2017 March Downeast Dog News by Jennifer Rich / Wendi Smith

Hot Dog News Na onally Recognized Dog Trainer Don Hanson, co-owner and Director of Behavior Counseling and Training at the Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, recently a ended the 2nd Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Force-Free Educa onal Summit in Tampa, FL. He a ended presenta ons by veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall, veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker who talked about the importance of fearfree veterinary visits, animal trainers Ken Ramirez and Ken McCort, dog trainers Pat Miller, and Victoria S llwell and others. Topics covered during the five-day summit included; best business prac ces, canine cogni on, fear and anxiety in dogs and cats, interpreta on of research results, separa on anxiety, training dogs with imita on, and working with reac ve dogs. In January Hanson was recer fied as a professional dog trainer (CPDTKA) by the Cer fica on Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), an interna onally recognized cer fica on program for professional dog trainers. Cer ficants must recer fy with the CCPDT every three years, documen ng a minimum of thirty-six hours of con nuing educa on in CCPDT approved courses. Hanson recer fied with 133.5 hours of con nuing educa on. Hanson was one of twenty na onally recognized dog training professionals and behaviorists selected by the Associa on of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) to research and develop the first comprehensive wri en cer fica on examina on for professional dog trainers now managed by the CCPDT. He became one of the first trainers cer fied by the Cer fica on Council for Professional Dog Trainers in September of 2001.

Publisher Note: In last month's issue we ran a special feature on trainers that included an ar cle wri en by Sumac Grant-Johnson of Wag It Training Center. In this sec on we inadvertently used a photo of a dog wearing a choke collar. We would like to point out that choke collars are not something used by or approved of by Sumac or her training center. We apologize for the oversight and encourage you to consider her posi ve method of training the next me you need a trainer.

Don Hanson

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Downeast Dog News PUBLISHER Jenn Rich COPY EDITOR Belinda Carter CONTRIBUTORS Susan Spisak Diana Logan Sara Moore Judith Herman Carolyn Fuhrer Don Hanson Nancy Holmes GRAPHIC DESIGN Courier Publications, LLC

From the Publisher Dear Dog News Readers, It is with great sadness yet much love that I report that we have lost a dear member of our family. My beau ful doggie niece Bella has le us for the Rainbow Bridge where I picture her reunited with her cousin Reilly having another great round of tug of war. Bella touched all of our lives with her happiness and her hugs (she would actually lean over and hug you) and was a great friend to both of my dogs, Reilly and Pepper! She also loved to receive head scratches from her Aun e Jenn. We all had our special “talents” that she enjoyed. She loved to go on adventures with her Mom and Dad, and they were blessed to get many more of those in a er her surgery last March. If only every dog or person for that ma er could receive as much love as Bella did, the world would be be er for it. So let’s all take a lesson from Miss Bella, and in a world where there is far too much hate, let’s focus on the LOVE! Much love to you Bella Boo! Love, Aun e Jenn and Cousin Pepper

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Bella at the beach

In Honor and Memoriam of Bella Boo Barrows We have come to that moment in our journey that every dog mom and dad dreads--the me when you have to let your beau ful baby go. On Sunday, January 29th, 11 months a er receiving a 3-6 month prognosis of hemangiosarcoma, we had to say goodbye to our beloved Bella, whom we cherished more than mere words could ever say. We have experienced many ups and downs through these last months, but cannot express clearly enough our eternal gra tude for this precious gi of me to be together with the deepest level of presence and apprecia on. What a gi . What a blessing these 9 years have been. Sweet Bella Boo: We want to thank you for being such an integral part of our lives. Simply by being your radiant self you enlightened our hearts and souls with your pure and profound love. As we sort through our sadness and tears, we cannot help but smile broadly at every sweet memory that arises. Thank you for your beaming smile, your bright eyes, and your happy, beau fully fluffy tail, ever ready to greet your loved ones with their own individual gree ng. Thank you for your goofiness, for your dis nct personality and your expressive communica on---no one could make more clear how truly awesome, or truly boring, an experience might be like you. Thank you for always being there for the fun adventures and the day-to-day experience of being. Thank you for never leaving our sides if we were sick, and for your awesome car-ride snuggles. Thank you for the laughter and the play me. Thank you for all of the glorious snuggles, and all the kisses, and all of the "snuggle fights" (and for giving your daddy the pointy end of that equa on). Thank you for sharing and encouraging our love for being in nature, as well as teaching us the importance of presence---the pure joy of stopping every once in awhile for a good sniff to breathe in the moment. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of fun and togetherness. Thank you for the reminder that aside from love, everything else is “small stuff”. Thank you for being our beau ful baby, our sweet punkin’, and our best friend with fur. Thank you for being our teacher and guiding us with love to be er versions of ourselves. We have felt so blessed to be your momma and daddy and will treasure every memory we have of our journey together these last 9 years. While your form may have changed, your essence is a part of the very fabric of who and what we are. Un l we meet again baby girl, our precious Love, we miss you and love you always. Thank you for YOU Bella Boo. You are the best. Love, Momma and Daddy

“Love and compassion are necessi es, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” ― Dalai Lama

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March 2017

Table of Contents Hot Dog News ...................... 2 Furry Words ......................... 4 Ask the Vet ............................ 4 Basic Training Tips ................ 6 Ask Bammy ............................ 7 Did someone call a doctor..... 8,9 Performance Dog Training ....10 Words, Woofs & Meows ..... 11 Rescue of the Month ............12 Dogs for Adoption ............... 13 Calendar of Events .............. 14 Business Directory .............. 15

