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publisher ’s note
publisher Nancy Dewar
nancy@snazzyjazzypet.com - 603.498.3237
design Mrs. and Mr. Design
info@mrsandmrpublishing.com
director of sales & marketing BlakeLee Greene bntgreene@comcast.net - 978.317.5846
thanks to our contributors… Dawn Price - Ellen Ratner Published by Bark Media Group LLC six times a year. Hampton, NH Copyright © 2020 Bark Media Group LLC
I’m so proud of all of us…peeps & pups alike. We did it! We stayed home to protect one another & now how lucky we are that we’re out & about again. In a measured way, but nonetheless, we are out enjoying the special months of summer. With our family, friends & our dogs; of course! Wishing everyone a glorious & wonderful summer with lots of dog walks on the beach…now that we can finally walk the beach again!
Nancy
Interested in advertising with us? Have a good story idea or a suggestion on a great animal or person to feature? Please email Nancy Dewar/Publisher nancy@snazzyjazzypet.com (603) 498-3237
We’d love to have you start following us on Instagram! (Instagram.com/seacoastbarkmagazine)
contents
Cheers, Chow + With Love…
Seacoast Bark is distributed at stores & businesses in: Portsmouth, Exeter, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Greenland, Stratham, Seabrook, Kittery, Newburyport, Rowley, Ipswich & everywhere in between!
6 6.
words of wisdom
12.
fun things to bark about
8.
animal lover's profile
14.
health notes
16.
work like a dog
18.
local tails
10.
Best Foot Forward
match.dog
Seacoast Bark
18
8
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20.
feature
22.
let's pawty
23.
flips + flops
Dr. Maya Braem Ristorante Massimo
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words of wisdom
Walter’s WORDS OF WISDOM By Walter Eugene Davis Senior Helpers – Stratham, NH
Old Fashioned Summertime Fun
Hello my friends! I hope that you are all remaining safe during these challenging times. COVID-19 sure has changed things up a bit. But instead of focusing on all the things that we cannot do or have been advised not to do for the safety of ourselves and others, let’s focus on what we can do! Like years ago before our lives became complicated with social media, smart phones and having to be on the go every moment of the day. When Memorial Day hit, the summer season began! I happen to love summer, especially here in New England; warm days and cool nights – much better than the humidity of South Carolina (where I was born).
Walter Eugene Davis
When I think of summer, I immediately think of sitting on the deck listening to music, the birds chirping and the chipmunks chucking. There are so many things that we can do – yes, we do have options! How about a picnic? You can spread out a blanket in your back yard, pack up your favorite snacks and leave that smart phone in the house. Don’t forget a few treats for your furry friend! Consider bringing a board game like Scrabble out with you, dominos or a deck of cards. Go for a walk. There are many “rail trails” that are open. Just Google “rail trails near me” or “alltrails.com.” You can practice social distancing, get some exercise and man’s best friend can even go too. When was the last time you went to a drive-in theatre? They are popping up all over. Check out The Galley Hatch in Hampton on Facebook for times and movies. Many town parks that are closed are opening for these family events. Consider creating your own theater the old-fashioned way like New Jersey inventor Richard Hollingshead did in 1930 by nailing a sheet to a couple of trees and projecting on to it. Spread out a blanket with a few chairs and wala! Check out the numerous historic sites. The Black Heritage Trail located in Portsmouth offers a self-guided tour around the city. Experience the history and cultural roots of the early African Community in Portsmouth dating from the early 1600s. For more information visit: www.blackheritafetrailnh.org. There are numerous historic landmarks in the State of New Hampshire that are open (even with COVID). Here is a great resource to find out more information: www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-hampshire/historical-landmarks-nh. You know what they say, “The more you know!” Take time to take a step back in history! Discover the historical markers around the state. Even on a good day the early settlers had it worse than we do even during the pandemic of 2020. Spoil yourself! Most of us have an attraction to food. The smell, sight and anticipation often bring up memories. When was the last time you had a root beer float? An ice cream sandwich? A lobster roll? As restaurants start opening, it is time to treat yourself. Let someone else do the work and you simply enjoy. So, get out there and enjoy yourself. Let the wind blow through your hair, feel the sun on your skin (or fur) – being outdoors changes your state of mind. UNITED WE STAND, wear a mask and wash your hands! Until next time…Walter Eugene
A big thanks to Dwight & Gayle Davis,
owners of Senior Helpers, for encouraging Walter Eugene to write this new column! Walter is a 6-year-old Lab mix rescue. They all found each other via New England Lab Rescue. Walter came from Hartsville, SC, and ended up hitting the jackpot with his new family! He participates in the family business providing love and comfort to many, with his official title being “Director of Security & Pet Relations.” Walter is also an active member of the welcoming committee! Senior Helpers provides in-home, non-medical care offering tailored services ranging from companion care for those who need daily assistance to in-depth specialized care for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s and other chronic diseases. They’ve worked with clients ranging in age from 25 to 104. Senior Helpers was voted “Best of the Seacoast” in home health care and received the “Business Excellence Award” and “Top 200 Most Influential Business Leaders in New Hampshire” from the New Hampshire Business Review. Stratham, NH – (603) 583-4580 www.seniorhelpers.com/nh/se-new-hampshire
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animal lover's profile
Put Your Best Foot Forward By Ellen Ratner – Greenland, NH
How do you get through a pandemic? You put one foot in front of the other, which feels a lot more doable when you have healthy, attractive feet to carry you forward. And here on the Seacoast, experienced podiatrists Dr. Julie Shaheen and Dr. Jim Dolan are determined to help us achieve that very feat, courtesy of Barefoot Medical Spa and From the Ground Up Podiatry. As Dr. Dolan tells me during our phone conversation, “The whole idea of Barefoot is to have a place to heal.” Barefoot Medical Spa is unlike any other, not only on the Seacoast, but throughout the state of New Hampshire and Northern New England. Combining the serene atmosphere of a spa with the highest standard of cleanliness in lower-leg and foot care, clients receive a truly unique treatment experience. Another bonus: upon arriving at Barefoot, visitors are often greeted by Huckleberry, the Dolan’s 11-year-old Havanese (and the spa’s CFO, Chief Furry Officer!).
