” says her guardian Lisa Wise. “She loves everyone!”

6

Angel Baby

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Lisa uses Angel Baby’s Facebook page to not only share Angel’s day (fun facts: Angel loves pizza, ice cream, and peanut butter), but also to share adoptable pets in shelters needing rescue.

7

Ruby

Tiny Ruby is a five-year-old three-pound Japanese Chin who was handicapped at birth and survived a puppy mill.

Before she came to DeeDee Shehane, who has eight other special-needs girls in her home, Ruby had been through many owners and had been “discarded like trash,” reports DeeDee. “I rescued her and she went from a wheelchair to walking and has just became a Pet Partner Therapy Dog.”

Keller, a two-year-old Australian Shepherd from Baltimore, was born deaf and vision impaired due to irresponsible breeding practice. Because of his disabilities, he was to be killed at just five weeks of age. Luckily, he found a home with Amanda Fuller, who reports Keller’s disabilities don't slow him down at all! Together, Keller and Amanda raise awareness about merle-to-merle breeding and disabilities. Follow them at facebook.com/kellerthedm.

8

Dexter Chihuahua Dexter was adopted from Canadian Chihuahua Rescue and Transport (CCRT). His mission is to spread the word ‘adopt, don't shop” and to support CCRT in their efforts to help homeless and abused Chihuahuas. “We are grateful to CCRT for bringing this wonderful little fellow into our lives,” says his adopter Jenn Stanley. When not busy raising the consciousness of the general public, Dexter enjoys stuffies, laying in the sun, and liver treats.

9

Christian

Longhaired Dachshund Christian “is the most loving, funny, playful, and loyal dog,” says Michelle Duckworth. He loves to chase balls, wrestle with his siblings, snuggle on your lap, and treats: frozen yogurt treats, carrots—he likes it all. In his downtime you’ll find him lounging on the sofa or sun-basking.

10

Fluffy Buddy

Pit Bull/Boxer Mix Fluffy (best name ever!) likes to have a little fun, loves to smile, and still thinks he is a puppy. “He is a sweet and kind dog that is the best thing that could've ever happened to his family,” shares his guardian Jonathan Reddell. “Fluffy is made up of bundles and bundles of love. He brings joy and laughter and happiness to all he meets.”

Some of Fluffy’s favourite things? Bananas and going on adventures. Us too, Fluffy! n

moderndogmagazine.com

49

#CUTEDOG

Adorable

PHOTO OP IDEAS 2

Let your dog share his guiding principles in this easy DIY effort sure to elicit laughs.

PHOTO SCARVESBYSABRINA ON ETSY

GUS GUS SUBMITTED BY CANDACE CHRISTIAN

Your dog, but wearing a scarf! Simple, yes—but also simply adorable. (See page 58.)

5

A faux mustache.

A floral crown.

6

It’s a winter wonderland, people!

Capture your dog hanging with his new best pal, Mr. Snowman.

PHOTO TANYA KING

4

Your dog's true confessions revealed via a hand-lettered chalkboard sign.

3

7

A pup in a milk crate hits a bunch of Pinterest-worthy points all at once: a rustic, farm-to-table sort of aesthetic plus pin-fodder cuteness provided by your dog.

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PEPPER & EMMA SUBMITTED BY CHLOE

1

PHOTO TANYA KING

Breathe new life into your dog photos with these cute ideas for share-worthy photos

Take a cue from Instagram's @KingOtis and do a stuffed animal pile!

9 PHOTO SAMANTHA AND GRIZZ

Dog’s eye view—shoot from the knees down. The upside here is if you’re prone to weird camera faces (count us guilty), you won’t ruin the photo with this set up!

11

Twinsies! A faux fur hood keeps the matching ensemble thing low key.

10

Focus on just one, um, asset.

12

Instagram's @my_name_is_ maximus shows how adorable matching bowties with dad can be. (A great dog-inclusive wedding idea!)

PHOTO STEPH MCCOMBIE @IFITWAGS

PHOTO TANYA KING

8

13

Special delivery!

Helium balloons add a delightfully whimsical element to any photo. Follow Instagram account @ifitwags for more inspirational photos! moderndogmagazine.com

51

PROBLEM SOLVERS

v START

How Does It Work?

These amazing products offer nifty solutions to vexing problems v

v

2 Anti-Anxiety Solution

1

v

Does your dog suffer from thunderstorm anxiety? Try a pressure wrap, such as ThunderShirt or Anxiety Wrap. They offer a simple, medication-free anxiety solution. Here’s how it works: These specially designed wraps resembling a snug fitting jacket use acupressure and maintained pressure to relieve stress and lessen fear, in essence hugging your dog to make him feel safer.

Independent clinical research studies undertaken by prestigious researchers such as Dr. Temple Grandin and Nicole Cottam and Dr. Nicholas Dodman of the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine found both products to be more than 80% effective in reducing signs of storm phobia. Verdict: this is a safe, drug-free, and effective solution to thunder storm anxiety—it’s proven! $35, anxietywrap.com; $40, thundershirt.com

v

Silent Squeakers

v

Is your dog mad for squeaky toys but the high-pitched squeak is driving you around the bend? Squeak, squeak, squeak, SQUEAK, squeeeeeak, Squeak!

Squeak! Squeak!—until you snatch the toy away. Sound familiar? Luckily there’s a solution that let’s your dog have fun while saving your sanity: Hear Doggy Ultrasonic Plush squeaky toys. Here’s how it works: Human hearing tops out at 20 KHz, while dogs can hear sounds up all the way up to 45 KHz. So Hear Doggy created a 28 KHz squeaker. To people it simply sounds like a puff of air but to dogs it's a super-gratifying squeak they go crazy for! Bonus: the durable flat body variety has Chew Guard technology and is stuffing-less, meaning no drifts of stuffing from disemboweled toys! $13, heardoggy.com

3 v

After

v

Before

Pet-Friendly Green Lawn

Has your dog’s urine left yellow burn patches on your lawn? There’s an all-natural solution—Dog Rocks. Here’s how it works: This all-natural rock is mined in Australia, where it has been sold for nine years as a simple way to save your lawn. Just place the Dog Rocks in your dog’s water dish and they will filter out impurities in the water, such as tin, ammonia, and nitrates. It is these impurities that pass with your dog’s urine, creating the burned yellow patches in your grass. Dog Rocks are chemical-free and don’t change the pH of your dog’s urine.

Simply replace the Dog Rocks in your dog’s water every two months and your dog gets cleaner water and your lawn stays healthy! From $17, dogrocks.co.uk

v

v

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v v

4

v

FI

NI

SH

Are you, your home, and your car all coated in dog hair? The Andis Pet DeShedding Tool promises to reduce your dog (or cat's) hair by up to 90 percent. Photos and videos show an outrageous amount of hair removed— like enough to create a second dog with. Pretty impressive stuff. So does it live up to the hype? In short, it most certainly does. Here’s how it works: the comb’s fine teeth/blade combo takes out not just the excess hair that’s about to be shed, but specifically targets the undercoat. Don’t let this scare you—the process is just like brushing your dog; it won’t scratch skin and maintains the topcoat. Removing excess undercoat is key to significantly reducing the tumbleweeds of dog hair collecting in the corners of your house/on your couch. The Andis Pet DeShedding Tool might just be your new best friend, after Rover, of course; one look at all the four and five-star reviews on Amazon will tell you there’s a lot of happy customers out there.

Now excuse us while we go finish the rewarding task of de-shedding our dogs. From $34, andis.com

v

v

De-Shedding Tools

moderndogmagazine.com

53

Look

WHAT WE FOUND!

From

155

$

When you need a truly special collar, look to the Old World craftsmanship of stunning made-to-order Oli Collars. Luis Goncalves, the creator, uses the finest saddle-makers leather, nickel plate, and brass hardware in his craft, creating one of a kind collars that are works of art.

Though available for dogs of all sizes, his speciality is collars for large dogs like Mastiffs. Our favourites? The medieval inspired numbers that remind us of Game of Thrones. etsy.com/shop/olicollars

Cool finds for dogs & the people who love them

69

$

Finally a natural flea remedy that seriously works!

FleaHex Wash and FleaHex Household Spray get rid of adult fleas, stop the flea cycle, and repel fleas. They contain a proprietary blend of certified organic essential oils that is safe and non-toxic for animals and children and come with 100% satisfaction guarantee— be flea-free or your money back! $69 for the combo pack, fleahex.com

250

$

Your dog wants this bed. Buddy Rest is serious about your best friend's comfort. The Dormeo Octaspring Bolster Bed by Buddyrest provides pressure relief and the support of human-grade memory foam.

Lift-assist technology acts as a helping hand for less mobile dogs, making it easier for them to get in and out of the bed, plus they have superior ventilation and temperature management. buddyrest.com

29-95

$

{Editor’s Choice} We love these supersoft yet durable Chill Pads for their comfy-ness, the delicious array of colours they come in, and most, of all, for their versatility. Toss one in your office, in front of the fireplace, on the backseat of your car, in your dog’s crate—you name it! petplay.com

16

$

Quiet jangly tags with a cute, personalized, and silent Silidog pet ID tag.

These tags never fade and a portion of every sale goes to charity! silidog.com

124

$

The irresistible combo of oil-tanned Californian Latigo leather, brilliant Swarovski crystals, and solid brass hardware make this durable collar a must-have. ruffpuppiescollars.com

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96

$

Inspire artful states of repose with this cozy, cotton-covered dog bed depicting origami dog breeds.

Love it! (Available in large size only.) unleashedlife.com

moderndogmagazine.com

55

G O D R U O Y S U N O SIG VES Y LO

E LOV N IS I IR A E H T

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From loving gazes to simple nearness, these five signs indicate a connection that goes far past a room-and-board relationship

By Rose Frosek Illustration by Lindsay Campbell

# 1 Your dog greets PAXTON SUBMITTED BY ASHLEIGH MCGRANE

you at the door

This doesn’t necessarily mean an all out bonkers greeting. In fact, a supercrazy over-the-top greeting can be a sign of separation anxiety, not an indicator of affection. Your dog approaching you with a wagging tail is enough to indicate your dog is happy to see you.

#2 Your dog gazes at you

with round, relaxed, “soft” eyes No doubt about it, our dogs look to us because we make things happen—outings, dinners, play sessions. But a recent study found that our dogs make eye contact with us for more than just social cues. The new study, by Miho Nagasawa of Azabu University in Japan and colleagues, found that dogs making puppy dog eyes at their owner experienced a spike in oxytocin, the “love hormone.” Furthermore, it’s mutual; researchers found that a held gaze between dog and guardian caused an uptick in oxytocin in the person as well, creating a positive feedback loop. This same oxytocin release occurs when a mom gazes at her newborn infant, leading the researchers to conclude that their finding was “a manifestation of attachment behaviour” and that a sustained gaze between a dog and their human shares similar properties to mother–infant relationships.

(Note that in the canine world there is also such thing as a

dominant stare, which is definitely not the same as a loving gaze. In fact, it’s an act of aggression, so don’t stare down an unknown dog; maintained eye contact can be perceived as a threat.)

#3 Your dog comes to

cuddle with you, even when he doesn’t want something This is a pure and simple sign of affection as it’s devoid of motivation other than the pleasure of your company (as opposed to the pleasure of scarfing down a biscuit from the dog-treat cupboard, not that there’s anything wrong with that!).