"I do a lot of readings for people who are looking for insight and ways to change certain behaviors of their rescue pups. When I begin the call, I never know what to expect, but every now and then I get to read an animal that makes me laugh so hard it’s difficult to relay messages to the owner. This recently happened during a reading for a Beagle mix adopted by a family about four months ago. They knew he was a good boy, but he wasn’t par cularly nice to other dogs and kept ge ng himself in trouble. The owner thought that he was exhibi ng alpha dog behaviors because he wanted to be the top dog. She said it seemed as though he wanted to play, but it was very awkward and she didn’t feel as though he could do it safely. What he said to me was nothing that either of us expected to hear! The dog began by telling me he wasn’t very smart, and he really had no desire to be the top dog. He was lacking social skills because he was in a kennel or puppy mill holding area for the three or four years before he was adopted, so he didn’t know how a “real” dog was supposed to act. As a result, he was mimicking the dogs around him in an effort to be more like them. If they licked their lips, he licked his. If they rolled over to show the belly, he tried to do the same. If they wanted to sniff him, he wanted to sniff them, and so on. They do say that imita on is the best form of fla ery, but in the dog world, it can lead to some dangerous situa ons. At this point, I was laughing because it sounded so ridiculous but very sincere at the same me.

Is my dog stressed? Q.

My li le FiFi yawns whenever I go to the dog park. I thought it was pre y cute, but my friend said my dog is stressed. Is that true?

Furry Words by Sara Moore www.enlightenedhorizons.com

He didn’t know he was being obnoxious, and he kept trying to say that the owner gave him way more credit intelligence-wise than he deserved! He then gave us an example of who you could compare him to, and as soon as the image popped into my head, I had tears streaming down my face. He thought he was a mixture of Jack Black’s characters (from the movies “School or Rock” and “Kung Fu Panda”) and the Golden Retriever in the movie “Up“ who had a collar that could talk for him. That dog’s name was Doug, and he wasn’t very smart and was often distracted. In the middle of a thought he’d scream, “SQUIRREL!” and end up running after it, imaginary or real. The owner was now laughing ridiculously hard, too, and

Ask the Vet… by Dr. Judith Herman

Dogs have several ways to express stress and concerns. As our best friend’s guardian, it is up to us to recognize these signs. Your friend is correct that yawning is a sign of stress, but there are other behaviors too. What may not be stressful to you, such as going to a fun place like a dog park, can be very stressful to FiFI if she is insecure. Yawning is one form of expressing stress, scratching without a known cause, trembling, clinging to you, shaking oﬀ as a er a bath, hiding, ears pinned back, sniﬃng, pan ng, excessive saliva on, licking nose and lips, and sighing are a few more. Other behaviors that you may think as being naughty can be an expression of stress. This can be inappropriate elimina on,

also known as submissive we ng, excessive barking, aggressiveness, running oﬀ, and destruc veness. It is up to the guardian to know his dog well enough to recognize when FiFi’s behavior is a result of stress or not. Some of these behaviors may indicate an illness. If the behavior is excessive and in a low stress environment, like your home, see your veterinarian to rule

agreed that combination perfectly described her boy. We s ll wanted to ﬁnd ways to help the dog be safer outside of the home, so I asked him what was the best approach to take with him. He immediately said he hated the shock collar and would play dead if they ever did that again. The owner admi ed they had tried it once, and that’s pre y much what happened. I have zero experience with anything medical or training related, but you’d be surprised at how many dogs think a shock collar would help them stay focused and out of trouble. The dog said that a clicker wouldn’t work, either because he had no idea why they were making

describing, but they didn’t want to cause more stress and were saving that as a last resort. He got all excited and said that if they wanted to put it on, that was great, but in order for it to work, they needed to face him head on when pu ng it on and removing it. He said if they reached over his head from behind, he would poten ally go ballis c and accidentally nip them. The owner validated that the only me he’s showed that behavior was when they were reaching over his neck or head, and we told him they appreciated the warning. Here’s what I loved about this reading. The dog wasn’t trying to be nasty. He just had no idea how he was supposed to act. When he said he was similar to Jack Black, he talked just like the actor and gave us examples. “Oh. You WANT me to go play over there. Of course you do…. I KNEW that and was TOTALLY going to do that before you asked!” That combined with acknowledging that he wasn’t a super smart dog just seemed so funny to me. I can tell you a cat would never admit that even if it were true! These are the readings that are so much fun and hopefully result in posi ve changes. If I ever see a dog smiling in a muzzle, I will have to ask if I’ve ever done a reading for him!! Sara Moore is a psychic for people and pets, has an oﬃce in North Conway, NH but is also available for phone readings and private events. FMI go to enlightenedhorizons.com, email enlightenedhorizons@gmail. com, or call (603)662-2046.

At this point, I was laughing because it sounded so ridiculous but very sincere at the same me. that noise and then trea ng him. She laughed and said they had tried that with li le success, too. Then he said he’d love to have a muzzle. Yes, a muzzle. Can you imagine a dog actually asking for that? His explana on of why that would work was diﬀerent but in line with the way this boy thinks. He said with a muzzle on he would think that he was s ll in a safe crate and that the other dogs wouldn’t be able to see him as being a threat. In my mind, I saw him wearing a dark brown leather one with a huge smile on his face. Turns out they had the exact one he was

out an underlying medical problem. What do you do when your pup is showing stress behaviors? Some mes it is obvious what FiFi is stressed over. Let’s take the dog park. If FiFi is a shy dog in general, a dog park can be overwhelming. Dog parks are not for everyone. Start oﬀ with non-stress areas. Whatever FiFi is concerned or afraid of, take her away from the stressful environment. If you didn’t do adequate socializa on as a pup, then you need to do it now in a very controlled and safe place. Don’t go to Walmart with crowds of people or a dog event with tons of dogs if FiFi is insecure in these situa ons. Call a friend with a well behaved dog and quietly introduce them and give FiFi plenty of room to retreat. Do the same thing with people if she is scared of people. Some dogs are born mid. They may never like crowds of any kind. Know your dog. If she doesn’t like these crowds, don’t force them on her. Work with an animal behaviorist to work through these problems. Some simple things to do to help FiFi cope are to exercise her o en. Exercise can be a stress reliever if it is kept fun and relaxing. Repe ve behavior like “fetch” can become