Before opening its doors in November 2018, the Stratham spa was born from the vision of providing a completely unique, unbelievably clean, medically supervised spa environment for the Seacoast community. Both Dr. Dolan and Dr. Shaheen had seen an increasing number of patients with infections or other nail or skin conditions, sometimes linked to unsanitary practices at nail salons or spas, which often left individuals either embarrassed or afraid to seek foot care. Barefoot aims to eliminate that trepidation so clients feel comfortable from the moment they walk through the door, relaxed by the tranquil environment, and safe choosing one of the carefully curated services available (everything from clean pedicures to specialized wellness therapies with podiatrist oversight). “For us,” Dr. Shaheen says, “the most important thing is the health and safety of our clients.”
From the Ground Up Podiatry, located within Barefoot Medical Spa and its partner in client healing, hit the ground running in 2019. Dr. Shaheen and Dr. Dolan are both avid exercisers who love running, skiing and hiking, and are passionate about helping their patients live active lives, starting with the health of their feet. Both are well-known and trusted providers in the community, with a reputation for kind and conservative care. “People have been so excited to see Julie and Jim back together,” Mary Pat Dolan, Dr. Dolan’s wife and Barefoot’s cheerleader, says. “I’ve watched patients greet Dr. Shaheen with huge hugs, pre-pandemic. And the outpouring of support from the community for Jim’s return has been heartwarming.”
I agree. Back in 2008, just weeks after my mother died, my diabetic father needed to
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Huckleberry & Sugar
animal lover's profile
Dr. Jim Dolan
TJ, Sugar & Huckleberry
Mary Pat & Sugar
Dr. Julie Shaheen & Dr. Jim Dolan
Barefoot aims to eliminate that trepidation so clients feel comfortable from the moment they walk through the door, relaxed by the tranquil environment, and safe choosing one of the carefully curated services available (everything from clean pedicures to specialized wellness therapies with podiatrist oversight). “For us,” Dr. Shaheen says, “the most important thing is the health and safety of our clients.” have his toenails clipped. He had moved in with us for the summer and was miserable, lonely, a little surly and an overall curmudgeon. He didn’t trust my doctor recommendation (Disclosure: Dr. Dolan had treated my not-so-pretty hammer toe). He didn’t like the busy waiting room, and he didn’t notice my confiding to the nurse that he was a recent widower. Luckily, he did like the doctor’s wall art – hot dogs! – and when Dr. Dolan walked into the room, well, it was like two familiar friends who just sat down on a bench together. The two men talked about frankfurters and politics. They talked easily, openly, warmly; and for a lovely moment my dad forgot his sorrow. I finally had to nudge him to leave the office, reminding him that Dr. Dolan had other patients to see. “Jim is truly a healer at his core,” Mary Pat says. “After thirtyplus years, he still makes house calls and visits hospice patients in their homes. He connects with people, as does Julie. It’s just a wonderful thing to see.” The Dolans have always been a dog family, starting with two English Cocker Spaniels, Hans and Franz, named for the recurring ‘Saturday Night Live’ characters. Then came Sugar, a “very elegant, very smart” Standard Poodle with an alpha personality. When Sugar turned
five, Huckleberry joined the brood and later took on the alpha role when Sugar passed away, still sleeping in her bed. He loves his job as Chief Furry Officer and is the perfect meeter-greeter. “Huckleberry is happiest when he’s with his people,” says Mary Pat. “He keeps track of all the comings and goings of the waiting room, and he seems to know who needs a little bit of furry love. At times he’ll be invisible – he’s getting a little slower these days and is happy to snooze in the sun but I’ve seen him get up and walk over to someone who’s just walked in, and he makes that person’s day. He’s a real love bug.” Dr. Shaheen and her family recently added a new member to their family; a gal named Moose who is a pre-
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cious Australian Shepherd! Moose is already in training to accompany the family on summer hikes and socially distant outings. If you’re lucky enough to meet Huckleberry while waiting for your luxury pedicure, fungal nail treatment or tranquility foot soak, you’ll notice several changes implemented following the outbreak of COVID-19. The spa has modified seating to allow for more space, installed barriers between chairs, obtained personal protection equipment for staff and changed to COVID-specific cleaning agents.