#4 Your dog wants to be in your vicinity Maybe your dog is in the same room as you, but is paying you no mind or is snoozing away. But the fact that she’s chosen the dog bed closest to you indicates she wants to be in your company.

#5 Your dog brings toys over to where you are and tries to engage you in a play session

Like people, dogs that are depressed, scared or anxious aren’t as inclined to play. Happy dogs, i.e. dogs that love their people, are more likely to race around madly squeaking their squeaky toy (oh joy).

What’s NOT a sign of affection? Your dog freaking out when you leave. Neuroscientist Gregory Berns, author of How Dogs Love Us, spent two years teaching dogs to go in an MRI in order to decode the canine brain. He says: “Sorry to disappoint, but that is not a sign of love. Separation anxiety is very common and a leading cause of behavioural problems. And while your dog may be unconditionally bonded to you, well-adjusted dogs also know that you will return and do not display the frenetic activity of the anxious dog.

Nobody really knows why some dogs develop separation anxiety. Our neuroimaging project is trying to figure out if it is the case of an overactive social-reward system—like ‘I really, really love you, master’—or whether the anxiety is driven by a hyperactive fear system.” n moderndogmagazine.com

57

PET PROJECT

craft D.I.Y.

Make Your Dog a Scarf!

Have basic crochet skills? Make this simple single crochet neck warmer for your dog—or yourself—with just a ball or two of bulky weight yarn. Easy to customize and quick to make, it’s a perfect weekend project!

By Natalie Gagnon

GET R YOU N YAR !

ON

Materials Visit your local yarn store and find a bulky weight (weight category 5) yarn that catches your eye. For a warmer cowl, choose a yarn with a high wool content. Also have in mind how long you’d like your cowl to be and how many times you’ll want to wrap it around yours or your dog’s neck.

You’ll need: or 2 balls of bulky weight yarn in a colour of your choice ÆÆ1(buy one ball for a shorter cowl, two balls for a longer one)

Rat Terrier Lexi wears a burnt sienna infinity scarf. Rescue a Rattie through newrattitude.org!

How-to 1. With your chosen yarn, complete as many chain stitches as needed to reach the desired length of your cowl.

hook at the recommended size on the label ÆÆCrochet of your chosen yarn. For bulky yarns use a K–10.5

2. Ensuring that your chain is not twisted, slip stitch through the first chain to form your cowl into a ring.

Do not turn.

to M–13 (metric equivalent: 6.5 to 9mm).

Cool Idea: To spruce up your cowl, add a border on either side in a different colour, weave some ribbon through the stitches to embellish, or for the more advanced crocheter, add a decorative border in a fancier stitch—we like reverse single crochet (aka. crab stitch) as shown.

3. Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch around.

Join with slip stitch in top of first single crochet.

Do not turn.

4. Repeat step 3 until your cowl is the desired width.

5. Fasten off and weave in ends.

MORE

GREAT DIYs… moderndogmagazine.com/suitcasedogbed

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moderndogmagazine.com/breedteatowel

moderndogmagazine.com/pawprintslippers

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Great gifts!

These specially selected advertisers have great gifts for all the dogs & dog people on your list

moderndogmagazine.com

59

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Great gifts!

These specially selected advertisers have great gifts for all the dogs & dog people on your list

moderndogmagazine.com

61

WAYS TO PREVENT SEPARATION ANXIETY

By Jennifer Messer Illustration by Kim Smith

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ARE YOU GUILTY OF ACCIDENTALLY NURTURING YOUR DOG’S SEPARATION ANXIETY? Many of us unwittingly foster separation anxiety in our dogs. Here’s how you can modify your own behaviour to cultivate a healthy sense of security in your dog.

#1

ARE YOU AND YOUR DOG JOINED AT THE HIP? Letting your dog get used to 24/7 companionship is a disaster in the making.

You may be available round the clock today, but circumstances can change unexpectedly. Help your dog become comfortable spending time alone before it is ever a necessity. My favourite first step for alone training is to cultivate a jaws-ercise addiction. When your dog salivates at the prospect of a long luscious date with a favourite food-stuffed chew toy as you prepare to leave the house, you’ll know you won’t be too desperately missed!

#2 DON’T SMOTHER YOUR DOG WITH ATTENTION TO ALLEVIATE “SEPARATION GUILT” Lavishing your dog with continuous attention when together creates an unnecessarily BIG contrast effect when you are apart. The very behaviour that soothes your guilty conscience can hinder your dog’s healthy independence. Blur the difference between being home and away by making sure you aren’t always fawning over her, or always at her beck and call. A baby gate across the hallway while preparing a meal, or some time behind a closed door while online or buried in a good novel, will help reduce the contrast between your presence and your absence.

moderndogmagazine.com

63

#3

MAKE SURE YOUR DOG CAN SLEEP SOLO While there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with sharing the sofa and bed with your fur-friend, making sure she can get some shut eye in a portable doggie den is not cruel—it is simply good planning. You never know when she will need to spend the night without you at another home, the veterinary clinic, or a boarding facility. Being accustomed to sleeping alone in a crate or ex-pen can prevent a night apart from being traumatic and triggering separation anxiety.

#4

CULTIVATE A HEALTHY SENSE OF SECURITY AND STABILITY IN YOUR DOG Dogs suffering from separation anxiety make better progress in their training programs when a “nothing in life is free” rule is invoked: the dog has to comply with a request before being granted something he wants. Learning that there are predictable ways of manipulating their environment, such as being

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picked up by sitting on command, or getting to eat supper by staying “off” the dish until invited to “take it” probably decreases anxiety by building confidence and reducing feelings of helplessness. Structure such as this breeds a sense of security and stability. Give your dog the psychological benefits of structure before an anxiety problem develops: ask her to do more than just lap up your affection—teach her constructive ways of manipulating the world around her.

#5

PROVIDE YOUR DOG WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE INTERESTS OTHER THAN YOU Healthy affection is but one of the ingredients to keeping your dog off Prozac. Like us, dogs need much more than love for emotional wellness. Enabling your dog to pursue interests other than you—interests that provide physical, social, and intellectual stimulation—will ensure that being needed, a naturally gratifying part of guardianship, isn’t what defines the relationship. Remember, cultivating confidence and independence in your dog so that she can enjoy time apart from you is a sure sign of healthy love. n

SPECIAL PROMOTION

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Momo’s Monsters by P.L.A.Y. are inspired by dogs everywhere that can be little “monsters” sometimes. Each toy features a dedicated poem, durable construction, and is machine washable. PetPLAY.com

The Company of Animal’s Anxiety Wrap alleviates five major conditions: fear, anxiety, hyperactivity, insecurity, and shyness. The first of its kind on the market, Anxiety Wrap invented the category of pressure wraps. anxietywrap.com

Your awesome pet needs an awesome pet tag! California Mutts offers colorful, sturdy, handmade ID tags ideal for pets of all sizes. Great for both dogs and cats. Easy online ordering. CaliforniaMutts.com

PetPace wireless smart collar noninvasively monitors your pet’s health.

PetPace provides early detection of diseases and real time alerts for both dogs and cats. Perfect for everyday monitoring or pets requiring intensive veterinary care. petpace.com

Plush, beautiful, and practical, Peach Pillow Beds are the perfect spot for your pup to curl up! 100% USA-made and sourced, and available in four sizes and 12 gorgeous prints. peachpetprovisions.com

Experience a new way to provide the life-giving nourishment your pet needs with pet food from Petbrosia—custom-crafted for individual dogs or cats because one size doesn't fit all. petbrosia.com

Achy Paws Copper Comfort Pet Mat activates on touch to soothe achy joints.

Also helps increase blood flow, soothe muscle soreness, calm restlessness, and lower anxiety. AchyPaws.com

Dogs go crazy for Dogs Love Kale treats! Super healthy and super delicious, they are 100% sourced and made in the USA from organic, human-grade ingredients for a treat you can feel good about giving! dogslovekale.com

moderndogmagazine.com

65

LESSONS FROM YOUR DOG

By Rose Frosek

ount your blessings— there's always something to smile about.

Just ask Smiley here.

Read his inspiring story on page 80.

STACEY MORRISON, HAPPYTAILSPETPHOTOGRAPHY.CA

C

LESSON #1

INSET PHOTOS FROM TOP: DUSTY AND MELISSA BLACK; KEIKO & JACKIE; FRISKI SUBMITTED BY KYLA

LESSON #2

HARLEY SUBMITTED BY SONYA PARKER

lways smile for photos.

You always, always (no matter what) look better with a smile on your face. moderndogmagazine.com

67

lessons from your dog LESSON #3

S

pend some time outside every day. It replenishes your spirit.

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LESSON #4

ive your truth: when you love—go all in.

KEEPER & VICKY SUBMITTED BY CAROLE SABOURIN

WEST SUBMITTED BY MIRAJ

lessons from your dog

Note: Wine is bad for dogs. We know you know this but have to say it anyways. moderndogmagazine.com

69

lessons from your dog

B

LESSON #5

e open to making new friends.

INSET: GRETA, BELLA & DEX SUBMITTED BY ANDREW & REYNA

Everything's better with a partner in crime and a posse that has your back

Mob boss #squadgoals 70 moderndog

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BODY & SOUL

5 Reasons You Should Give Your Dog Garlic

By Loridawn Gordon, DVM

Contrary to popular belief, garlic is not bad for dogs

I

t is important to understand what is a safe amount of fresh garlic for your furry friend, because overdosing on garlic can lead to serious health problems. Use the following as a guideline: ›› ½ clove: dogs 10–15 pounds ›› 1 clove: dogs 20–40 pounds ›› 2 cloves: dogs 45–70 pounds ›› 3 cloves: dogs 100 pounds & up The garlic should be given once a day. It should not be given to pregnant and lactating dogs, puppies or dogs with IBS/ Colitis, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, or dogs taking EPA in fish oils.

Garlic can be given every day for up to three months at a time. After a maximum of three months, take a one-month break before resuming. During the three-month period, I recommend giving garlic for one week and then stopping for one week, to give your dog’s body a break. Always consult your dog’s primary healthcare practitioner before making changes to your pooch’s diet.

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—in fact it has many benefits! Garlic has numerous medicinal properties. After all, it has been used for the last 5000 years in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and European medicine. Though it has primarily been used for humans, recent research has proven it’s also beneficial for dogs. As a vet, I personally recommend garlic to my patients and also administer it to my own dog.

Here are five ways that garlic can give your furry friend a health boost:

#1 IT PREVENTS FLEAS

Garlic is a natural and inexpensive way to prevent fleas. When a dog digests garlic, the scent and taste of the garlic is expelled through her skin. You can’t smell it, but fleas can! This garlic scent naturally repels fleas.

#2 IT HELPS CURE EAR INFECTIONS

Since garlic is a natural antibiotic, it will help fight the bacterium that causes ear infections. All you need to do is put a few drops of garlic oil (buy it at your local health food store—this is not a culinary oil) into your dog’s ear and gently rub the ear in a circular motion. This massage will help distribute the garlic oil within the ear.

#3 IT BOOSTS IMMUNITY

Garlic is an antimicrobial and antibiotic. Just as eating garlic boosts a human’s immune system, it also boosts a dog’s. It works by

stimulating antibodies in the bloodstream, which will help fight off illness.