stressful if carried on too long. Rou nes can reduce stress. Dogs love rou ne. They don’t stress over what will happen next. Sounds familiar? We are the same way! Stay away from stressful situa ons. Again, know your dog. If she doesn’t like crowds, don’t go there. Spend more me wth your friend. If you are working somewhere, bring FiFi with you. She is happiest with you, and you can occupy her with a chew toy or frozen stuff Kong while you work. Have rules and s ck by them. Dogs love rules. They know what to expect and that reduces stress. Don’t change the rules; this only confuses her. From the first day you get your puppy, establish rules that you want to have when she is an adult. Remember to recognize signs of stress. Then iden fy what is stressful. Remove her from the stress, and if it is something she needs to deal with, find a qualified animal behavioralist to help you. Judith K. Herman DVM, CVH Animal Wellness Center Augusta, ME www.mainehomeopathicvet.com

Downeast Dog News

KRITTERS from page 1 health and healing, and as a Companion Animal Prac oner 1 in TTouch, she guides clients through the methods to heal, improve behaviors, reduce stress, and train their own pets. She also offers short workshops on the method. A friend told Deb about TTouch when she was at the farm consoling her a er she lost a beloved rescue dog. She was having trouble with some of her other animals; she has dogs, cats, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, and a turkey. “Having a farm, I wanted to know more about [TTouch]. If there’s something I can do to support my animals, that’d be great.” Deb went to Colorado for the first week of her training journey that included weeks of course work and case studies. She studied under Linda Tellington-Jones, PhD, who founded the method in the 70’s for horses, and later added more techniques for companion animals and humans. She was extremely impressed with Linda and added that she has an amazing group of teachers and prac oners around the world. TTouch’s extra “T” stands for trust, Deb said and its calming style further intrigued her. “I’m much more organic in how I approach things with my animals, but I needed something that worked,” she shared, adding that tradi onal approaches aren’t always successful. Benefits of this unique method can include, but aren’t limited to, a reduc on in pain, sensi vity and fear, recovery from an injury or surgery, an improvement in nega ve behaviors such as barking, jumping, separa on anxiety, and aggression, and it can provide the animal with an overall sense of wellbeing. “There are so many pieces of TTouch,” she explained. First, there’s the gentle overall body work, including the mouth and tail, where circular and specific hand and finger touches, slides (a sliding touch), and lifts are used. There are over twenty touches, utilizing the front and back of the hand, tips of fingers in a straight or curved mode, with speed and pressure changing depending on the goal. “We can get really detailed,” said Deb. These touches are new to the pet, causing him to consider the feeling and relax – they’re not habitual petting motions, nor are they a massage. “They think, ‘Huh, what’s that?’” There are ground exercises, also referred to as a “Playground for Higher Learning.” It’s a labyrinth of equipment to build confidence, stability, and change behaviors by making the dog

Deb in Costa Rica

focus. Deb may guide them over unusual textures, like corrugated metal, or she may wind them through a “confidence course,” such as a maze of cones, stopping along the way to perform certain touches. She’ll u lize equipment such as wraps – think nervous dogs that can benefit from being swaddled, or the arthri c that need support – double ended leashes, and harnesses. Deb had a client whose dog was pulling her on walks. Together they worked with the pet using a harness with a front and back clip – the dog was connected in two spots. The dog was balanced, and as a result, gained confidence and learned to walk without pulling. Lastly, for companion animal owners, Deb said it’s about intent and expecta ons. “In that we use touches, equipment, wraps, with the inten on that their behavior would change, and we’d see the animal in his perfec on…We don’t want to see our animals as barkers or pullers.” She added that when a person’s energy changes about his dog, the dog changes. That’s part of her objec ve as a prac oner in TTouch. “My job in working with that person is to help him see his animal, how he wants it to be, not an animal with problems.” She wants the client present at the appointment, and prefers to teach him how to do TTouch on his companion animal.

She starts by ascertaining what he loves about his animal and what he’d like changed. Her approach is always the same, “I need to see what’s going on, in the here and now, not dredging up its past.” She shared the case of the cat having accidents all over the house; the owner was upset because her vet wanted to prescribe Prozac. Deb realized the cat was fearful; she did TTouch on his ears as they have several pressure points that alleviate that fear and ins lls a sense of calm. She also did TTouch on and around his mouth; that area holds emo ons. Another client’s dog had cancer with only six months to live. She told her she’d make her “baby” comfortable with Reiki and TTouch and also used a diffuser filled with Frankincense oil, which supports the reduc on of cancerous cells. “You know I don’t know if it changed this dog, but I can tell you that her dog is s ll alive.” The owner credits Deb with prolonging his life. “So there is a believer,” she laughed. Deb shared that she had an emergency with her dog Jake; she used TTouch on four points of his ears when it was apparent he was in shock. “I could see him coming back, out of shock and into his body.” They got him to the vet first thing in the morning and discovered he had a tumor on his spleen that was leaking blood. He’s on medica on to manage it. “I swear to God, that night TTouch on his ears saved his life.” She’s been working with her own Lucy, a one me crazy dog, for over three years. Today she has a totally different temperament, thanks to oils, she uses “Balance” on her tail, the “Tarantula Pulling the Plow” TTouch, its slide mo on up the back releases fear, reduces sensi vity, and increases circula on as well as other touches around her mouth and ears. Lucy stands frozen during the rou ne and has benefi ed greatly. Deb’s prac ce will con nue to concentrate more on animals. She’s glad to be well-versed in Reiki, Essen al Oils, and TTouch and that she can offer their benefits to her clients, their pets, her own pets and farm animals. “It’s absolutely amazing…It increases our ability to connect with our animals.” She travels o en and has even performed Reiki and TTouch on the stray beach dogs in Costa Rica. “It goes with me everywhere. Cri ers need it everywhere.” To learn more about Deb’s offerings, as well as a link to rules on using certain Essential Oils for pets, visit http://www.kidzandkritters.com/ about.html.