Moose Shaheen
Dr. Shaheen and Dr. Dolan want everyone to stay healthy, feel strong and enjoy one of the best parts of summer weather: going barefoot! Now may be the perfect time to get out of the house safely and treat your hands and feet to something special...a long overdue mani-pedi! (BarefootMedicalSpa.com) (FromTheGroundUpPod.com)
match.dog
"HOW I MET MY TRUE LOVE" love stories about real dogs + their humans By Nancy Dewar – Publisher of Seacoast Bark
Flip-Flop came into my life 10 years ago as a 12-week-old puppy. Yup, a puppy; and I hadn’t had a puppy in 20 years. It’s a good thing our minds protect us! I had lost my special rescue Snazzy-Jazzy (a severely abused Portuguese Water Dog who had been a champion show dog) and my dear Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Emma-Louise. Suddenly, it was just me and Moose-Muffin; another beyondspecial rescue. For some crazy reason, I decided it was time to get a puppy.
Nancy, Flip-Flop & Moose-Muffin Flip & Moose Snuggling
Flip the Table-Top Pup
I’ve always had shaggy dogs, but never the same breed as I don’t want to try to replace any dog…just find another shaggy one to love. Somehow, I started looking into Bearded Collies and found an adorable little one online. I called my dear friend Nancy Massett. “I found the cutest little Beardie. But do I really want a puppy? Am I crazy?” Nancy said, “Let’s just go look!” Right. My parents always said, “You never just go look at a puppy!”
So, I didn’t just look. We came home with FlipFlop; one of the cutest puppies ever…and also one of the worst puppies ever! She was so BAD! She barked incessantly. It was awful. I think MooseMuffin, her new sister, hated it too. Moose would look at me with a “what the hell” exasperated expression. This precious little ball of fur was like a kangaroo. She could jump…and did jump….on most anything. The table next to my couch was a favorite perch. I’d come home and find her on the dining room table or on the kitchen counter. How could something so little jump so high?
Flip-Flop at Her Special Place... Plaice Cove
Eventually she grew up and settled down. MooseMuffin, Flip-Flop and I established a great rhythm and a never-ending bond. Moose and Flip became best friends. Flip loved her big (little) sister, who definitely was the boss. We lost the Muffin girl seven years ago and Flip then became the top-dog. And a top-dog she is! She has wound her way into my heart in every way. We are an almost-always-together team. She understands almost everything I say (or so I think). She loves everyone and greets all with squeaks of love and lots of wags. When we’re out and about, I often hear, “Is that Flip-Flop?” They don’t know me but do know Flip! What a gift this special, shaggy dog is in my life. I love the way she tilts her head when I talk to her. I love how she knows how to get me to do…what she wants to do! I love her generous spirit. I love how kind she is to everyone. I love her zest for life. I simply love this girl!
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Flip Before She Turned 50 Shades of Grey
out and about
Dawg-Busters
fun things to Ginger… Soggy-Doggy Working! Photo by Amanda Jones
bark
ABOUT
Ginger… Soggy-Doggy Playing!
Dawg-Busters
If you’re looking for a new toy perfect for summer fun, check out the Dawg-Buster and DawgBuster XL available locally at Just Dogs in historic downtown Newburyport. These tough, indestructible toys float, crazy-bounce and take serious abuse during heavy play, but are gentle on teeth and gums, so the retrieving can go on and on. They are made in the USA by RuffDawg and come with a lifetime guarantee. So, if you have a die-hard retriever, the Dawg-Buster toys will be sure to make their tails wag. (Just Dogs, 37 Pleasant Street, Newburyport (978) 465-8400)
Ginger the Model
A big shout-out to Ginger, beloved gal of Stonewall Kitchen founders Jim Stott and Jonathan King, for her modeling debut in the Spring 2020 Annie Selke catalog. Annie Selke is a talented designer of luxurious home goods products. She lives in The Berkshires and is well known for her company Dash & Albert (rugs, furniture and
Custom Cookie Cutters
home decor) and Pine Cone Hill (beautiful bedding, pillows and more) which are now under the umbrella of AnnieSelke.com. The company is currently expanding its footprint in the pet category, and Ginger was called upon to model for their new line of “Ruff & Fluff” shampoos, salon and spaw products. You look beautiful Ginger…even as a soggy-doggy! (www.AnnieSelke.com)
Custom Cookie Cutters
This is a fun gift for an animal-loving friend or simply for yourself! Customize your cookies and your dog’s cookies with their name on a fun shape. Available on Etsy, you can select from a variety of shapes…dog bones, paw prints, hearts and more. This is a unique promotional idea, as well. Our Sales & Marketing Director, BlakeLee Greene, recently joined William Raveis Real Estate in Newburyport as a licensed agent. She is making custom dog biscuits to give to potential clients as part of her “Let’s Get You Home” promotional package (which of course will include
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a copy of Seacoast Bark)…one design with her name on it and another with her phone number. What a great idea! (www.Etsy.com/shop/milletmeal) (www.raveis.com/agent/BlakeLeeGreene/14739)
Good News
Northeast Credit Union is busy spreading good news these days via their “Love Your Community” project…a kindness movement dedicated to encouraging people to practice kindness in their everyday lives. In addition to ideas to spread kindness, their website also features stories highlighting good things that local people are doing with a variety of uplifting stories. Teenager Elyana Smith has fostered over 70 dogs in the past three years for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. Another teenager, Quetzal Frey, helps care for dogs as a volunteer at Mary’s Dogs, a non-profit rescue organization based in Northwood, NH. Visit the “Love Your Community” website to read some upbeat stories…or to submit your own. (TheLYC.com).