#4 IT’S GREAT FOR DOGS WITH DIABETES

Garlic is great for dogs with diabetes because it increases the amount of allicin released in the body and accordingly regulates blood sugar levels. An easy way to incorporate garlic into your dog’s food is by crushing it right over their food and mixing it in (see left column for dosage information).

#5 IT’S A CANCER FIGHTER

Garlic cannot prevent or cure cancer, but it is a food with very strong anticancer properties. Many studies have shown that consuming garlic reduces the likelihood of cancer occurring, while still other studies have shown that garlic reduces tumor size. It cannot harm to give your dog some extra garlic protection against a vicious disease!

BODY & SOUL IDEAS TO MAXIMIZE THE EXERCISE YOUR DOG GETS WHEN TIME IS OF A PREMIUM 3

#

have lots of energy to burn, biking with your dog allows for a lot of exercise in a small amount of time. Although toy breeds won’t be able to keep up, all other fit, healthy dogs that like to run are good biking candidates. (Neither really young dogs nor old dogs need apply.)

A bike attachment like the Springer America keeps both dog and rider safe.

#

Supercharge your fetch game by increasing the distance your dog has to run to retrieve. Chuckit or slingshot-style ball launchers can triple the distance of your throw.

Check out petmate.com for an array of ball launchers, from Chuckit's pro model to one designed for indoor use.

4

Hire a dog walker, even if just once a week. When you don’t have the time, or are # Trade off with a fellow dog-person. If a away during the day for long periods, consider friend or trusted neighbour has a dog your dog hiring a dog walker to get your dog out and gets along with, why not switch off dog walking moving. Going rate is anywhere from $15–$30 duties? One day you take the dogs for an extra- for a half-hour to an hour, depending on your long walk then they do. If you have someone location. Ideal maximum number of dogs per you can set up this exchange with, do it! dog walker is three or four, depending on the demeanor of the dogs.

2

New Animal-Only Crowdfunding Site Funds Pet Projects Raise money for a worthy cause today!

A new crowdfunding site solely dedicated to animal welfare projects is harnessing the power of social media to bring much-needed cash to worthy animal projects. PetFundr.com, the first “animalonly” crowdfunding site, supports all species, from family pets to farm animals. The initiative was created by pet blogger Darcy Wintonyk, who wanted to create a space to easily bring together animal lovers with worthy animal causes that need a hand financially to succeed.

“No project is too small,” she says. “It could be a dog owner raising $300 to get their pup’s broken leg fixed, to an animal shelter fundraising for an expansion or upgrade of their outdated facility.”

By sharing socially on social media channels, the campaigns are seen by scores of other animal lovers who can help the projects reach their goals. Its first campaign is helping a non-profit animal welfare agency raise $10,000 to hold a free one-day pet health

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Petfundr creator Darcy Wintonyk

clinic for low income and homeless pet owners in Vancouver, BC’s Downtown Eastside. Animal lovers can create a free campaign with their own unique pictures and story on PetFundr in a matter of minutes. That campaign is then shared with friends and family on Facebook and other social media channels. Monies raised can be collected right away minus a small fee. And unlike many crowdfunding platforms that operate on an “all or nothing” funding model, PetFundr pays out 100 per cent of donations received—regardless of whether the user hits their fundraising target.

Crowdfund a worthy animal-related cause at petfundr.com.

ENTRY TERRA SUBMITTED BY TIFFANY HUGHES

1 Bike with your dog. Ideal for dogs that

#

MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT

FLEAS

By Rob Spooner, DVM

Q:

The other day I found a flea on my dog. Is it at all possible she just has one flea? She sleeps with me in my bed—are there fleas in my bed now? Help!

A:

One flea does not a problem make, nor

are fleas the only possible cause of your dog’s scratching. Rather than waiting for a problem to arise, however, I suggest you take preemptive action. It’s possible that your dog had only one flea and, having killed that little bugger between your fingernails with a comforting pop!, you no longer have a problem. But unfortunately a more realistic scenario is that you just happened to find that one flea on that one particular part of your dog at that one point in time; in all likelihood, the presence of a flea points to an infestation.

Fleas have plagued mankind (quite literally) for centuries. For as long as we have lived with domesticated pets, fleas have been an unwanted part of our extended family. Brilliantly evolved, they have a tough exoskeleton that makes them hard to kill, a narrow frame that allows them to race between hairs to avoid capture, and incredibly powerful legs that enable them to jump huge distances (relatively speaking) onto hosts or from one host to another. To heck with Spiderman—Fleaman could whoop

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Spidey’s butt!

A flea’s eggs are laid by the hundreds and settle into our carpets and upholstery—and our bedding, if our pets are allowed to sleep with us. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on the dander shed by us and (mostly) our pets and the droppings (“flea dirt,” or frass) of adult fleas. If properly fed, the larvae wrap themselves into cocoons (pupae) and wait for the right conditions to hatch out as adults. All of these life stages take place right under our noses, and will continue unchecked unless we humans step in and do something.

The “right conditions” for hatching include a temperate environment and increased humidity. This is why fleas can particularly be a problem in eastern Canada and the U.S. during the summer months, and on the West Coast almost all year long.

But just because it’s cold outside, don’t think your pet is safe: fleas can take up residence in a pet-friendly building and happily reproduce year-round.

Fortunately, over the past 20 years conventional flea treatments have evolved to a point where flea control has become truly

TEDDY SUBMITTED BY KEVIN & AMY

BODY & SOUL

A flea’s eggs are laid by the hundreds and settle into our carpets and upholstery—and our bedding, if our pets are allowed to sleep with us. easy. Sure, you can bathe your dog—a good flea shampoo will kill whatever fleas are on her. As soon as she’s dry, however, replacement fleas from your carpets, bedding, and furniture will hop back on and start feeding again. Additional treatment is necessary. Several veterinary-approved monthly treatments are available that will either kill the fleas outright or prevent them from reproducing. Your veterinarian should be able to recommend the right product for you, taking into account the seriousness of your problem. You’ll also need to wash all your dog’s bedding (hot water!) and clean your house. There is also a natural route to treatment; it isn’t as instantaneous but it is free of harsh chemicals. You’ll have to weigh the severity of the flea problem vs. the benefits of your desired approach. Either way, the same steps—flea combing (combing your dog with a finetoothed flea comb), bathing, laundering, vacuuming—should be undertaken.

What is it about fleas that make a dog itch? It’s the crawling all over—and the biting. Fleas are picky about what they eat.

They will jump onto us humans in their quest for food, but once they’ve bitten us they’ll realize we’re the wrong host and venture onward. But it was this hunting and biting behaviour that allowed them to spread the bubonic plague in medieval times.

It wasn’t the rats—though we’ve persecuted them aggressively enough in consequence. It wasn’t even the fleas on the rats that caused the disease. It was a bacterium, Yersinia pestis, that lived in the fleas’ salivary glands and was introduced into humans through those exploratory flea bites.

Plague is no longer a threat; in most cases the only symptoms a flea bite will cause are mild irritation and a small, localized red spot. But if your dog sleeps with you, change your bedding regularly, because the thought of sleeping with insect larvae is really gross! Sweet dreams! n

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D

How to Soothe Your Dog's Achy Joints

oes your dog no longer bound up the steps? Does he appear stiff in the morning or perhaps even limps? If so, there’s a good chance your dog has arthritis, also called osteoarthritis or degenerative bone disease. The Arthritis Foundation conservatively reports one in five dogs suffer from this chronic joint pain condition. The good news is there are ways you can make your dog more comfortable.

STEP 1 Schedule an appointment with your

vet. She can determine if your dog’s stiffness or reluctance to play is in fact a symptom of joint pain, and not a torn ligament or even cancer. They can also advise if your dog ought to be on pain medication.

STEP 2 Lose the extra weight. Dogs, like people, have a tendency to pack on some extra pounds as they age. This extra weight puts considerable added strain on already sore joints.

Your dog will be happier—and healthier—at his optimal weight.

STEP 3 Add natural supplements. Turmeric and the omega-3’s found in fish oil have antiinflammatory properties, which can help reduce joint pain. Turn to page 84 for dosage information.

STEP 4 Get comfortable. A supportive dog bed that cushions sore joints is a must. A high-quality, super-comfortable dog bed that cushions painful

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joints and that is easy to get into and out of is a great investment. Dogs spend an average of 12–14 hours a day sleeping. Why not make them dreamy ones?

Check out the Dormeo Octaspring Bolster Bed by Buddyrest on page 54.

STEP 5 Massage your dog. Not only does canine massage ease pain, it’s a wonderful way to deepen your bond and show your dog how much you love her. For canine massage technique how-to, go to moderndogmagazine.com/caninemassage.

STEP 6 If your buddy is starting to have a really hard time climbing the steps or getting up to his favourite spot on the couch, invest in ramps or floor runners to improve traction. Helpyourpets.com builds awesome, Martha Stewart-approved steps in a variety of styles to assist pets getting onto places they can no longer jump up or down to without help.

Woodrowwear.com makes amazing dog booties that provide traction on slippery surfaces like hardwood, making a huge difference in your dog’s stability. n

ILLUSTRATIONS MARGO MCKNIGHT

BODY & SOUL

From $39.99.

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STACEY MORRISON, HAPPYTAILSPETPHOTOGRAPHY.CA

BODY & SOUL

Your Smiley of the Day Photographed by Stacey Morrison

Golden Retriever Smiley was born in a puppy mill with a condition linked to dwarfism—he has no eyes as well as physical disproportions, including oversize teeth and a smaller stature. When he was found in 2004, it was recommended he be euthanized. Instead, Joanne George, a veterinary technician at the time, took him home and had his eyes sewn shut to prevent infection. Along with Smiley, she rescued 10 other pups, which all found new families quickly. Due to his condition, Smiley had difficulty getting adopted, so Joanne kept him.

Today, Smiley, 12, works as a certified therapy dog for St. John’s Ambulance, and most of his work is with children. Smiley attends funerals and visitations to sit with grieving children, and visits the local library in York Region, Ontario, to be with autistic children who have difficulty reading. He also visits classrooms with special needs students.

Smiley is a happy dog, and spreads joy and comfort everywhere he goes.

He teaches us that dogs don’t dwell on the past, and dogs with disabilities can adapt and be wonderful pets—they can change your life and the lives of people around you. See more of Smiley on page 66.

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Ingredients are still sourced close to home and all of their treats—in varieties like Peanut Butter, Bacon & Cheese, Oven or Soft Baked, and Grain Free—are made in the US. Because you should feel good about feeding treats made from simple, wholesome ingredients. cloudstar.com

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Get a new lease on life for your dog: give them HyCel Canine!

Consisting of three joint restoring ingredients—Celadrin, Hyaluronic Acid, and Magnesium—HyCel Canine is an advanced joint formula designed to help restore joint health and mobility in dogs. For more information on HyCel Canine, visit foxdenequine. com/Products/Hycel-Canine. moderndogmagazine.com

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Rachel Brathen—aka Yoga Girl, as her 1.4 million Instagram followers know her—shares tips for incorporating your dog into your yoga practice (it's more doable than it sounds!)

Rachel's Tips: Have your dog lie on or beside you in Savasana (corpse pose). I love Ringo on my chest in Savasana. It’s like the best thing ever, it really is.