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March 2017

"He's Protec ng Me" W

hen our neighbor walks his dog on leash in “the hood,” she abruptly lunges, bouncing, mouth agape and barking with intensity, every me a car passes by. “She’s protec ng me,” he said. A client told me the reason her dog barked ferociously when someone knocked at her door was because he was protec ng her. We’ve all seen a li le lapdog turn into a li le monster when approached because we have been told, he is protec ng his owner. Pet owners are experts at anthropomorphizing (a ribu ng human traits to non-humans), but it is surprising how frequently dog owners make comments that indicate they sincerely believe their dog’s ac ons are primarily mo vated by their human's wellbeing. We are, hopefully, very important to our dogs, but we are also rather ego-centric creatures, too. Saying our dog is “protec ng” us makes us feel more signiﬁcant, doesn’t it? Some mes, dare I say, claiming “he’s protec ng me” might actually serve as an excuse for not doing anything about it. When it's a ques on of safety or func onality, we most certainly should do something about it. When is it “protec ng” (or guarding, a more appropriate

Basic Training Tips by Diana Logan

term) and when is it reac vity? When is it a problem? Dogs need to feel safe, ﬁrst and foremost, just like us. And just like us, their behavior is dictated by

genetics, history (habit), and the environment/situation in which they find themselves. Guarding is when a dog puts on an aggressive display when he feels he risks losing control of a resource (food, toys, space, person). Guarding is usually triggered by the approach of a dog or human towards the resource. Personal space is a very important resource, and dogs may exhibit guarding behaviors on-leash, in the car, in the house, on the other side of a fence in an effort to control his space. Growling, freezing and snarling are common signs of guarding. Guarding against humans can be dangerous as the dog may be pushed to the point of causing harm. Seek professional help from a posi ve-reinforcement trainer if your dog guards. Guarding can be treated through systema c desensi za on and counter-condi oning. It generally gets worse without appropriate treatment. Reactivity is when a dog over-reacts to stimuli in the environment. It’s highly likely that Nellie, the car-chaser, would have the same behavior with any human attached to her - or even in the absence of a human. She is visually reactive to cars going by and because she’s part herding dog, her actions are probably

partly genetically programmed. She really enjoys this hobby (re: her body language), but it’s not fun for her humans and greatly affects leash walking. Her owner now visually blocks her from seeing cars pass her (it’s not easy) which has helped a lot. It would be even better if he were to offer her something really, really yummy as a car went by or to train her to do an “incompatible behavior” (can’t occur at the same time). The dog who barks at the door is reac ve, too, but he may also be fearful or territorial. Protec ng his human is probably not the reason for his behavior. Dogs who are reac ve, for whatever reason, can also be treated using posi ve techniques. Systema c desensi za on and countercondi oning is the way to go for reac vity, too! Systema c Desensi za on and Counter-Condi oning is a systema c approach that combines the careful exposure to limited "doses" of a trigger or situa on with appropriate amounts of whatever the dog would ﬁnd highly rewarding so that the end result is a posi ve associa on. I hope that you will be thinking more about the "protective" dogs in your life and what their motivators might actually be - it might be quite surprising!

Diana Logan, CPDT-KA Cer ﬁed Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge-Assessed Pet Connec on Dog Training, North Yarmouth, Maine | www.dianalogan.com | 207-252-9352

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I am a Carolina Dog, a breed that long ago owned Na ve American people. We were designed by natural selec on to be so intelligent and physically superior that we survived without human help. My great-grandfather was caught from the wild. I can offer advice based on the natural ins ncts and a ributes of wild dogs. In addi on, my adop ve person and I have had lots of training classes and other experiences. Some humans call themselves Mom or Dad of their dogs, but I refer to my human, tongue in cheek, as Boss. Much as I love my human, I admit she has many of the same odd no ons as most humans, so I can relate to other pet dogs with problem humans. If I can’t help, at least I can offer sympathy, and we can have some fun talking about our amazing humans. Please send your ques ons to Downeast Dog News! Bammy, PO Box 135, Newcastle, ME 04553, or email: askbammy@ dewater.net Dear Bammy, I had a really bad experience at the vet’s office. It wasn’t the vet. She’s very nice! A big, hyper dog came into the wai ng room with his human. They had one of those leashes that’s almost like a floppy

Ask Bammy An Advice Column for Dogs by a Dog

thin wire that cuts you when it gets around your legs, and it can suddenly get very long by magic. I think you know what I mean. The human holds the handle of a li le box that makes whirring and clicking noises when the thin leash goes out and in. They scare me - I think they are alive. But anyway, there were several other couples in the wai ng room. This dog

pulled about half a mile of skinny leash out of the box and ran around tangling up dogs and humans. He ran around behind me and then zoomed to my human and jumped up. When he jumped, it pulled the leash around my back legs so I was ﬂipped right over backwards! Boy, did it hurt! I yelped, my human screamed, the human holding the box yelled at the dog, but it didn’t help because the leash was wound around everyone. That didn’t stop me! I lunged and snapped at that obnoxious dog. I wanted to bite the human, too, but my human had a good, safe leash so she stopped me. Bammy, everyone was growling at me for losing my temper, but I think it was the fault of the human and her terrible leash thing, don’t you? Small But Tough Dear Tough, I one hundred percent agree with you! I hope your snap a ack at the poor dog taught his human a lesson. I’m so glad you didn’t get to snap at the human even though she deserved it! They have all sorts of nasty tricks when they get upset. You never see those dangerous leash things at agility events. Many people are giving them up, too, thank goodness! Boss heard of a