out and about
Paw Print by Alfred
Paw Print by Nick
Wilbur the Lucky Pig Photo by Sarah Lang
Nick & Alfred Bournival
Popular Pooches
Custom Paw Print Art
Fine art has gone to the dogs! Local pet sitter/ artist Katie Keefe turns your pups’ paw prints into original works of art! Inspired by her love of nature and dogs, Katie customizes unique floral designs using your furry friend’s feet! The paint is pet safe and the memory will last forever. Lisa Bournival’s pups, Alfred and Nick, recently created wonderful paintings (with help from Katie) as gifts for their mom. The flowers are actually their paw prints. To commission a painting, contact Katie at (603) 498-7939 / katielyn1981@gmail.com.
POP…Pet Owner’s Purses
Liza Fisher-Munroe, owner of The POP Company (Pet Owner’s Purses) based in Maine, has created a stunning line of quality purses and petcarriers for animal lovers. Her Pup-to-Go purses will not only carry your little pooch but also are designed to hold your personal and pup-stuff in
POP…Pet Owner’s Purses
an easy-to-find way. Think of it as the Baggallini® purse for dog people…a special place for poo bags and more…with 16 pockets to keep you organized. Liza recently introduced the Air-Pup for travelers…with breathable mesh inserts, a zipper mesh top, a side mesh and a sleeve that slides over your luggage handle. It's also perfect for the pampered pooch that wants to tag along on errands. You can find the bags at The Canine Cupboard located at 220 State Street in downtown Portsmouth. (the-pop-company.com)
Popular Pooches
Every year the American Kennel Club releases a list of the most popular dog breeds based on registration data. The results for 2019 were recently revealed, and once again…Labs rule! In fact, Labrador Retrievers have topped the list for the past 29 years. The other top-10 breeds were German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, Poodles, Beagles, Rottweilers, German Shorthaired Pointers and,
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for the first time, Pembroke Welsh Corgis (the Corgi’s with docked tails; the Cardigan Welsh Corgi’s do have tails!).
Wilbur the Lucky Pig
Wilbur, a 550-pound pig that lives on a farm in Bedford, NH was always a bit spoiled as he was fed daily with scraps donated from the local elementary school. Pizza, grilled cheese, French toast and tacos were part of his daily diet. However, that stopped when the school closed because of the pandemic. His owner, Sarah Lang, then resorted to feeding him dry corn and other grains. This didn’t go over too well with Wilbur. After a few weeks he refused to eat pig food. So, Sarah put out a call for “soon to be expired” food donations on Wilbur’s Facebook page. She placed a bucket at the end of their driveway, and the results were overwhelming. She had to empty the bucket about four times daily…and Wilbur was happy again with endless veggies, leftovers and pizza, of course!
By Nancy Dewar
This technology, first used in Japan, is relatively new in the U.S. There are approximately 118 professional groomers and vets offering this treatment; one located right here on the Seacoast: In-Dog-Neat-O Grooming Studio located on Route 1 in Hampton (owned by Nancy Massett, a former veterinary technician). Nancy attended NASH Academy in Kentucky for her grooming education and has been grooming for 28 years. She learned of this new technology while attending a multi-day continuing education seminar on skin and coat health. Nancy then saw this process in person while attending the Pet Pro Classic trade show in Dallas last November and decided this was an area that she wanted to expand on; a service to help her clients obtain an overall healthier life. This deep cleaning helps conditions such as skin infections, deep secondary skin conditions, skin allergies and ear infections. Other non-medical benefits include reduced shedding, less odor, help with general itching as well as stress reduction. It also is one of the best remedies if your dog happens to get skunked. Since these bubbles get deep into the pores, it makes a big difference in removing the oil and odor left from getting skunked. The procedure is easy. Dogs simply sit in a tub of warm water for about a half hour. The bath is infused with millions of microbubbles, and a wand is also waved over the dog to hit specific problem areas. In some cases, a plant-based enzyme is added to help remove any built-up crusty areas or heavy oils from the skin. The bath is followed up with a moisture spray. Most dogs do not get dried, or they are only partially dried; so the moisture is absorbed slowly into the skin.