Balancing poses: If you have a big dog, use your dog for balance. Have your dog sit next to you and touch your dog, hold her for balance in Tree pose or Dancer’s pose. If you have a small dog balance while picking your dog up.

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Modern Dog's Kara Gerlach with Penny

Try forward fold with your dog in your lap so you’re really cuddling with your dog while you’re getting a stretch. Being really present with your dog, it really increases that intimate connection.

Need another reason to love Rachel? She's all about rescue! Check out her globe-spanning rescue mission @sgtpeppersfriends on Instagram!

PHOTO BEN KANE

Dog + Yoga = Doga

BODY & SOUL

Top This

Improve your dog’s dinner by adding these health-boosting toppers!

Fresh garlic has a whole host

of health benefits. It prevents fleas, boosts immunity, fights cancer, helps dogs with diabetes, and more. For dosage info, flip to page 72.

Turmeric (curcumin)

Chia has more than three times

has been shown to act in a number of ways to prevent the growth or spread of cancer cells for many different types of cancer. It works as an antiinflammatory, an antioxidant, and helps encourage cancer cell death. Add 1/8 teaspoon daily for every 10 pounds of body weight.

the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as salmon! It is also high in fiber, promoting healthy bowel movements and weight loss, and contains loads of iron, magnesium, and calcium, as well as phosphorus, potassium, copper, iron, and zinc.

Add 1/8 teaspoon ground chia daily for every 10 pounds of body weight.

Coconut oil speeds healing, improves

Flax seed, either ground or oil, is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, great for skin, coat, and a whole lot more. Additionally, flax seed (as opposed to flax seed oil) is a source of fiber.

Sprinkle or drizzle 1/2 teaspoon atop your dog’s dinner.

skin, coat, and digestion, and helps with allergies. It also supports healthy immune response, has an anti-inflammatory effect, and improves brain function—great for older dogs! Give 1/8 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight daily. One to try: Oscar Newman’s organic all-natural coconut products made especially for pets (cocotherapy.com).

Upgrade your dog’s dining situation with this elevated feeder. The Southern Maple diner blends the warmth of natural American maple with modern carved legs finished in either white or red for a classic look. From $75, PetsStop.com

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Fish oil The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are a great fix for poor skin and coat health, and, due to their anti-inflammatory properties, they play an important role in any cancer fighting regimen. Omega-3’s also promote healthy cells, joints, immune response, and cardiovascular system function, as well as brain health. Try Iceland Pure’s human-grade fish oils for dogs or DHA Gold’s sustainable marine-algae derived omega-3 sprinkle, following the dosage guide on the label.

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G e t In sp i r e d

INSPIRATION CARDS Pocket-sized cards to stick on your fridge or use as a bookmark

Love: the only thing that gets returned double if given generously.

If all else fails, hug your dog.

Whoever said diamonds are a girls best friend… never owned a dog

Be the person your dog thinks you are.

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STAR POWER

How cute is this duo?!

Elaine & her rescue dog Ellie

Blonde Ambition E

laine Hendrix has the kind of intense, dramatic beauty and commanding personality that makes heads turn when she enters a room. It's what's kept her as an in-demand actress in Hollywood for the past 20 years.

Best known for her roles in the remake of The Parent Trap and movies like Inspector Gadget 2 and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, the Tennessee native has also appeared on dozens of hit TV shows, including Beverly Hills 90210,

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Ellen, Charmed, Friends, CSI, Married with Children, Anger Management, Castle, and Ghost Whisperer. She’s currently starring alongside comedian Denis Leary in the new FX comedy series Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll.

But despite her impressive on-screen resume, it's her work behind the cameras as an animal rescuer that she believes is her calling. “I have two full-time careers. I'm an actress full-time and I'm

PHOTO MARA CASEY, MARACASEYSHOOTS.COM

AN VE USI L !

C EX RVIEW E INT

Elaine Hendrix on her off-screen mission to help animals

By Darcy Wintonyk Photographed by Mara Casey

an animal activist full-time,” she tells Modern Dog from her home in Los Angeles.

When she's not shooting or spending time with her five—yes, five—rescue pets, the ambitious blonde is traveling across North America advocating for stronger laws protecting animals and working with organizations to champion the cause of homeless pets.

An outspoken anti-fur lobbyist, the exuberant 44-year-old has dedicated countless hours to fostering, speaking, demonstrating, educating, and building habitats on behalf of animals.

“I'm so utterly blessed to be doing the two things I love to do at the level I'm able to do them,” she says.

A lifelong animal lover and supporter of causes like the World Wildlife Fund and PETA, Elaine's formal journey into activism began a decade ago after accidentally stumbling across a video of an undercover investigation into a fur operation.

Her reaction to watching a video of a dog skinned alive was almost as visceral and violent as the horrifying footage itself.

“I doubled over as if someone kicked me in the stomach,” she says. “I started crying uncontrollably—I was freaking out. From that moment I knew I needed to do something.”

Already a vegetarian, her first step was ridding her life of any products that harmed animals. She adopted a vegan lifestyle and threw out all beauty and cleaning products tested on animals. But that's not all.

“I sold my car because of its leather interior,” she says, adding that the decision was viewed as “a little extreme” by her boyfriend at the time.

Publicly supporting animal rescues came next. With a friend working at Beverly Hillsbased The Pet Care Foundation, the busy actress started hitting farmers markets every weekend to preach the joys of adopting.

“That's where I started seeing I had a knack for talking to people about shelter adoptions. I started pairing people up with homeless pets,” she says.

That talent and passion for matching potential pet parents with four-legged companions pushed Elaine to launch the multimedia project and website The Pet Matchmaker (thepetmatchmaker.com) three years ago.

With a motto that “homeless pets make the best pets,” the site shares the stories of love, rescue, and adoption with a mission to get more animals saved from living—or dying—at overcrowded and underfunded U.S. shelters.

The Pet Matchmaker editor-in-chief Nora Lynch says unlike many Hollywood actresses, Elaine is all heart—and no ego—when it comes to their pet project.

“It's always about the animals. She's tireless, passionate, driven. If she can help an animal, she'll move mountains to do it,” Lynch says, adding that the goal for the site is to raise people's awareness of the “staggering number of homeless pets.”

Difficult animal issues are at the front and center of Elaine's new weekly Pet Matchmaker podcast. Drawing in experts, animal advocates, trainers and rescue parents, there isn't a subject off the books. moderndogmagazine.com

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“

I have two full-time careers. I'm an actress full-time and I'm an animal activist full-time.

For me, there's no other feeling like rescuing animals. You are literally saving a life.

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“Jennifer went on to say 'Elaine, that dog changed my life,'” she says.

“She credits Duke for some amazing changes in her life. And as dog lovers, we know that power dogs can have.

How they can transform your life.”

Indeed, rescue has been a transforming force in Hendrix's personal life. She shares custody of an aging Korean Jindo with a former boyfriend, “a great co-parent.” She named the dog Rossmore after the L.A. street she found him on, cut up and emaciated. He's at least 12 years old now, blind, going deaf, and “just such a sweet boy.”

“I didn't try that hard to find his parents,” she admits.

Rounding out the canine clan is Bixby, a “hilarious little love bug” Chihuahua/Whippet/Beagle mix adopted from Los Angeles rescue Bark n' Bitches, and Ellie, whom Elaine describes as “her soulmate.”

“She's my everything,” she says.

Ellie was one of six German Shepherd/Collie/Husky mix pups Elaine fostered after receiving an urgent call from a local shelter about a pregnant dog that was about to be euthanized. She took them all into her home and, of course, had no intention of keeping any of the pups. But when all of Ellie's litter mates were adopted, the soft-hearted animal lover had a revelation: “She couldn't find a home and I was like 'yeah, that's because she always had a home. She was home.'”

There's also the feline family members: Goodie Cornbread, a black domestic shorthair cat that came off the street during filming in Georgia, and a gray tabby named Kimbo, she adopted to keep the first cat company.

“I'm just so grateful everyone gets along,” she says of her brood.

If rescuing shelter pets is Elaine's lifestyle, it is her life's mission to dispel myths about them.

She gets fired up when people suggest only “defect” dogs end

PHOTO MARA CASEY

“We also talk about animals that don't make good pets—like primates,” Elaine says. “I want it to have personality and be fun as well as being spontaneous.”

That includes guest appearances from her Hollywood heavyweight friends. Kristen Bell, Morgan Fairchild, and True Blood's Kristen Bauer van Straten are recent guests, and Elaine plans to have the entire cast of her new FX production on soon.

Married with Children's David Faustino came on to chat about his rescue dog Molly, the pooch he adopted as a result of Elaine's wry matchmaking skills. Elaine placed Molly with the actor, and she was also at the event where he adopted his other two pups.

“If you're my friend, you love animals, that's pretty much how it goes. That's how it has to be,” she says, laughing. “I've placed a lot of animals with my friends.”

She played doggie matchmaker to pal Jennifer Love Hewitt, setting up the Ghost Whisperer actress with Duke, a rescue pup sprung from a “hellish” high-kill shelter in San Bernadino, California.

“She was just so passionate about it. I had never had a rescue before,” Jennifer Love Hewitt told Modern Dog about Elaine’s work with rescue dogs.

But the adoption didn't just save the Australian/German Shepherd cross, it helped elevate the actress's spirits during the difficult period after her mother passed away.

“I have been somebody who felt very lost. Very abandoned by the universe. And very much like how these dogs must feel: like, there’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just not found yet,” Jennifer says of her decision to take in the rescue pup. “He lifted me up.”

Elaine says Jennifer’s life went through a “stunning” turnaround after bringing the shelter pup into her home.

”

up in shelter, and would rather purchase one from a pet store.

“It's backwards,” she says. “The pet shops, that's where the inbred dogs are, the sick dogs. If you go to a shelter you're going to adopt a dog that's healthier, that has basic training, that's microchipped.”

Ditto for those who want a purebred pooch and believe you can only get one through a breeder. 35 percent of pets up for adoption in shelters are purebred, she says, “and there is a pure breed rescue for just about every kind of dog under the sun.”

The biggest misconception she hears—and tries to quash—is that getting a champion purebred will somehow make for a better-behaved companion.

“Dogs get sick. Dogs change, just like we do. The true reality is you never know what you're going to get.”

Passionate about her convictions, Elaine hasn’t shied away from using her celebrity to champion the animal rights causes she believes in—no matter how controversial.

She’s marched against puppy mills in protests in Los Angeles and waved signs denouncing dog meat at public demonstrations.

It's a risky move for a high-profile actress, but for her, the rewards outweigh the risks when it comes to using her visibility to take a political stance on animal rights.

Earlier in her career, Elaine lost several acting jobs because she refused to wear fur—and even fake fur. But those experiences only made her convictions stronger.

“There are two things I just won’t do: gratuitous nudity and wear fur. It’s like ‘yeah, fire me.’ I don’t worry at all about my career,” she says.

Now a mentor and teacher to young actors, that’s the message she’s passing on to the next generation of Hollywood up-and-comers: “I tell people to have a cause, to stay strong,” she says.

With her FX series filming in New York, Elaine—with 50-pound Ellie in tow—will be logging a lot of air miles this year. Despite the busy shooting schedule she has no plans of slowing down when it comes to her involvement in helping animals.

In addition to growing The Pet Matchmaker site and podcast, Elaine is filming a web series called “Dog Boss” and public service announcements about the plight of pets. This fall she’s also launching an app for pet parents to set up doggie playdates in their area.