dog who got excited and jerked on the leash. The box let go of it, and the poor dog landed in the road where she was killed by a car. I actually think that those leash boxes hate dogs and try on purpose to get humans mixed up about how to push the bu on. You some mes see people forget that their dogs are running away while they scowl and punch at the li le bu on on the box. When they do it right, the dog gets an awful yank on the neck or the box thing just lets go of the leash and the dog flings away. I am sure, Tough, that like the rest of us, you use your leash as part of your defense system. We can o en scare away a threat if we use a leash or a fence to protect us from actual contact while we lunge at our enemies. But don’t trust that leash-in-a-box for one second! If it lets go or fools your human even for an instant, you could land right in the jaws of a big, fierce dog. In my opinion, all those leash boxes should be euthanized! Keep up the good fight, Tough! Bammy The Ask Bammy column is intended for humor and entertainment. If your dog has behavioral issues please contact a veternarian or professional trainer.

Help a dog find a forever home! See page 13.

Free Vaccines for Life! It is very important for all pets to have regular annual physical exams including parasite screenings. This is a simple and cost effective plan to give your pet the regular and personalized care they deserve. How will the program work? Adult pets onetime enrollment fee of $99. Puppies and Kittens (20 weeks of age or younger) onetime fee of $125.00–because during the ﬁrst 4 to 6 months they receive more vaccines than an adult dog or cat. After enrollment, your pet will receive the vaccines offered by this program for free for the rest of their life, as long as they come to Taylor Brook Animal Hospital.

Vaccines included in the program — Dogs: Cats: ✓ Rabies ✓ Rabies ✓ Distemper ✓ Distemper (RCP) ✓ Lyme Disease ✓ Leukemia *Leptospirosis Bordetella (kennel cough) is offered at a 10% discount. To stay enrolled in the program, your pet will need the following done annually: For Dogs: ✓ Preventative Care exam ✓ Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Heartworm Disease Blood Parasite Screening ✓ Comprehensive Intestinal Parasite Screening

For Cats: ✓ Preventative Care Exam ✓ Comprehensive Intestinal Parasite Screening ✓ FIV/FeLV blood screening (one time if indicated)

Please go to our website for more details: taylorbrookanimalhospital.com

Taylor Brook Animal Hospital • 33 Millett Drive, Auburn • 784-1726 March 2017

Did someone call a doctor? C

hoosing a vet is an important decision for any dog owner. Everyone will have different needs and expectations for his dog’s caregiver. Ask your friends and family that share the same values as you for recommendations, or perhaps a trainer or pet sitter that you trust may have some suggestions. Evaluate the staff. Are they professional and friendly? Is the facility clean? Do you feel comfortable with them and what is their rapport with your dog? Do they talk to them and try to establish a relationship? Be sure and communicate your needs and ask them questions. You may have specific questions about medications or procedures. Do they refer pets to specialists, or do they handle most procedures in-house? Depending on your personal preferences you may be seeking a standard or more traditional practice. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) evaluates veterinary practices on the quality of their facilities, staff, equipment, and patient care. Search the organization’s website at www.aahanet.org for a list of accredited vets in your area. Others may be more interested in a more alternative approach such as homeopathy which incorporates nutritional supplements, natural medicines, and herbs. Some practices may also offer acupuncture and chiropractic care. Location, hours, and the cost of services may also factor into your decision. Most offices will require payment the day of your visit. Be on time for your appointment, and if you are unable to make it, please be courteous and cancel within the timeframe required by your vet’s office. Regular visits can help you prevent illness and keep your dog healthy. Do not just wait until your dog is ill to visit the vet; however, if you do think something is wrong, do not wait until he is really sick before you bring him in. Nobody knows your dog better than you! Here we have provided a list of some of the reasons you should take your dog to the vet. • Annual check ups - prevention, prevention, prevention! • Flea & Tick Prevention – ticks can transmit diseases through your dog’s bloodstream • Acupuncture – a non-medicated treatment option to aid certain conditions

Turner Veterinary Service Nancy Derocher, DVM Andrine Belliveau, DVM Christine Gerardi, DVM

Dr. Jenny Rees Dr. Maryssa Dorr • Full Service Veterinary Care • Providing care for cats and dogs in Maine’s Downeast Region for over 20 years!

2345 US Hwy. 1, Sullivan, ME (207)422-9999 schoodicanimalhospital.com

ATLANTIC VETERINARY CARE We provide: small animal medicine

273 Auburn Road • Turner, ME 04282 Phone: 207-225-2155 Fax: 207-225-3273 Pet Emergency: 207-777-1110 www.turnervetservice.com

surgery

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• Full Service Veterinary Care • • Holistic & Acupuncture Treatments• • State of the Art Digital Imaging • • Ultrasonic Dentistry • • In House Laboratory and Diagnostics • 207-563-8387 • avc@tidewater.net 11 Coastal Marketplace • Damariscotta, ME atlanticveterinarycare.com

789 • 5700 www.blakevet.com

10 Veterinary care for all small pets.

• Dental – toxins from periodontal disease are absorbed into dog’s bloodstream • Change in eating habits – if your dog stops eating for more than a couple of days • Drinks excessive water – could be a sign of diabetes or kidney disease • Dull or rough coat – could have an allergy or skin disease, may need to switch food or seek other treatment • Fatigue – abnormally sluggish for more than 2 days or not interested in things he used to enjoy such as walks • Vomiting – frequently or several times in a row, if you see blood • Unusual stool for more than 2 days • Excessive or inappropriate urination • Sudden weight loss • Dragging rear – could mean disease or blocked glands • Eaten something toxic or foreign object