While some of Nancy’s clients simply choose a Thera-Clean treatment for a special SPAW day for their pup, many have found great success with skin issues. Following is what client Tiffany Hudson had to say about her dog’s Thera-Clean treatment:
“I was referred to Nancy for her Thera-Clean micro bubble treatment. My dog Tucker has had a skin problem for close to 2 years now. He has scabs that he itches constantly, and he ends up losing his hair. Everything I did never helped or cured his skin problems. I have tried multiple medications, changed his diet, to shampooing him multiple times a week at my groomers. Nancy was very knowledgeable on what she was offering. I have been with Nancy now for 3 months doing this treatment. Tuck-
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Tucker Getting Treatment
If your dog has a persistent skin rash, is often itchy and scratching or is simply kind of stinky; there is a new bathing technology that you might want to consider. It’s microbubble technology and it’s now available for bathing dogs with a special machine from Thera-Clean. Microbubbles are simply incredibly small bubbles that range between 3 and 20 micrometers. To put that in perspective, a human hair is around 70 micrometers in size. The Thera-Clean System, using nothing more than water, creates these tiny bubbles that penetrate hair follicles and pores, but not the epidermis (the top layer of skin), for a deep, healthy clean. While a normal bath cleans your pet’s hair, a Thera-Clean bath naturally cleans the skin too.
Tucker After Multiple Treatments
health notes
Microbubbles… A New Solution for Skin Issues
er now has no scabs, itches less and his hair has grown back. What she is doing is working for my dog. Tucker has an extra pep in his step leaving her shop every time!” To learn more about this innovative bathing technology, contact Nancy Massett at (603) 601-2728. You can also find more information on the Thera-Clean website. If you have an itchy, miserable dog, this could possibly be the solution to get their tails wagging again! (InDogNeatNH.com) (Thera-Clean.com)
Nancy Bathing Draco
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work like a dog
Meet the
Shaheen Team & Their Coach By Nancy Dewar
Imagine, as a parent, getting up a few times in the middle of the night for five years to check your child’s blood glucose levels…to keep them alive. That was Portsmouth resident Stefany Shaheen’s life after her oldest child Elle was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 8. And that was her amazingly brave and resilient daughter’s life too. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system destroys the cells that release insulin, eventually eliminating insulin production from the body. Without insulin, cells cannot absorb sugar (glucose), which they need to produce energy. Blood sugar levels need to be tested constantly to ensure safe and healthy ranges. Though great advances have been made since Elle was diagnosed, initially this meant pricking her finger 10-12 times a day to test her blood sugar levels and taking 8-10 shots of insulin every day.
Stefany explained, “It was a constant day to day challenge in the early days. Dangerously low blood sugars can cause seizures which ultimately can lead to death and high blood sugars over time can cause various types of organ damage and can also be fatal. We had to figure out how to keep Elle safe and help her live her best life with the disease.” Stefany and Elle never imagined that it would be a dog, a wonderful yellow Labrador…that would change their lives!
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s ‘Children’s Congress’ is a national event with members of Congress. It brings 150 young people from across the country to share with members of Congress what it’s like to live with diabetes and to advocate for medical research funding. Elle and Stefany co-chaired the event in 2011. It was at this event they saw a little girl with a Golden Retriever. Surrounded by 150 kids and 200+ proud parents, Stefany saw this dog get up and circle the little girl while scanning the room for her parents. It turns out that the girl was experiencing a low blood sugar. This Golden was a diabetic alert dog who alerted the Shaheen family that help may come in an unconventional form. “We left Children’s Congress and started researching more about these dogs. I was skeptical. Here we are working so hard every day trying to keep Elle
healthy, and it was a struggle. How on earth is a dog going to make this work?”
Extensive research led the Shaheen family to CARES (Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education & Services), a non-profit in Kansas. Costs for a service dog through private trainers can be very expensive; $10,000-$15.000, but not through CARES. CARES dogs and puppies are donated from bloodlines that have been successful service dogs. Once accepted as a service dog, the puppies are placed with a volunteer foster family where they live for several months to learn basic obedience and socialization. CARES also partners with regional prisons for fostering and obedience training. CARES teaches the inmates how to do the basic training of the dogs, which is another big savings. It also is a big gift to these inmates who form loving bonds with their temporary charges; giving them a great sense of purpose. Upon completion of basic training, the dogs go back to CARES for 3 months to learn specific skills needed for their upcoming work. Depending on the dog’s abilities, CARES assigns them to seizure alert, diabetes alert or PTSD specialties. After a long 18 months of waiting, the Shaheen’s received a call in January 2013. They were getting a yellow Lab named Coach…finally! Elle and her dad Craig headed to Kansas
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in March to meet Coach and complete public access training. Coach already had about 2,000 hours of training with his first trainer and companion from the Ellsworth Correctional Facility. After a week of one-on-one training (including staying together 24/7) and completing a public access test, Elle and Coach returned to New Hampshire as a licensed service dog team. Stefany shared an amazing story about how remarkably smart these dogs are. “Their first night together in the hotel with Coach, the dog knocked a backpack off a table to wake Craig up, as Elle’s blood sugar was low. This was before they had done any training together, and Coach did not yet have any established signals to alert, but he found a way.”