And if that’s not enough, Elaine is working with HARRT– Humane Animal Rescue & Response Team–to rescue animals.

“I love acting and I'm so grateful for all that it affords me, but my animal organization is something that I'm planning on retiring into,” she says.

“Any spare minute I have I’m giving back to animals. The important thing is just don’t stop, don’t stop.” n moderndogmagazine.com

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raincoat from Barking Bitches is lined with cuddly fleece or flannel—perfect for keeping warm and dry when the weather turns. Plus, how cool is this? The Barking Bitches business model is based on senior citizens and animals helping each other. Colorado seniors handcraft all their products, allowing the seniors to earn money to supplement fixed incomes. And a portion of the sale of all products is donated to non-profit animal organizations. Win-win! barkingbitches.com

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Choice} Is your dog’s coat looking dull and lack luster due to colder fall weather? Fresh Dog’s USDA organic leave-in conditioner Coat Oil with argan and jojoba oil will restore that beautiful shine while soothing dry, itchy skin. freshdog.com

Key product testers Dover &Toby deem this product very effective.

$35 Protect your couch

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Genius! couchdefender.com

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$36 Make a statement in this adorable, supersoft, made-in-the-USA Wonder Dog hoodie. Best of all, 20% of profits go to rescues and no-kill shelters! wonderdogapparel.com

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These adorable cuties are looking to make a love match.

Could your new best friend be here?

All of the dogs pictured are available through Best Friends Animal Society and their No More Homeless partners.

ll ul ah! a T t e e M

LOCATION: Humane Society of Chittenden County in South Burlington, VT BIO: This sweet and silly girl is looking for a family that understands her exercise and social needs, as she is still a young pup with lots of energy. Tallulah enjoys making new friends and is excited to have fun adventures with her new family! Have an abundance of toys and tricks to teach? Tallulah’s your gal!

LOVE MATCH? Email bestfriends@chittendenhumane.org or call 802-862-0135. See more adoptable dogs at chittendenhumane.org!

Beckham

Sheeba

LOCATION: SPCA of N.E. North Carolina, Elizabeth City, NC BIO: Sheeba is a five-years-young “All American Shelter Dog.” This playful girl enjoys car rides, leash walks, and quiet time. She is housetrained and knows sit, paw, and lay down. She’d make an awesome new best friend!

LOVE MATCH? Email spcaofnenc@gmail.com or call 252-338-5222.

See more adopatable dogs at spcaofnenc.org!

Sarra

LOCATION: Best Friends L.A. Pet Adoption Center, Mission Hills, CA

BIO: Distinguished Beckham is a super sweet senior longing to find the perfect home. Beckham is a great, calm companion, but he’s still spunky enough to enjoy long walks and mellow hikes.

Beckham does OK with some other dogs or would flourish as an only pet. What Beckham likes most is cuddling and giving kisses!

LOVE MATCH? Email adoptLA@bestfriends.org or call 818-643-3989. See more adoptable dogs at la.bestfriends.org

LOCATION: Best Friends New York foster program, New York City, NY BIO: Sarra is 100 pounds of pure love and affection. She may be a big girl, but Sarra is really just looking for a comfy couch to lie on and a loving hand to pet her. Sarra is relaxed, gentle, and walks calmly on a leash. This love bug enjoys the company of both humans and other dogs.

LOVE MATCH? Email contactnyc@bestfriends.org or call 347-76ADOPT. See more adoptable dogs at ny.bestfriends.org

Send an inquiry & find out if you're a match!

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PHOTO LEFT: KELLY SCHULTZE/MOUNTAIN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY (MOUNTAINDOGPHOTOGRAPHY.NET)

Looking for Love

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Lisa Peacock, founder of the Peacock Foundation with Baxter, a three-year old Boxer adopted from Craigslist.

A New Breed of Therapy Sometimes the best therapy is simply the company of a dog

By Jen Reeder

L

isa Peacock has always loved animals, which is fortunate, as they’ve helped her through some very tough times. As a young girl growing up in Arizona, she begged her dad for a pet, so he got her a rabbit and then surprised the whole family with a loveable puppy named Bruiser at Christmas. Tragically, it was the last Christmas they spent together—Lisa’s father was killed in the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 plane crash on August 16, 1987. Lisa was just nine years old.

“My life,” she said, “was turned upside down.”

The family attempted to cope by adopting more animals, including horses, a cat, and a goat. But Lisa’s mother also married someone Lisa describes as a verbally abusive alcoholic.

“I went from the trauma of losing my dad to the reality that the new dad I had was not nice and caused a lot of pain and hardship,” Lisa said. “Whenever things would happen or I

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wanted to avoid him, I went to the animals.”

By the time Lisa was a senior in high school, things were looking up; her mother left her stepfather and the family was mending. But a year later, when Lisa was a 19-year-old college freshman, Lisa lost her mother, too, in a car crash.

“My entire world just collapsed again,” she said.

But Lisa’s mom had given her a final gift: before her death, she had made her family reservations for an overnight at the Phoenix Zoo. Despite their recent loss, Lisa and her sisters—an older sister and a 6-year-old “baby” sister—decided to go anyway. Lisa said at the zoo, she “felt good for the first time in a long time.”

An employee noticed Lisa’s connection with the animals and suggested Lisa apply for a job at the zoo. She did so the very next day.

Lisa worked at the zoo for the next three years while she

finished college and credits her access to animals with helping her heal and avoid pitfalls like drugs.

“What animals need is food and shelter and love and excitement, and I could give that.

It was so nice to have something in my life that was not affected by what I had been through and didn’t care if I kept crying.”

In fact, Lisa had keys to the zoo and could visit a collection of about 100 animals whenever she liked.

“I was able to go into the enclosure with the wallaby and rabbits and just feed them and sit with them, and go into the enclosure of the owl and pick her up and take her for a walk … They loved it because it gave them enrichment, and I loved it because I got to be around something that wasn’t going to pity me. To them, I was okay.”

After graduation, Lisa moved to Los Angeles—“There was such possibility in going somewhere else where I didn’t have any memories” —and worked at a zoo before knee surgeries sidelined her. A co-worker asked what she really wanted to do with her life.

To her surprise, she immediately answered, “I want to start a program where I can work with animals and grieving children.”

With that, the idea for the Peacock Foundation was born. Lisa got a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and called on animal-loving friends to help launch her nonprofit. Initially, she would travel to schools with exotic animals such as her Burmese python and chinchilla to counsel children, but after she adopted a dog named Ricky who had been rescued from an abusive home, the Peacock Foundation found its model.

Lisa and Ricky, a retriever mix, began visiting kids at foster facilities and the response was incredible.

“I would tell them all his story—how the first family that had him didn’t treat him very well. And we would talk about how I helped him through that, and what things he still carried because of that time of his life and what it was like to be adopted,” she said. “So it gave this huge platform to be able to talk to kids about all these different issues that might be going on in their lives—and a chance to see there is recovery.”

Now the Peacock Foundation has expanded to include volunteer therapists and animal handlers—primarily dog owners—who visit at-risk children in schools and homeless shelters for group therapy. The Peacock Foundation offers two eight-week therapy sessions—for free—to schools and mental health agencies and has counseled over 5,000 children in Southern California. To expand that reach, the Peacock Foundation has also started offering training for therapists who want to learn how to incorporate animals into their practice.

“The point is to help these kids develop their self-worth and resiliency and coping skills,” Lisa said. “This all started because I had a hole somewhere in me and this filled it … And I want to make sure other people who are going through that, instead of sinking down into a depression or feeling lost and hopeless, they find something that can make them feel purposeful and connected.”

She said she’s seen children with anger issues, violent tendencies, and depression open up to her simply because they were petting a dog together. One of her first cases involved a three-year-old boy who had been placed in a foster home. He would cling to Ricky’s fur while standing next to him. A month later he was transitioned to a new home and reunited with his brother, and when Lisa arrived with Ricky, the youngster ran to Ricky, excited to show off his canine friend to the new family.

“We saw these two little boys who had been through so much in such a short amount of time be able to bond and transition so much better because of their access to

"This all started because I had a hole somewhere in me and this filled it."

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"When kids walk in and there’s an animal, they just change…

They just light up—it’s like a magic wand."

HOW TO:

Get Involved There are lots of ways to support The Peacock Foundation, such as donating, volunteering, joining the board or spreading the word by liking them on Facebook or following on Twitter.

Therapists can become certified with the Peacock Foundation and provide animal therapy in their hometowns.

The public is invited to attend their annual fundraiser at CBS Studio Center, in Studio City, CA, each fall. The event includes food, wine and beer tastings, a silent auction, animal appearances and the Ricky—named for Peacock’s late therapy dog, Ricky. Nominate your dog for a Ricky Award by sharing the great things your dog is doing through their social media sites, and you and your dog could be personally invited to attend.

And if you represent an organization that would like the Peacock Foundation to counsel the children you serve, Lisa Peacock wants to hear from you: “We want to know everybody who needs this service so we can do our best to reach every single child that deserves the opportunity.” peacockfoundation.org.

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animals. I saw the way this little boy lit up when Ricky would walk around the corner. It gave me a language with him that I wouldn’t have had,” she said. “That has happened so many times.”

She said just bringing an animal to therapy sessions is an important gesture.

“I’m not just another therapist who’s going to talk to them about bullying or alcohol and drugs—I actually brought something for them,” Lisa said. “What I’ve noticed in working with all these various kids is because I offer something, they offer something back.”

Pamela Sprankling, MFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, attended a Peacock Foundation training to learn how to integrate animal therapy into her practice in 2013, and was so impressed with its effectiveness that she now volunteers for the nonprofit and joined the board of directors last year.

“When kids walk in and there’s an animal, they just change,” Sprankling said. “They just light up—it’s like a magic wand.”

In one particularly moving instance, Sprankling led a therapy group that included a depressed 14-year-old girl. When the group started, the girl made no eye contact, rarely spoke, and was hesitant around the dog. But when a rescued terrier mix named Buddy was visiting, she suddenly shared that a friend of hers had been killed in gang violence.

“I turned to the handler and said, ‘Has Buddy had any losses in his life?’ The handler talked about other dogs he’d had that had died, and how Buddy was sad because dogs get depressed,” Sprankling recalled. “Then it takes it off the kids because the animal has had loss too.”

After Buddy’s handler shared that Buddy didn’t eat for a while, had sleep issues, and got cranky, Sprankling was able to say, “Buddy has had losses too, and he made it and looks happy today.” By the end of the eight-week session, the formerly withdrawn girl had blossomed into a group leader, even volunteering to help the other kids.

“When you bring in an animal, the focus goes to the animal. I think that’s the key: the safeness. It’s nonthreatening, and it’s fun! They don’t even know they’re having therapy,” she said. “The animal will open the door to something that a therapist alone can’t do.”

Marwick Kane, an animal handler volunteer with the Peacock Foundation, visits group therapy sessions with his Doberman Pinscher, Jackie, or his long-haired Dalmatian, Kai. He’s seen shy children learn to speak up by talking to the dogs, and aggressive children learn to be gentle. If kids get too rowdy or stop listening to the counselors, he explains he has to take his dog outside until they calm down—so the kids will be good to keep the dog in the room.