Our mission is to provide quality life-long care for our patients through exceptional service, compassion, client education and community outreach. We are a full service practice treating dogs, cats, rabbits & other pocket-sized pets. 29 First St. Scarborough, ME 04074 207-883-4412 www.scarboroughanimalhospital.com

KENNEBUNK

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Dr. Matthew Horgan Dr. Kevin Cowan

Animal Hospital

Dr. Amy Wood Dr. Erica Parthum

of South Gorham

Dr. Margaret Shively Dr. Ken Odrzywolski Dr Rina Porell

47 County Road Gorham, ME 04038 (207)839-8158 www.ahsgvets.com

10 207-985-4277 p • 207-985-5573 f 149 Fletcher Street • Kennebunk, ME 04043 contact@kbunkvet.com

Linda K. Mulski, V.M.D. Thomas M. Niedermeyer, V.M.D.

Celebrating 16 Years as the Midcoast’s Hospital of the Year!

14 207-582-4588

Animal Wellness Center 95 Northern Ave, Augusta

HELPING PETS LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST General Medicine Surgery Dentistry

Dr. Judith K. Herman, DVM Specializing in the holistic and loving care of your companion

Housecalls Dog Training Rehabilitation

Your Other Family Doctor

(207)623-1177 www.mainehomeopathicvet.com 1

16 Orrington Winterport

VETERINARY HOSPITAL

207.729.4164 • 257 Bath Road • Brunswick, Maine 04011

(207) 594-8300

Sunray Animal Clinic 73 Admiral Fitch Avenue, Brunswick, ME 04011 (207) 725-6398 • www.Sunrayvet.com

Dr. Stacey Contakos Dr. Dan Dowling Dr. Kristina Mainella

Full Service Veterinary Clinic with Oral Surgery • In-House Lab Equipment • X-rays & Laser Therapy

Anne Del Borgo, DVM • Katherine Seymour, DVM Kerry Collins, DVM • Christopher Norman, DVM

236-2311 • www.camdenvet.com 6

Augusta

Northport

Turner

599 Commercial Street (Rte 1) Rockport, Maine 04856

Camden

Farmingdale

We are very pleased to announce the addi on of Dr. Aliza Gen li-Lloyd to our prac ce.

www.bathbrunswickvet.com Dr. Matthew Holden

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Belfast South Paris

to our new website!

The Camden Hospital for Animals

Bangor

136 Western Avenue So. Paris, Maine 04281 www.oxfordhillsvet.com 743-9271

568 Maine Avenue Farmingdale, ME

857 River Road Orrington, ME (207)825-8989 www.kindredvet.com

Sit. Stay. Roll over...

Medicine and Surgery for Large and Small Animals

(207) 223-2596 559 South Main Street Winterport, Maine www.ridgerunnervet.com

Mark Hanks, DVM Chris Barry, DVM

OXFORD HILLS

• Full service veterinary care from the heart. • Voted best Veterinary Clinic in Bangor 7 years running. • Now accepting new patients.

Dr. Karen WalshMeiczinger, owner

Rockport

10 Daramisco a

A Tu s University graduate and experienced prac oner, her interests include feline medicine, nutri on, dermatology, preven ve medicine and surgery.

Now available for appointments.

Brunswick

Now offering the Companion Therapy Laser®. This FDA-cleared, deep-penetra ng light facilitates relief of pain through the release of endorphins and s mulates the injured cells to heal at a faster rate. Laser therapy has proven effec ve with pain, inflamma on and swelling associated with so ssue injuries, trauma, surgery and chronic everyday disorders. Please call us today to see if this non-invasive treatment alterna ve is right for your pet.

Gorham 14 Portland Scarborough

Cape Elizabeth

12 Kennebunk

Downeast Dog News

March 2017

Training Your Performance Dog Agility, Obedience, Tracking by Carolyn Fuhrer

Tracking: The Importance of Star ng Out Correctly

ne of the greatest games you can play with your dog is teaching him to use his sense of smell to find a great reward. Dogs like to use their noses; it is the first way they iden fy things – and what dog doesn’t like to find something which results in a reward for him, be it food, a toy or a game of tug or chase? The sport of tracking uses the dog’s natural scen ng ability to follow where a person has walked (the track) and find items that the person has dropped (ar cles). Our job is to teach the dog to use his nose to follow the “track”

and ﬁnd the “ar cles” at which point the dog in training will be rewarded. The only way he can find the “articles” which pay the reward is to use his nose to follow the track. Sounds like a relatively simple formula – then why do so many people have so much trouble when they start working? The answers are the same as for any other type of training. To name a few:

dog. If you are frustrated, it usually affects the dog. This is why follow up sessions that allow for individual needs are very important especially for new trackers. As in any dog sport, there is a lot for the handler to learn, and if the handler cannot obtain the help he needs, progress will be slow at best. To make progress, you need someone who cannot only identify the problems you may be having but who can also design training sessions to help you solve those problems and build the dog’s confidence and yours! Mid Coast Maine Kennel Club had a wonderful program last year. It started in April with a beginner’s workshop, and students tracked several times a month throughout the mid coast area. The last session was held the first week in December! MCKC will also be hosting 7 tracking tests this year and will host an AKC Judges Seminar in July. If you are looking to learn to track in 2017, check out Mid Coast Kennel Club of Maine’s website for information. The club will also be hosting a nose work clinic on March 3rd.