The connection between Elle and Coach was instantaneous. Though he knows Elle is his charge, he also has adapted to all family members, alleviating one of Stefany’s concerns. “With four children, we also needed a dog who could become part of the family or it wasn’t going to work.” Stefany had another big concern. “Elle had always been a live-out-loud kid; never defined by diabetes. She was known as a great student, a lover of theater and acting. What I feared most when she got Coach…with a dog always by her side…would she become defined by the disease instead of who she is? Will she always be known as the girl with the dog?”
work like a dog
No need for this trepidation either. Elle and Coach became a team her freshman year at Portsmouth High School. Coach had his own student ID, was part of the fabric of the school and became a surrogate school mascot. Elle often said, “He’s a friend magnet.” One funny story…Elle’s English class had tennis balls on the bottom of the chairs to eliminate noise. After Coach tried to bite them off, the teacher brought in a bucket of balls for him the next day! Following their high school graduation in 2017, Elle and Coach headed off to Harvard where they’ve just completed their Junior year. From where they started this journey many years ago, Stefany never imagined being able to send her daughter off to college. “I couldn’t imagine her being busy in college without me there being able to help. Coach helped make this possible.”
Diabetic alert service dogs pick up on the scent of high and low blood sugar levels. The training protocol was developed by a dog trainer who was also living with type 1 diabetes. While training dogs in search and rescue, he discovered their ability of scent detection with his disease. Coach will alert Elle when her blood sugar is below 80 or above 200 and alerts her as many as 2-3 times a day. How does he let her know? “If she’s in class, Coach will paw her. If she’s on stage in rehearsal, he’ll get on stage and circle her. Sometimes we forget how much he can do. Once I left him in the mud room because he was soaked…forgetting that he could open the door! He also can turn on lights and bring Elle her test kit.”
The trainer and founder of CARES often says, “trust your dog.” This was not an easy thing for Stefany to do in the beginning. It wasn’t until Coach woke her up in the middle of the night because he sensed Elle’s blood sugar was low and couldn’t wake Elle up that this started to change. Coach found his way into Stefany’s room, put his paws on her chest and would not leave until she woke up. It was in this moment that Stefany started believing in Coach to help keep Elle safe. This amazing journey is captured by Stefany in her NY Times best selling book Elle & Coach: Diabetes, the Fight for My Daughter’s Life & the Dog Who Changed Everything, which was
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published in 2015. As Stefany wrapped up our wonderful conversation, I asked what things really stand out to her now. “Our journey continues to teach me that you can find hope in unlikely places. It’s important to hold on to hope. When I saw that first diabetic alert dog, I never imagined just how much a dog would change our lives.”
Speaking of brighter days and holding on to hope…the sister of the inmate who fostered and trained Coach reached out to Stefany after her book was published. She shared that her brother asked her to get the book for their parents for Christmas…and she said that after the family read the book together that this was the first time in a long time that they felt proud of him. The gifts dogs bring to our lives are truly boundless. Thanks so much, Stefany, for sharing the great gifts your family has experienced…thanks to Coach!
local tails
Meet Some Special Seacoast Pups… Here are some of our readers’ adorable dogs! We always receive lots of photos of Labs, which should not be surprising since that’s the most popular breed in America. P.S. If you’d like your pup’s picture in an upcoming issue, send an email with “Local Tails” in the subject line to: nancy@SnazzyJazzyPet.com. All breeds welcome!
Finley - Exeter Cappie - Hampton Dakota - Georgetown
Lola - Newburyport
Dixe Chick, Dottie, Daisy Mae & Lilu - Hampton
Bella - Exeter
Harley - Greenland
Pony Bean - Dover
Dakota - Georgetown
Ruby Jewel - Newburyport
Suzette - Brentwood
Libby - Rochester
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Tuckerman - Exeter
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Highly Sensitive Dogs By Nancy Dewar
A few years ago, while researching a personality trait known as “Highly Sensitive Personality” (HSP), I came across a veterinarian in Switzerland who was doing research on this topic with dogs. I reached out to Dr. Maya Braem to see if we could do an article on her. Her research was finally published this year, and our interview with Maya follows. A bit about you?
I was born and bred in Basel, Switzerland, which is in the German-speaking part of the country. I grew up with my younger sister, my Swiss father (musician) and my American mother (psycholinguist, sign language researcher). My parents are both very intelligent, interesting and interested people and passionate about their jobs (and many other things), so I was exposed to interesting discussions and was encouraged to question things early on.
I am not sure where my love for animals comes from, as the rest of my family here in Switzerland is not particularly close to animals. However, a large part of my US family has horses, dogs and cats. In any case, I felt a connection with animals from early on...and eventually my parents gave in and we adopted our cat Jimmy, the bunnies Ping and Pong, Schnuffi and Schmusi and Gerbils Meg and Mog. I started horseback riding when I was 10 and spent most of my free time at the barn the following 15-25 years. It was the horses that originally got me into veterinary medicine.
What is Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) in humans? Is it the same as Highly Sensitive Personalities (HSP)?