Though the children he works with are of diverse economic backgrounds, their reaction to the dogs is universal. “All the kids are having the same issues,” Marwick noted. “There’s no difference whether they come from millionaire parents with guest homes and swimming pools, or they’re living in a homeless shelter. Their reaction to the dogs and how it helps in their temperaments—I have not seen a difference. It’s amazing.”

Though some volunteer animal handlers bring in turtles or birds, he said dogs are the “biggest hit.”

“I think people wonder why there’s such a connection with the dogs. For me, all I can say is there’s no barrier between the dogs’ soul and their eyes. Humans put up barriers constantly—you always wonder what someone’s thinking, what they’re feeling. Dogs don’t do that. You look at a dog, and you’re happy.”

Kane said he thinks people should seek volunteer experiences involving something they love—which in his case is animals, just as it is for other Peacock Foundation volunteers and of course, the group’s founder.

“Lisa Peacock is a very compassionate person, and she’s an animal person. Clearly this is a passion for her. This is not just a job or a business—this is passion. And when something comes from passion, it shows,” he said. “She is fantastic.” n

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CHECKING IN

DESTINATION

MEXICO INCANTATIONS: Private plunge pool, mezcal, moon shower… if these words conjure delight, start looking into Yucatanbound flights (closest airports: Cancun or Cozumel) that allow small dogs to travel in-cabin, because do we have a destination for you…

vacay withr youg! do

DESTINATION: The Viceroy Riviera Maya, Mexico

THE DETAILS: Dogs up to 20-ish pounds welcomed for a per-night pet fee of $50. Room rates start at $393

I

magine this: You walk a gorgeous jungle-y path to your private villa. If you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of a spider monkey swinging overhead as you take in the sights and sounds of this breathtaking oasis just outside Playa del Carmen. Beside you is your little dog, busily sniffing the pathway as you follow one of the hotel staff members towards the spa, where a shaman from a local Mayan village is ready to welcome you both with a Mayan blessing. They’ve even made your canine companion a beach shell necklace.

Then it’s on to your villa, surrounded by lush jungle foliage, where you toast your arrival with a sip of the Siete Misterios mezcal (tequila’s smoky cousin) they’ve set out for you. The resort’s mayordomo stops in to offer you a personalized selection of handmade soaps, handcutting you a slice in your desired fragrance.

Your quarters are impossibly lovely with a huge bed, pristine white Egyptian cotton sheets, private plunge pool, and outdoor moon shower. There is even a tiny palapa hut designed to shade your dog when you’re relaxing beachside in the commons or on your private terrace, dipping your toes in your kidney-shaped pool or laid out on the hammock or daybed. You wonder how you’ll ever drag yourself from your villa—and then

GO!

playaanimalrescue.org facebook.com/PlayaAnimalRescue viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/rivieramaya

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GETTING THERE: A 40 minute taxi ride from the Cancun International Airport deposits you at the resort’s Zen open-air reception area. A gracious welcome, including a cool eucalyptus-scented towel and a glass of xcalacoco, a refreshing coconut and lemongrass drink, ensures you immediately feel a world away

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you get a glimpse of the glorious beachfront pool.

Breakfast is taken in the breezy open-air restaurant at the edge of the beach, ringed by white hanging beds begging for a post-repast nap. When you finally rouse yourself, you debate whether to take a dip in the palm-ringed lagoon pool, rent Stand Up Paddle Boards from the stand mere paces from where you’re sitting (bring a life jacket for your dog if you want him to accompany you) or grab a taxi for the 10 minute drive into Playa Del Carmen. (Plenty of people walk their dogs along the bustling main strip in town and pretty much every restaurant has a patio so feel free to bring along your pup.)

Then it’s back to the Viceroy for dinner at La Marea, the more formal dining room, a beautiful second-floor space with delightful ocean breezes, ceiling fans, colonial club house vibes, and an internationally-inflected Mexican menu. Our advice: Order lots—you’re on vacation, everything is delicious, and the setting is impossible to beat. Your dog won’t go hungry either—in-room dining for pets is à la carte and personalized by the chefs.

Our canine companion, former Mexican street dog Ares, went from eking out an existence on the mean calles to a five

NOT TO BE MISSED: the resort offers a traditional Temazcal ceremony, an ancient ritual for spiritual and physical cleansing that’s becoming a top tourist draw. Inquire about booking a Temazcal at the spa.

GOOD TO KNOW: the resort is located just 35 minutes from Cancun International Airport, and three miles from popular Playa del Carmen, known for its restaurants, boutiques, and nightlife.

PHOTO LORI LEMIEUX

Interested in a restorative getaway, one that will welcome your small dog?

Look no further! The Viceroy Riviera Maya is the stuff dreams are made of. And while you’re down there, why not rescue a dog?

star welcome as our guest at the hotel—just the sort of rags to riches story we love. Making it possible was the irrepressible Jan Northenscold, a retired American who now calls Playa Del Carmen home—not that she remained at her leisure for long.

Spurred to action by the number of streets dogs in and around Playa Del Carmen and their more-often-than-not sad fate, Jan founded her own non-profit, Playa Animal Rescue, petitioning officials for the space to make it happen. To date, Jan has saved in the neighbourhood of 250 dogs, on average re-homing

a dog every three to four days. Many of her rescues are now living in the US and Canada. If you’re interested in adopting a Mexican street dog, check out playaanimalrescue.org. Jan will arrange everything to make the cross-border voyage seamless.

If you’re in Playa del Carmen for a stretch, stop by the entirely donation-funded shelter to say hi and inquire about volunteer opportunities like walking the dogs. They also have super tanks and tees for sale that make great souvenirs. Buen viaje! n

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OL ARE O C W !

HO INDS? F E S E TH

GREAT GEAR

Nifty essentials & problem solvers for dogs and their people

Ding-dong!

$

28

At the intersection of super fun and very useful, is Pebble Smart’s doggie doorbell. The originators share: We developed Pebble Smart Doggie Doorbell for our beloved Whippet, Pebble. Every time he wants to come in the house, instead of scratching the door or barking, he rings the doggy doorbell: “Dingdong...” All our friends are delighted and amazed.

Pebble would come in with his tail wagging proudly.

Wireless installation and the ability to mount it at any height for different sized dogs or on the floor for dogs who would rather use a paw than their nose make using the doggie doorbell a cinch! pebblesmart.com

FROM

33

$

Provide your dog with an alternative to the cone of shame!

Suitical’s Recovery Suit is a comfortable full body solution perfect for post-op, wound protection, skin diseases, hot spots, and more! suitical.com

$ $

200

{Editor’s Choice} How nifty is this? Locate your dog, monitor his activity in realtime, and record his adventures on your smart phone or computer with Pod, a small, light GPS tracker—it’s about the size of a wine cork—that attaches to any size of collar! podtrackers.com

$

39

{Modern Dog Tested & Approved!} If you have a dog that pees or marks in the house, this is the solution you’ve been searching for. The Peekeeper is an escapeproof dog diaper that’s comfortable and easy to use. Just place a feminine pad or adult incontinence pad inside and you’re good to “go”—perfect for senior or special needs dogs. This customer review says it all: “Dog saver, carpet saver, wood floor saver…most of all marriage saver!!!” peekeeper.com

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Protect your dogs paws from the elements with Muttluk’s dog boots. Designed for a soft, flexible fit these leather soled, fleece-lined boots are ideal for cold weather.

Self tightening reflective straps mean they stay put on your dog’s feet! muttluks.com

$

65

Fab Dog’s cozy, olive-coloured Snorkel jacket comes in sizes to fit dogs 5 - 80 pounds, ensuring our best pals stay warm—and look stylish—on long Autumn rambles. fabdog.com

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BREED PROFILE

FUN, & DY STUR FUL PLAY Y BREED C BOUN RM IN A THIS H C S HA ES! SPAD

The Havanese Cuba’s Sunny Canine Export

By Kelly Caldwell

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In his earliest days, this breed was almost exclusively owned by Cuba’s wealthy upper class citizens. “Havs” were the darlings of the upper crust.

T

he national dog of Cuba may not be one that you’re familiar with.

He was, after all, only recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1996.

However, this plucky little dog is by no means new to the canine kingdom. The Havanese has quite a rich history, and it goes something like this…

While historical records don’t state with a certainty how the breed developed, experts agree that the Havanese descended from Bichon types of small companion dogs—the same ones that led to the development of breeds such as the Maltese, the Bichon Frise, and the Coton de Tulear.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Bichon type dogs were brought to Cuba by sea merchants from Europe. Why they remained in Cuba is largely conjecture, but the prevailing theory is that they were given to prominent Cuban families as gifts.

Some theorize that there were actually two similar but distinct breeds. One was a tiny white dog, the Blanquito de la Havana, that was in fitting with the fashion of European fanciers of the time. The second dog was slightly larger and had a coat that came in a variety of colours. Over time, the two were interbred, resulting in the breed that, throughout his history, has been referred to as the Havana Silk Dog, the Petit Chien Havane, the Blanquito Cuban, the Spanish Silk Poodle, the Bichon Havanese, and the Bichon Habanero. Today, he’s simply the Havanese and he is Cuba’s only native breed.

In his earliest days, this breed was almost exclusively owned by Cuba’s wealthy upper class citizens. “Havs” were the darlings of the upper crust, and by the mid-eighteenth century, the breed was

popular on an international scale and owned by high-profile aristocrats, including Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens.

In the first half of the Twentieth Century, however, popularity of the breed dwindled— perhaps as other breeds started to gain the attention of Cuban fanciers. The breed’s numbers were low, and then came the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The wealthy Cubans who owned Havanese fled the country, and most were not able to bring their dogs. The breed According to the most recent was literally on the verge of AKC registration statistics extinction for many years. In [1] Labrador Retriever the last few decades, dedicated [2] German Shepherd Dog fanciers have taken great care [3] Golden Retriever to revive what had become [4] Bulldog an extremely rare breed. Their [5] Beagle efforts have paid off, and today [6] Yorkshire Terrier the Havanese is a popular [7] Poodle breed in both Cuba and abroad; [8] Boxer the AKC ranked the Havanese [9] French Bulldog as the 25th most commonly[10] Rottweiler registered breed in 2014.

[25] Havanese Today, the Havanese is a fun, sturdy, and playful companion with a soft, silky coat, a tail carried over his back, and dark, almond-shaped eyes characterized by a soft expression.

He is, simply, oozing charm—and that charm is taken to a whole new level of cuteness with his trademark strut. The breed

Most Popular Dogs in the U.S.

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Size: Small Small. The AKC accepts the breed in height ranging from 8.5 to 11.5 inches.

Activity level: This breed is a world-class cuddler, but he’s no couch potato.

Daily exercise and play time are musts.

Grooming: Routine brushing to avoid matting is required. To cord the coat, additional time and effort will be needed. Be sure to keep those ears clean and dry!

Heritage: A companion dog, brought by European sea merchants to Cuba, where the breed was further developed.

For information on Havanese rescue in the U.S., visit havaneserescue.com. In Canada, visit havaneserescue.ca.

If you like the Havanese, you might also give some consideration to the Coton de Tulear, Bichon Frise or Maltese.

Coton de Tulear

Bichon Frise

READ YOUR BREED

Maltese

For more breed profiles, go to moderndogmagazine.com/breeds

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INSET IMAGES © AKC

Profile: The Havanese

has a shorter upper arm that, in combination with his rear drive, creates a bouncy gait. Whatever the cause, the result is a unique bounce that is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.