• Poor motivation • Lack of clarity on the part of the trainer • Dog does not understand the reward system • Increased difficulty too soon • Making it a job instead of an enjoyable, rewarding task • Poor understanding of the dog’s physical/mental stamina • Poorly planned tracks Starting out right with a qualified trainer who is also a good teacher and understands various breeds of dogs can help avoid so many problems. There are many good books on tracking, but if you don’t have a really solid foundation in training, they are not that helpful. Videos are fine, but usually show the finished product and not how to deal with problems or may not deal with the problems you are having. Going to a beginner’s clinic is a very good start, but it can only take you so far and depending on the skill and expertise of the instructors, you may or may not come away with a plan. Continuity, consistency, and motivation are the keys to developing a good tracking

Carolyn Fuhrer has earned over 90 AKC tles with her Golden Retrievers, including 2 Champion Tracker tles. Carolyn is the owner of North Star Dog Training School in Somerville, Maine. She has been teaching people to understand their dogs for over 25 years. You can contact her with ques ons, sugges ons and ideas for her column by e-mailing carolyn@dogsatnorthstar.com.

Touch Veterinary Hospital TTender 336 Gorham Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074 Dr. Rita DeMeuse, DVM

We have adoptable kittens, cats and dogs available to qualified homes!

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When your pet is in need of advanced diagnostics and treatments in a caring and professional environment, the team at Portland Veterinary Specialists will go the extra mile to provide the best care possible for you and your pet. Internal Medicine • Cancer Care • Surgery • Ophthalmology • Cardiology Acupuncture Integrative Medicine • Dermatology • Ultrasonagrapy Endoscopy • Radioactive Iodine Therapy • Laser Therapy 2255 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04102 739 Warren Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103 www.portlandvetspecialists.com Phone: 207-780-0271 • Email: petvet@prtlvet.com

Medicine • Surgery • Dentistry • Therapeutic Laser Radiology • Ultrasonography • Preventitive Care

457 Foreside Rd. Topsham, ME 04086 207.729.4678 www.androscogginanimalhospital.com

Downeast Dog News

We're Ge ng a New Puppy (or Dog)! - Prior Planning Makes for Success

n January, Kate and I did a twopart series on The Woof Meow Show (woofmeowshow.com) about finding the right dog for you and your family. You can read a companion ar cle and get a link to the podcast at h p://bit.ly/2kcuXnD. This column discusses what to do a er you have found your dog but before you bring him home. Adjust your schedule and priori es – Your new puppy is going to need significant me from you, especially during the first few months. A puppy has a key developmental period between eight to sixteen weeks of age, during which certain things need to happen if you want a well-adjusted puppy. This is not something you can postpone un l you have me. Block off me in your daily schedule for your pup now and s ck to your commitment. Get other family members to pledge to do their part as well. It takes a family to raise a puppy. Learn to accept, laugh and relax, and ALWAYS be kind– Your a tude and emo ons will be a big factor in your pup’s happiness and readiness to bond with you. Trust me, dogs read us be er than many of our closest human friends, and if you become angry with your dog, it will damage your rela onship. Understand that a new dog, whether a puppy, a senior, or anything in between, will need you to be pa ent and understanding. Accept the fact that both you and your dog will find one another frustra ng at mes. Rather than get mad, laugh and relax. Dogs like kind people with a good sense of humor. Determine how you will handle your puppy’s housetraining – Your puppy will not housetrain himself and will need someone present to take him out several mes during the day. This need will con nue for the first few months of his life. A rule of thumb for how many hours a puppy can “hold it” is his age in

WORDS, WOOFS & MEOWS by Don Hanson ACCBC, BFRAP, CDBC, CPDT-KA

months plus one. For example, a four-month-old puppy will be able to “hold it” for ﬁve hours, at most. If you work all day long, you need a plan now if you want your pup to become housetrained. Leaving a puppy in a room or an X-Pen while you are gone is just rewarding him for going to the bathroom inside, which will make training him to go outside take that much longer. If you cannot be there for your puppy, consider hiring a friend or family member to help you. Make an appointment with your veterinarian for your puppy for the second day he is with you – No ma er where you get your puppy, even if it is from your most trusted friend, take him to your veterinarian for his ﬁrst wellness exam within twenty-four hours of your bringing

him home. Make this appointment well in advance, so you are not delayed because your veterinarian's schedule is booked. Consider pet insurance– If you want to protect yourself against future major expenses, the me to consider pet insurance is when your dog is young as it does not cover preexis ng condi ons. I recently had a client who adopted a new puppy that was diagnosed with a heart condi on at his first appointment. While this is rare, it can happen. There are many pet insurance op ons available, so do your research. Select a qualified trainer and enroll you and your puppy in a Puppy Headstart class – Do this now, before you have the puppy, so that you can make sure there is room in the class when your puppy arrives. Every dog will benefit from training, as will you, and the rela onship between you and your dog. Developmentally, a puppy will benefit star ng in class when he is eight to nine weeks of age, definitely before 16 weeks of age, when socializa on windows close. A welldesigned puppy class will focus on important issues like: socializa on and habitua on, housetraining, play bi ng, jumping up on people, and chewing. These are vastly more important at this stage than working on things like sit and shake. Working with a professional, cer fied, reward-based dog trainer can greatly simplify your life. 1) If you enroll in class, you are more likely to train your dog; 2) A trainer can answer your ques ons as they come up; and 3) A trainer can teach you how to avoid uninten onally training behaviors you do not want. Do not just choose a trainer solely based on loca on, convenience, or price. Training is an unregulated profession and not all trainers are created equal. Review how to choose a dog trainer at