Yes, Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) and “Highly Sensitive Personality” are the same thing: A personality trait found in 15-20% of humans, independent of gender or culture. It was first described as such by Elaine and Arthur Aron in their first paper in 1997 and has since been a topic of increasing interest both in research as well as in popular publications. Elaine Aron summarizes the main four characteristics of the high sensitivity personality trait in the acronym: DOES. • D stands for Depth of processing: More highly sensitive individuals tend to process information more deeply, think about subjects more, and therefore for example can have more trouble making decisions or be more easily bored by small talk.
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• O stands for Overstimulation: Highly sensitive individuals tend to be more easily overstimulated. This makes sense if you consider that (a) these individuals pick up on more detail relating to all sensory modalities (including emotional information) and (b) process all this information more deeply. • E stands for Emotional reactivity and Empathy: HSP individuals experience emotions more intensily and therefore react with stronger emotions to situations, both negative and positive. They might cry more easily, laugh more, express happiness more strongly and intuitively “pick up” on what others might be feeling. • S stands for Sensory Sensitiity of Sensing the Subtle: Highly sensitive individuals are more aware of subtleties in the environment (visual, acoustic, tactile, olfactory, emotional).
It is important to emphasize that SPS is a personality trait, i.e. a variation of the norm and NOT a pathology, mental illness or diagnosis.
What motivated you to do SPS research on dogs (Canine SPS; cSPS)?
Being a highly sensitive person myself and knowing how much learning about this trait has helped me understand why I am the way I am and why I might not have fit in as easily as others, made me wonder whether the same was true for animals. While working with my (canine and feline) patients, I kept catching myself telling owners “your dog/cat is highly sensitive”
feature How do you know a dog has cSPS? Typical behaviors for more highly sensitive dogs might be, amongst others: • They often stop and watch in new situations and need time to process information. They might understand what their owner wants without them really having to tell them.
- so I started wondering whether this could be “measured” and proven scientifically. I chose studying the trait in dogs, as this species lives in such close proximity to humans and shares our everyday lives. Research also shows that the way humans and dogs bond has many parallels to how humans bond with one another.
Topline, key findings?
1) cSPS exists: A personality trait comparable to SPS in humans can be measured in dogs - we called it canine Sensory Processing Sensitivity (cSPS)
2) Development of a scientifically validated HSD questionnaire: We have developed a scientifically validated questionnaire for dogs that leads to a score between 1-7, the closer to 7, the more likely the dog is highly sensitive. Paralleling the highly sensitive person questionnaire developed and validated by Dr. Elaine Aron, we named this questionnaire “the Highly Sensitive Dog questionnaire”. 3) There are parallels between humans and dogs: • We found several parallels to the SPS trait in humans, for example that cSPS overlaps with fearfulness and neuroticism, but is not the same as these two personality traits; e.g. a more highly sensitive dog might be more likely to be fearful or neurotic than a less highly sensitive dog, but not all fearful and neurotic dogs are highly sensitive…and not all highly sensitive dogs are fearful or neurotic.
• They pick up on their owners’ moods and emotions – depending on the dog they either leave the room or come up to their owner, for example. • They express their emotions clearly, indicating that they experience both positive and negative emotions strongly. • They seem to be aware of everything that happens around them and pick up on small details.
I would turn this around: a more highly sensitive dog is probably better off with a more highly sensitive owner, as this owner is more likely to (intuitively) understand the dog’s needs and to have a lifestyle that suits the more highly sensitive dog and his or her needs better. This, however, does not mean that any other type of pairing will not work.
• They are easily overwhelmed, don’t feel comfortable when a lot is going on and need more rest. • They can be more sensitive to touch, e.g. to being wet or to things touching them (e.g. coats, harnesses) or they enjoy touch thoroughly. • They might respond more strongly to medication.
When disciplining or training a dog, do you think we should err on the side of caution and assume the dog has cSPS?
A definite yes. In any case, independent of personality, we should always treat an individual with respect and avoid fear, anxiety and pain or other negative emotions or high arousal. As was shown in our study, no matter how sensitive the dogs were, more behavior problems were reported for dogs that were exposed to punishment, with more highly sensitive dogs even more sensitive to withholding information; e.g. ignoring.
• More highly sensitive people seem to be more vulnerable for mental health problems. Paralleling this, we found that behavior problems were reported more frequently in more highly sensitive dogs, as well.
4) Interaction dog and owner personality and communication: This was an exciting finding, as it shows that personalities can interact across species, which hasn’t been studied in detail up to now. Most research focusses on the interaction within a species. We found that the greater the difference in high sensitivity of dog and owner, the more behavior problems were reported for the dogs. This was the case especially if the dog was more highly sensitive than the owner. Our results also indicate that more highly sensitive dogs seem to respond differently to how owners communicate with them.
If a person isn’t highly sensitive, are they better off with a dog that isn’t highly sensitive…or does it matter?
Anything else you would like to add?
Just a huge thank you to all the dogs and their owners who participated in this study and made it possible, to Elaine Aron who believed in my work and supported me initially, to my supervisors and my co-authors, my family and friends and everybody who is interested in this…and to you, for being so persistent over the past few years and waiting patiently for the time to be right to write about this!