The AKC accepts the breed in a height ranging from 8.5 to 11.5 inches, and all colours or markings are permissible. The Havanese is small, but he is not delicate—the word “sturdy” comes up time and time again. His physique is balanced, and not extreme in any way. These hearty little dogs are generally quite healthy.

Preservation of temperament is strongly emphasized in the standard, which notes that the Havanese should possess “immense charm” and be “friendly, intelligent, and playful.”

Also a priority is the desire to keep this breed’s appearance as natural looking as possible. The Hav may be shown with a brushed or corded coat, but the look should be natural and not coiffed or styled.

Speaking of his coat, the Hav’s is naturally silky to the touch and wavy, and can grow quite long. Some like to cord the coat—a look akin to that of dreadlocks in people. Achieving that look takes time and skill, however, so most typically the Havanese is seen with a coat that is brushed. The Hav may be trimmed, but he shouldn’t be shaved. Some mistakenly think shaving the breed will make him more comfortable in the summer months, but the opposite is true. That silky coat actually serves to insulate him and protect him from the sun.

To prevent mats from forming, regular brushing is required.

One of the most endearing aspects of the breed is his cheery disposition. A true family companion, many describe the Havanese as a Velcro dog. He thrives when he’s in the company of his family and will not be happy if left alone for extended periods of time.

Looking to get out and have some fun with your dog? This breed is up for anything. The Hav is intelligent, easygoing, and eager to please. These traits make him a great everyday companion, but also an ideal candidate for obedience training or other sporting activities. You’ll see Havanese excel in just about anything they can enter—Obedience, Agility, Tracking… you name it, this sturdy little dog can do it. Embrace positive reinforcement training and start from day one with your pet. As with many small breeds, potty training can take some time and patience.

Exercise requirements are modest for this little dog, but he does need at least one good walk and some quality play time on a daily basis. Hav’s will respond well to on-leash training, and you’re likely to find that, wherever you go and whatever you do, your Havanese will bounce happily alongside you.

Cute, cuddly, and known to be a little clownish, the Havanese has a personality almost as sunny as his native country. Spend a little time with this enchanting breed and you just may find what so many dog lovers have discovered: you’ve gotta have a Hav! n

PHOTO © AKC

I’m charming, intelligent & friendly!

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eat D.I.Y.

Pumpkin 5 Ways Five great pumpkin dog treats perfect for fall!

#1 Pumpkin Kong Filler

!

Y UM

Mash some cooked pumpkin (baked, boiled or canned puréed. Note: not pumpkin pie filler) with a bit of ripe banana (the perfect use for bananas that are a bit too ripe for your liking!), a spoon of plain, unsweetened yogourt, and/or peanut butter.

Spoon the mashed mixture into a Kong or other stuffable toy and give it to your happy dog.

Start with a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree or a few pieces of baked or boiled pumpkin, mashed, then add any or all of the following: a tablespoon or two of unsweetened active culture plain yogourt, low-sodium beef or chicken broth, and/or a spoon or two of leftover white or brown rice. Mix together, adding a little water if you wish. Keep this mixture in the fridge until mealtime then pour a bit over your dogs’ regular dinner to jazz it up a bit! The dogs adore it. (I like to warm it up a little before spooning it on.)

#2 Pumpkin “Ice Cream”

Follow the directions above, but freeze the mashed mixture—before popping it in the freezer, either spoon it into an ice cube tray for small individual servings or stuff into a Kong for a frozen dessert toy your dog will have a blast working away at.

#5 Simply Baked Pumpkin

#3 Pumpkin “Latte” For Dogs

Take two tablespoons pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) and combine with one cup of warm water and a tablespoon of active culture plain yogourt. Mix together and top with a light dusting of cinnamon and serve to your dog! (Don’t use pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin spice—it usually contains nutmeg, which is toxic to dogs.)

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#4 Pumpkin Dinner Topper

*

Chop a pumpkin into pieces or—much easier—buy a package of pre-peeled and cut pumpkin pieces. Place them on a lightly oiled baking pan and bake at 350° for approximately one hour. If your cooked pumpkin pieces still have the rind, scoop the flesh from the rind once cool and discard the rind. Chop the cooked pumpkin into little cubes, throw them in a Ziplock bag and keep in the fridge or freezer as a little healthy treat for your dog. Or simply add a few cubes, mashed, to your dog’s dinner for a healthy addition that will help him feel full if you’re trying to reduce his dinner portion size in order to drop a few pounds!

Squash may be substituted for pumpkin in any of the above.

PICKLES SUBMITTED BY GINA GAMARO

P

umpkin makes a great dog treat. Most dogs love its slightly sweet taste, it’s wonderful for any digestive issues your dog may be experiencing, and, for dog’s watching their waist line, it’s helpful for weight loss as it’s “bulky”—it’s low cal yet makes your dog feel full!

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Doggy Photo Booth Helps Shelter Dogs Find Their Forever Homes Hilariously adorable photos result in over 90% adoption success rate!

I

n a genius effort to help dogs find their forever homes, the Humane Society of Utah teamed up with professional photographer Guinnevere Shuster to create photo booth style portraits of dogs available for adoption. That the resultant photos were super-cute surprised no one.

Focusing on dogs that needed a little extra help getting adopted or that weren’t doing well in a shelter setting, Guinnevere beautifully captured each dog’s unique personality. What was a surprise is how crazy-successful the effort proved: the adorable photos, shared through the Humane Society of Utah’s Facebook page and Instagram feed, resulted in a nothing short of amazing 93.26% adoption rate. (Note to self: a good photo really does make all the difference!) The adoption campaign rolls on.

PHOTOS GUINNEVERE SHUSTER, HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH

Check out the adoptable cuties at: facebook.com/humanesocietyofutah instagram.com/humanesocietyofutah

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TRAINING REHAB

You’re sen di mixed mes ng sages!

5 TRAINING MISTAKES YOU’RE PROBABLY MAKING

By Teoti Anderson Are you getting frustrated with your dog training efforts? When you ask your dog to do something, does he bounce around like a crazy creature or just sit there, looking at you with a confused expression on his face?

Before you write off your canine best friend’s intelligence, you might want to take a humble look in the mirror.

You could be making one of these common training mistakes.

1

2

Mistake #1: Treat Dependence

Mistake #2: Skipping Steps

Does your dog only work for you if you have treats in your hand? You may have accidentally taught him this.

Using treats as a lure to get behaviours can be an effective way to train—you just need to make sure you stop using the treat as a magnet pretty quickly once your dog understands the behaviour! Otherwise, you and your dog can get dependent on treats.

For example, you hold a treat in your hand and use it like a magnet, slowly moving it between your dog’s eyes towards the back of his head. Your dog follows the treat and sits, then you give him the treat. Great! If you keep doing this, however, your dog may end up waiting to see if there’s a treat in your hand before responding. Instead, after a few successful repetitions, use the exact same hand motion without the treat. This is not to fool your dog.

Your dog can smell there isn’t a treat in your hand. You are simply teaching him a hand signal. So use an empty hand with the same exact hand motion. Once your dog sits, then give him the treat. You are no longer using the treat as a magnet, but solely as a paycheck.

Dogs learn gradually, in small steps. Many pet parents make the mistake of leaping too far ahead in their goals with the expectation their dogs will follow. For example, you train your dog to come when called while using a six-foot leash. One day, your dog escapes the house and you call him to come. He just runs off, starting a frustrating game of chase.

You’ve practiced the recall on leash in a controlled training session, but without adding transitional steps, you can’t expect your dog to come when called when she’s off leash and without boundaries. In this case, you would add intermediate steps to your recall training—use a long line, train in different locations, and add distractions. Whenever you train anything, break the behaviour down into small steps for greater success.

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3 Mistake #3: Giving Too Many—Or Mixed—Signals One of the hardest things for dog-training students to do is give a cue just one time. Making multiple requests is fine, of course—unless you would like your dog to respond the first time you ask something of him! If you train your dog using repeated cues/commands, then your dog will learn you say things over and over before you expect a response.

To avoid this, first, teach your dog the behaviour (see mistake #1 for how to properly use a treat lure to accomplish this), then add the cue. Say it once, and be patient—give your dog a minute or so to respond. If he acts confused or simply doesn’t perform the desired action, go back and practice the behaviour some more before you try and add the verbal cue.

There is another common way you could be confusing your dog. Dogs are extremely observant of your behaviour and body language. They watch your hands, your feet, your entire body.

They pay attention more to your body movements than your verbal instruction. This means you could actually be teaching your dog a different cue than you intended. For example, when you cue your dog to come to you, you lean over. One day, you don’t lean over, but you still call him to come. He doesn’t come. He’s not being stubborn, he just didn’t get the same signal you originally taught him.

When you train, watch your body language. Are you training clearly? Minimizing your signals? Using the same signals each time? If not, you could be confusing your dog.

4 Mistake #4: Accidentally Rewarding Behaviour You Don’t Want Are you giving your dog mixed signals? Do you let him jump on you sometimes (or even welcome it!) but scold him at other times? Do you try to train him to walk nicely on leash but let him pull you at other times? If so, you’re “paying” behaviour you don’t like, which means that behaviour will just continue. Your dog won’t perform consistently unless you give him consistent direction.

5

Mistake #5: Expecting Your Dog to Perform No Matter What’s Going On Around Him It’s very humbling for us to realize we’re not always the center of our dog’s attention. It borders on insult when your dog blows you off to smell a patch of dirt! But this is normal. Dogs can smell things we can’t, hear things we can’t. There is a lot of competition out there for your dog’s attention.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get your dog to listen to you despite a distracting environment. You just need to train him.

Work in quiet environments first. As your dog learns, gradually increase the distractions so that he is performing despite the temptations around him.

Remember, dogs aren’t born understanding our expectations.

We have to teach them what we want. The better teacher you are, the better student your dog will be! n Teoti Anderson, CPDT, owns Pawsitive Results (getpawsitiveresults.com) and is the past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the author of Your Outta Control Puppy, Super Simple Guide to Housetraining, Quick and Easy Crate Training, and Puppy Care and Training.

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PHOTOS EXCERPTED FROM THE DOGIST BY ELIAS WEISS FRIEDMAN (ARTISAN BOOKS). COPYRIGHT © 2015. PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE DOGIST, LLC.

Connie’s Book Club Above and left from The Dogist

Curl up with a good dog and a good book

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNIE WILSON’S SELECTION OF FALL MUST-READS.

The Dogist

By Elias Weiss Friedman Finding himself laid off and wanting to do something more creative, Elias Weiss Friedman armed himself with a camera, some kneepads, and plenty of treats, and hit the streets of New York to photograph the multitude of dogs he encountered. The resultant blog and Instagram feed featuring his dog’s-eye-level photos were wildly successful, capturing the dogs’ individuality and presenting an array of personalities charming in their diversity and general dogginess. Now, 1000 of Friedman’s photos are collected in The Dogist, a beautiful tribute to our four-legged friends that’s sure to put a smile on your face.