h p://bit.ly/2kBs7Ht Purchase Basic Supplies– You will need some basic supplies for your puppy. Minimally, these include a crate, a leash, a collar, an ID tag, food and water bowls, and toys. Purchase Food and Treats– What you feed your pet and use for treats is a big decision which can have significant effects on your puppy’s health. I believe that quality nutri on is the key to health and a long life. Be skep cal of television ads for pet food. The pet foods that you most o en see adver sed on TV are currently facing a lawsuit for misleading adver sing. Avoid anyone sugges ng that one and only one food is the best food for all pets. Recognize that breeders, veterinarians, pet stores, shelters, and others trying to sell you food, have a bias. Either commit to learning about pet nutri on or find someone you can trust to help you. Find a groomer – Not all dogs will need a professional groomer for their coat, but unless you plan on trimming your dog's nails on your own, you will need the services of a professional groomer every four to six weeks. If you have a long-haired dog such as a Poodle, Doodle, Shel e, etc., you will want your dog to start to become familiar with the grooming process between 8 and 16 weeks of age. I suggest a minimum of two to three visits to the groomer during this period, not for a full grooming, but just to have some “happy me” with the groomer and for your dog to become habituated to the process. Have fun and enjoy your new companion – If you think I have made raising a puppy sound like lots of work, that is because it is. However, the more you know and plan ahead of me, the easier it is. The investment you make in your puppy will be paid back in fun and companionship.

Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) in Bangor. He is a Bach Founda on Registered Animal Prac oner (BFRAP), Cer fied Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Cer fied Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC) and a Cer fied Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). He produces and co- hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show heard on The Pulse AM620 WZON and streamed at h p://www.wzonradio.com/ every Saturday at 9 AM. A list of upcoming shows and podcasts of past shows can be found at www.woofmeowshow.com. Don also writes about pets at his blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.

A Heartwarming Story About the Growing Bond Between a Child and a New Pet

hen a young boy and his father move from one house to another, they decide to adopt a dog from the local rescue shelter. But their chosen dog, Toby, is having a tough me adjus ng to his new life outside the shelter — howling all night, hiding fearfully from his new humans, forge ng where to go to the bathroom, and chasing a ball through the ﬂower bed. The boy has promised to train his new companion, and he’s trying his best, but Dad is star ng to get exasperated. Will Toby ever feel comfortable with his new family and se le into his forever home, or will Dad decide he’s not the right dog for them a er all?

March 2017

Hazel Mitchell has illustrated numerous books for children. Toby is her author-illustrator debut. Originally from Yorkshire, England, she now lives in Maine with her husband and a brave rescue poodle named Toby, whose eightday disappearance drew na onal a en on when the story was shared across social media.

To ﬁnd out more about Hazel Mitchell’s books visit: www.hazelmitchell.com

Rescue

of the

Month

GREATER ANDROSCOGGIN HUMANE SOCIETY Providing the Best Care for Stray, Abandoned & Abused Animals By Susan Spisak

ur dogs come primarily from local sources, people who can’t care for them anymore, strays or abandoned animals, and those transferred from other shelters. We also help the state with their seizure program,” said Zachary Black, Manager of Operations for the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society (GAHS), formerly the Lewiston-Auburn SPCA, which was founded in 1885. They recently celebrated a decade at their new Lewiston facility; they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished, what they offer local communities, and that their efforts make a difference. Their adoption program is their largest program, and last year alone over 4,000 pets - dogs, cats, small pets, and birds - found a new spot to call home. GAHS provides adoption counseling and screens responsible applicants to make the best match. The shelter is a “no-kill” facility, meaning they save the life of all pets, unless they’re extremely sick or pose a threat to the community. And there’s no time limit on their stay; their goal is to find that perfect adopter for each animal. Because of their all-important foster program – with over a 100 generous foster homes that care for 800 to1,000 animals per year – they can reach out and help overcrowded shelters across the state and country, taking in more dogs in need. They also open their doors - and hearts - to animals in dire situations after disasters. “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without [the fosters].” He cited the “Ohio Twenty” that came to them last summer; they were part of a large group of abused and neglected dogs that the Humane Society of the United States seized from an Ohio property. Zachary said many of the dogs and pups weren’t socialized to the

REBEL

SKYLAR

11.5 yrs, Terrier/ Pit Bull Mix

3 yrs, Catahoula Leopard Dog

This ruggedly handsome guy is Rebel! He’s an older gentleman who needs a nice quiet home with no other animals – even caged animals is a no – as he has a very high prey drive. Rebel’s a very loyal and sweet dog. He is excellent with children and people of all ages! He walks very well on a leash and knows a wide variety of commands. Rebel also has severe separa on anxiety and is destruc ve when le alone, because of this Rebel cannot go home to an apartment. He needs someone home with him all the me. meet this sweet guy... he won't disappoint!

Skylar is an ac ve 3-year-old Catahoula Leopard that’s looking for her forever home. She’ll thrive in an ac ve home. Skylar absolutely loves toys but the tennis ball is her most favorite. She would be happy to be a part of your everyday ac vi es from napping on the couch to hiking a mountain! She needs to be the only pet – and no kids. She is not for the mid or ﬁrst me dog owner. The Catahoula breed needs a very speciﬁc home and needs to know who is in charge. Come in to see this striking beauty, she just may be the perfect addi on to your home!

Meet us at the Androscoggin Humane Society (207)783-2311 or info@gahumane.org

point of almost being feral, but with lots of attention, love, and basic training in their foster homes, all have been adopted. “That was a big thing to take on,” he said adding, “It was fun to see the dogs turn around.” They’re expanding their community outreach efforts with their “Keeping Pets & People Together” program. By helping pet owners in need, they’re keeping animals out of shelters and with their families. They had outreach test trials in the community and handed out countless spay/neuter vouchers and distributed pet food and supplies

to needy families. They also provided educational resources on behavior and medical issues. Their efforts in this arena are only beginning. For info on all of their programs, to download an adoption or volunteer application (they particularly need a.m. kennel cleaners), and to see all their adoptable animals, visit http://www. gahumane.org/. GAHS is located at 55 Strawberry Ave in Lewiston. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call them at 207-783-2311.