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(Coming soon: www.highly-sensitive-animals.info)
Doggone Grrrrr…eat Entertaining Sponsored by Ristorante Massimo
Easy Prep-At-Home Pasta Kits You can now prepare pasta dinner at home with new take-out ingredients from Ristorante Massimo! Enjoy fresh pasta topped with mouth-watering sauces made by Chef Jethro Loichle. What a brilliant idea…Prep-At-Home Pasta Kits! For complete info visit: RistoranteMassimo.com/takeout. Mia
Logan
Easy Summer Dog Treat
Bolognese Sauce
Fresh Spaghetti
Photo & Recipe Credit: LifeLoveAndSugar.com
Peanut Butter / Banana “Ice Cream” Puttanesca Sauce Carbonara Sauce
Ingredients 4 bananas ½ C natural peanut butter Directions Peel, slice & freeze bananas. Blend frozen bananas in food processor.
Scrape sides if mixture gets thick. Blend till smooth like soft-serve ice cream. Add peanut butter & mix well. Place in 4 plastic mini cups & freeze.
World Class Cuisine
Tomato Cream Vodka Sauce San Marzano Sauce with Meatballs
59 Penhallow – Portsmouth (603) 436-4000 www.RistoranteMassimo.com
Massimo’s love-bugs, Mia & Logan, haven’t seen enough of their Dad lately as he’s been busy. Ristorante Massimo is now OPEN FOR INSIDE DINING and they also are offering Curbside Cuisine every Wednesday through Sunday from 3:00 to 8:00 pm. Choose from a selection of appetizers, pastas, main courses, desserts and more. Adhering to the highest standards in health and safety protocol, orders are delivered right to your car. A big WOOF to Massimo and his team for their innovative spirit…and absolutely amazing cuisine! RistoranteMassimo.com/takeout
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Mia
let's pawty
Photography by Jasmine Inglesmith Photography
doggy thoughts
FLIPS + FLOPS By Flip-Flop
Editor’s Note: These are simply musings from Flip-Flop, an exuberant & opinionated shaggy dog. They are not any sort of product endorsement or “dis” by this publication or any member of our editorial team. Just a bit about stuff she likes (Flips) and stuff she doesn’t (Flops)!
Let’s Get Dry
(Frontgate.com)
Let’s Get Wet
If you happen to have a water dog, I think they’ll love this dog pool float & lounger from Frontgate. It comes in a variety of bright colors and is made with a puncture-resistant woven vinyl mesh that won’t stain, fade or mildew. Not that I really care about stains or fading. But puncture-resistance is music to my ears, as I know I won’t sink while floating. I’m NOT a good swimmer! Another benefit…simply wet it down and use as a cool lounger on the ground. This is a flip in my book.
Fun Cat Game
As we know, cats are sneaky little creatures that love to hide in crazy places… just waiting to be found. If you are a cat lover, I think you’ll find the “Find the Cat” book lots of fun. Reminiscent of Highlights magazine’s “hidden picture puzzles,” this book features 129 color photographs from around the world— each of which contains a very sneaky kitty somewhere in the shot. This is a great gift to give yourself or to a catloving friend. They’ll flip over it as they flip through the book!
Good Poo Etiquette
(TheDooLoop.com)
Flip Flop
Oh boy…this is a doozy! Billed as “the next generation in dog drying,” the Puff-N-Fluff dog dryer was created by a 9-year-old student as part of her school’s Invention Convention Project. Her pug Mojo hated being wet, so she created a ‘jacket” that connects to a blow dryer. Turn the dryer on and the jacket fills with warm air that circulates around the dog. This looks a bit scary to me. Though I commend this 3rd grader for her creativity, I prefer a simple blow dry over this crazy contraption!
(TheDogDryer.com)
Crazy Cat Game
(McFee.com)
(BasBleu.com)
We’ve all heard of those ‘Cat Ladies’ that simply can’t have enough cats. My Mom knew one who had over 40 in her home. They were everywhere! Well, now there is a crazy game where collecting lots of felines is a good thing! Along the way, players will either gain or lose cats…with the winner being the one with the most cats at the end. Though The Crazy Cat Lady game is probably fantastic fun for feline-lovers, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to collect more than one or two cats at the most.
Bad Poo Etiquette
The dooloop is an innovative product for responsible dog owners who are diligent in picking up their pup’s poo! Instead of having to hand-carry filled doggy-doo bags, this little gadget attaches to a leash and holds up to six bags… to carry home hands-free! The dooloop is made in Maine and comes in five colors. Lobster red is my favorite. Their website highlights the product benefits in just six words: Scoop the poop, knot & loop!
What do you think about this crazy idea that suggests hiding your dog’s poo under a rock instead of picking it up? When I first saw this, I thought, “Yikes.” Upon further reading, I found this is simply a joke product. It’s just an empty box you can buy to put a gift in. But really…Hide-A-Poo? Who would ever want to receive a gift in a box with dog poop on it? The box highlights the (fake) product benefits in these five words: Simply go, cover & go! What will humans think of next?
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(Pranko.com)