On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation

By Alexandra Horowitz This fascinating book is an awakening to all the miraculous details we miss in our hasty daily journeys from point A to point B. In it, Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, animal behaviourist, and New York Times bestselling author (Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know), turns off her phone and tunes in so as to truly observe the world around her. On her walks through her Manhattan neighbourhood, she takes along guests, or “seers” as she calls them, including an artist, a geologist, a child, and a dog, in order to see what they see; in doing so, realizes she was missing untold worlds unfolding around her. This lovely account of what one discovers when one actual takes in their surroundings is an eye opening and inspiring tribute to the majesty of the everyday.

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The Dog Master This evocative novel delves into our prehistory, bringing to life the pivotal moment when wolves were first domesticated, becoming dogs—our helpers and companions. W. Bruce Cameron immerses you in a time when humans, on the brink of extinction due to an impending Ice Age, managed to survive the daunting conditions they faced due in no small part to the aid of their newly domesticated friends. A transporting read that illuminates the amazing bond that we share with our dogs, a deep communion that has developed over millennia.

From My Old Dog: Rescued Pets With Remarkable Second Acts

My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts

By Laura T Coffey; Photographed

by Lori Fusaro This lovely tribute to our aging friends will tug at your heartstrings—and will likely inspire a trip to your local shelter to check out the golden oldies. The beautiful photos and heartwarming stories of old dogs given second chances are a moving testament and a spirited celebration of the many joys—and benefits!—of taking in an older pet. If you love soulful seniors or you’re in need of a reminder of the wonderfulness of people (i.e. those adopting one of the many senior dogs in shelters), you’re going to love this book.

Breaking Creed & Silent Creed

By Alex Kava Thrill lovers prepare to be taken on a ride! This exciting new series sees Ryder Creed and his K9 Search and Rescue Dogs—homeless dogs he’s trained to hunt down criminals and sniff out contraband— team up with FBI forensics specialist Maggie O’Dell, a classic thriller genre character, to form an unstoppable crime-solving duo.

With twists, turns, and suspense galore, Breaking Creed and Silent Creed are near impossible to put down. Guaranteed to keep you up all night!

All Dogs Go to Kevin

By Dr. Jessica Vogelsang

Stepdog: a Novel

By Nicole Galland This delightful, funny page-turner has it all—romance, dogs, crosscountry chases, an impetuous marriage, a crazy ex—and will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s ever tried to explain (or defend!) the depth of their love for their dog to a new partner. This high-spirited novel is a big-hearted rollicking adventure.

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This lovely, warmhearted collection of stories in the vein of James Herriot’s classic veterinary tales will make you smile, laugh, and want to hug your dog. Dr. Jessica Vogelsang’s recounting of dog stories from her childhood, all the way through vet school, motherhood, and through to her current practice will prove instantly endearing and recognizable to those who deeply love dogs.

Through the entirety of this delightful read, Vogelsang’s love of canines—or, as she puts it, her designation as a “big-time dog person”—shines through. Definitely one to curl up with. n

PHOTO © LORI FUSARO

By W. Bruce Cameron

BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED? CRAZED AND CONFUSED? IF YOUR DOGGIE DILEMMA HAS YOU DOWN IN THE DUMPS…

ask dog lady

by Monica Collins

Q

Dear Dog Lady, My dog Theo, a wirehaired terrier, is my genius on four legs. Theo is four years old and he already knows all of the key canine commands: Stay; Come; Sit. There is no question I have control of my dog. Now, I want him to get a graduate education. I want to teach Theo tricks, such as jumping through a hoop or fetching specific objects when I say their names or riding a skateboard or any of the things that viral video YouTube dogs do. Would a conventional dog trainer be able to help me and Theo?—Thad

A

How do you teach a not-so-old dog new tricks? The same way you taught Canine 101 to your wunderkind. If Theo has an aptitude to learn, you can teach him anything, provided you repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat . . .with dogs, repetition is the mother of invention—and reinvention. If Dog Lady sounds like a broken record, well that’s OK because a doggie learning curve works like a broken record (an old media term).

You should google “dog trainers,” visit a lot of websites and call a lot of trainers in your area to find one who teaches tricks (be sure to enlist one that employs positive

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training techniques). However, in Theo’s case, you are probably the best trainer of all. The terrier is attached to you, loyal to you, attentive to you and because of this unalterable bond, you have the most sway with Theo.

There is a perfectly apt Woman’s Day article online by Alexandra Gekas titled “10 Unusual Tricks to Teach Your Dog.” The tricks include sorting laundry and recyclables, skateboarding, playing basketball, waterskiing, getting drinks from the refrigerator and others. The piece is interesting but, after Dog Lady read through, she decided her dog knows the best trick of all: how to love unconditionally.

Dear Dog Lady, My guilty secret is “Judge Judy.” I love watching her and love the way she deals with the people who come on her show.

The participants seem to be there for no other reason than they want to be on TV because this show doesn’t make them look very good. Judge Judy preaches a message of personal responsibility. She has no patience with deadbeats, couples who have babies before marriage, money borrowers who don’t pay back, and anyone who is cavalier with a dog. I’ve noticed a lot of these dog cases recently. Is “Judge

Judy” going to the dogs?—Melinda A: The world would be a better place if Judge Judith Sheindlin, the star of the syndicated “Judge Judy,” took on all neglectful dog owners. If “Judge Judy” is going to the dogs, it can only be a good thing. Dog Lady is also a “Judge Judy” fan and loves the way she yells at whiners, rogues, and the reckless.

There are a lot of dog cases because these kind of legal flaps happen in U.S. small claims court where the “Judge Judy” producers troll for material. Dogs are considered property in the eyes of the law (as cold-hearted as that may seem). Small claims court is where aggrieved parties argue over under-million-dollar costs.

For example, a recent “Judge Judy” episode that aired documented the case of an unleashed dog chasing motorcycles, causing injuries and damages. “If you lose control over the dog, and the dog causes injury, you’re responsible,” decreed Judge Judy.

She awarded $3500 to the plaintiff, whose motorcycle was damaged, reminding us that behind every out of control dog is an owner who dropped the leash.

Dear Dog Lady, My Yorkie breaks out in seasonal skin bumps. This breakout also produced

ask dog lady black spots on his stomach and face. The bumps have become significantly worse this time and he has a very strong odor to him.

The odor is back the day after a bath. Do you have any ideas what this could be? Is there a remedy other than antibiotics and steroid injections?—Johanna, Brunswick, ME A: Your letter made “Ask Dog Lady” sad for your dear Yorkie. You owe this dog a visit to a veterinarian—a certified, reputable medical professional. This little dog has physical conditions that could be solved easily with a course of treatment prescribed by a doctor.

This column is not “Ask Doc Lady” nor does it pretend to be. You shouldn’t be throwing around terms like “antibiotics” and “steroid injections” without careful vetting by a vet. Please do this for your little hairy, itchy, bumpy guy. Remember, no human can have a dog on the cheap. When our pets require medical help, we must be able to provide the best care for them.

Dear Dog Lady, I have an eight-month-old Boxer who is at home for about eight hours every day while I’m at work, although I come home for an hour on my lunch break and take her out. She also goes to daycare twice a week.

She seems very comfortable in her cage and often goes in there just to sleep. She has also been house trained for about six weeks. I leave her alone outside the crate for up to an hour occasionally and she always seems to handle it fine, but I haven’t done this when I’m at work. When do you think a good age is to start phasing out the crate?—Joe, Hartford, CT A: For reasons she could never adequately explain, Dog Lady was very touched by your letter. You’re obviously raising a good dog and asking all the right questions.

People think cages are cruel. Yet, a “cage”—the impolite word for “crate” —is an ideal hangout when a dog is young. In truth, this is the kindest way to nurture a young pup. Crates provide dogs with their own turf. The containment also trains them to keep their hangout clean because they do not want to spoil their living quarters.

They learn to hold their excretions until they are released from the crate and taken outside.

Even when dogs have full freedom, many return to their crates for comfort and security. You could start by leaving the door to the crate open when you leave for work and see how she handles freedom until you come home for the lunch break. Introduce this opendoor policy without fanfare. If your Boxer behaves—and Dog Lady believes she will because she’s obviously a good dog and thoughtfully trained by you—leave the crate door open in the afternoon too.

However, for the next year or so, do not pack up the crate and take it away. Leave the container out with an open door for your dog to use as a retreat if she wants. n

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How I Met My Dog

Keeping Faith

By Carey-Anne Malcolm

T

his is the story of my beautiful dog, Faith.

Faith was found as a stray in October of 2013, barely surviving the streets of Shreveport, Louisiana, with her throat split wide open and 10 babies in her belly.

She was picked up by Bossier City Animal Control, who immediately turned her over to Special Needs Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation. Taking her into her own home, the rescue’s founder delivered Faith of 10 baby girls.

Heartbreakingly, none survived, but Faith was on the road to recovery.

A string of volunteers then helped Before Faith on the two-day journey to her foster home in Colorado. It was conducted in one to two-hour stretches with an overnight stay in someone’s home, a remarkable feat of engineering.

Two months in an incredible foster home followed, where a wonderful family helped her rest, heal, and learn how to be a dog. Her foster momma had a lot of work to do—Faith was very skinny, malnourished, and frightened. She taught Faith how to be part of a family (Faith had three foster fur-siblings), filled her tummy with nutrition, cuddled and soothed her.

Finally, Faith was starting to trust and know what love felt like. But her journey wasn’t over. Faith undertook another twoday drive, helped along by another string of volunteers, all the way to me. I met her last driver at a truck stop a couple of hours just south of the U.S./Canada border in January of 2014.

I had first encountered Faith via her Facebook page. This horribly abused dog had come across my newsfeed, and I was hooked

on every single day of her recovery, as were the rest of her followers. One day I was looking through photos of her and realized I was looking at my dog. I sent in my application form that same day.

Faith now calls Vancouver, BC, her forever home. She’s my Louisiana girl.

When she first arrived home, she wasn’t quite done fighting for her life just yet. Shortly after arriving, she tested positive for heartworm, a deadly and painful disease that I had never, ever heard of. After three months of treatment, two of them kenneled, she is now a proud heartworm survivor. Those worms had no idea who they were picking a fight with.

Once she was in the clear, I reached out to a dog trainer to address Faith’s reactivity issues. After hearing her story, the trainer, Karin Peters of Phoenix Transformation Canine Services, gave us nearly a year of free lessons as a way of thanking all those who saved this little girl she would come to nickname her “Louisiana Sweet Sauce.”

After It took an army to save Faith, and I’m forever grateful to every single person who touched her life.

Faith is not without her demons, issues, and dark days, but for her to be so incredibly in love with humans after whatever horrors she experienced is testament to her resilience. Dogs are truly remarkable creatures.

Faith is now thriving, learning doggie manners, and inspiring us every day to forgive and move on. She is one of the lucky ones.

She is my hero. n

Email submissions for Last Lick to lastlick@moderndogmagazine.com. Because of the volume of email, the magazine cannot respond to every submission.

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LAST LICK

A w w w w!

DOGS & THEIR NON-DOG BESTIES!

Oatmeal & Kiya

Dixee & Prim

Brothers from a different mother. These cuties don’t let their differences get in the way of a fast friendship.

we twins h stick togeatve to her!

Piper & Dax

Thor & BeBe

I did neotto agre is th lp can i uh?e yo

Clarence & Piper

Olivia & Mallow

Zoey & Ellie

NOW I'LL ALWAYS BE TOP DOG! Maui & Sativa Rocky & Joey

Dudley & Coco

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Franklin & Sassy

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Juneau & Binx