Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
PET POWER Tales and tips on dogs, cats and everything in between
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
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FERRETS AND PARROTS AND FISH, OH MY! A PARADE OF PETS JOINS DOGS AND CATS AS DEMOGRAPHICS AND INCOME FEED RISING TREND IN PET OWNERSHIP. From massage therapy and holistic medicine to gourmet recipes and 4-star hotels, pampering pets is becoming big business. In this special magazine supplement, get advice from some of the country’s leading pet columnists and experts, read about animals making news and utilize tips on everything from pet photography to making peace with a canine roommate. Enjoy irresistible photos that show our furry companions in all their ridiculous cuteness.
PET POWER HIGHLIGHTS 4
MATCH.COM New dog-adoption service makes matches by personality.
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DOG, AT WORK Some owners (and pooches alike) wish every day was bring your dog to work day.
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FINDING FIDO New pet Ànder app uses facial recognition technology.
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5 COOL GADGETS Pets and owners alike will like these items.
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6 PHOTO TIPS Capture candid and posed moments with conÀdence.
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ROOMMATE, PET INCL. You’re moving in and it turns out new roomie already has a housemate — the 4-legged variety.
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11 BIG READS This animal book roundup stars cats, horses, birds, elephants and guinea pigs.
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CATS: THE VIDEO STARS Must. Make. Cat. Videos. But why?
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WHADDUP, BIG DOG The importance of preventing pet obesity.
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SERVICE ANIMAL? Snakes, monkeys, pigs. What exactly constitutes a service animal?
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THE NEW ARRIVAL Preparing Rover to be a good dog with baby.
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CAT ADOPTION Adopting an adult cat can be the best fit, especially for busy families.
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GOURMET PET FOOD Lucky dogs: chef-owners are creating meals to drool over. And you can, too.
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DOG DAY CARE 12 tips for Ànding the best Àt for your pup or old pooch.
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HEALING POWER OF PETS The amazing health beneÀts of pet ownership.
plus Q&A ADVICE THROUGHOUT
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
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What might Grumpy Cat think of our pet-spending nation? Stanley Coren, psychology professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and author of several books about dogs, including “The Pawprints of History: Dogs and the Course of Human Events.” “They’ve found a grave from the NatuÀan era — about 11,000 years ago — on the border between Israel and Syria in which an elderly man was buried with his hand resting on what appears to be the skeleton of a 9-week-old puppy. Obviously that dog was precious.” Coren says human history is full of pets that have been treated as well as — or better — than members of the family by those who had the means to do so. This includes Frederick the Great of Prussia, who had a wing of his Sanssouci palace designed for his beloved Italian greyhounds. “When the dogs destroyed the furniture or the drapes,” says Coren, “he simply had it all replaced. This was for his
The United States buys the most pet food Japan
6.6%
Source: Nielsen Graphic: TNS
29%
United Kingdom
6.6%
United States
Brazil
% 9.8
Even in times of economic strife, worldwide pet food sales have been steadily growing. From a geographical perspective, North America and Europe account for more than half of the world’s pet food sales.
dogs, yet he never let his wife come and visit the palace. She had to stay in Vienna.” The big difference, Coren says, “is that nowadays we do have more disposable income — or are willing to take on more debt — to pamper our (pets).” He says that the willingness to spend dovetails with a need to nurture in a changing family demographic. “Nowadays, we no longer have the extended family all living within a half hour’s drive from us ... and furthermore, we’re living a hell of a lot longer. So there’s a whole lot of people who live well into an era of life where the kids have gone away and they have empty-nest syndrome.” Megan Mueller, associate director of the newly formed Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction, which focuses on human-pet relationships, says, “If you look at the statistics, yes, people have more animals that they consider pets than they used to.
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“And, yes, a lot of people talk about their animals as being members of their family, but we simply don’t have a lot of (scientiÀc) research about what people’s relationships were like with their companion animals 50 years ago.” On the other hand, she adds, “The increase in this area of research is certainly indicative of these relationships becoming important.” Here’s one thing about the relationship that’s crystal clear: We’ll do just about anything to make our animal companions happy. Q — Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times
France Germany Russia
5.9% 5% 4.3 3.7 % %
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hat with Grumpy Cat and therapy goats, $150 granite cat food bowls and $2,600 Gucci dog carriers, it’s easy to think that a society that has dedicated pet bakeries, canine-only cable channels and a cat with more Twitter followers than the Dalai Lama has (forgive us) seriously gone to the dogs in recent years. Even a cursory look at the statistics would indicate that something is afoot: According to an annual survey conducted by the American Pet Products Assn., 65 percent of American households (79.9 million) are currently home to a pet (up from 56 percent in 1988), and annual spending on care and feeding is estimated to hit $60.59 billion in 2015. Has our relationship with domestic animals fundamentally changed in the last few years? “The answer is yes and no,” says
Italy All others
.4% 8 2
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
ABOUT THAT DOG
Puppy’s a chewing machine? Q&A advice Q: What can we do about our 14-month-old golden retriever that bites and chews anything and everything — from shoes to furniture to our outside deck? We keep her well supplied with chew toys and marrow bones, and she also will chew through most toys she has. She gets plenty of exercise and playtime with us. A: The problem here is that you have a 14-month-old dog that has been allowed to pick and choose whatever she wants to play with and chew on. If there is a dog toy that you bought for her on the Áoor and a shoe that you bought for yourself on the Áoor next to the toy, then how is she supposed to tell the difference? To her, both things are just there for her amusement. She cannot differentiate when you chastise her for chewing one thing and not the other. That being said, if you correct her every time she chews on the shoe, she will get the idea this is not a thing she can play with. Since she does not get corrected when she plays with a dog toy, then she will get the idea that this thing is OK to play with. You never said if she was crated as a puppy, but the fact that she is chewing on everything in the house indicates she is not crated now. So this is what you must do for a while. When she is not being watched, she must stay in a crate with some toys she can chew on. That way, she gets in the habit of only chewing on those particular items when she is free to roam about and you are watching her and correcting her every time she chews on a household object. Since she no longer has the opportunity to chew on non-toys, she no longer thinks of them as one of life’s options. She sounds like a smart dog, and it should take only a few weeks of this close conÀnement for her to get the idea. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
Joshua C. Cruey
Marianna Benko (from left), Elizabeth Holmes and Coleen Johnston, are co-founders of PawsLikeMe, a canine matching service.
MATCH.COM for the perfect pet
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re you looking for a special someone for long runs in the United States. on the beach — or for snuggling together on the Holmes joined forces 18 months ago with her sister, sofa, watching a movie? Do you prefer the strong, Marianna Benko, 33, of Orlando, a clinical social worker; assertive type — or shy and deferential? and Dr. Coleen Johnston, 38, a Palm Bay, Fla., veterinarYour answers could help you Ànd the perfect match … ian. They came up with an algorithm that Ànds suitable in a dog. matches among dogs at government shelters, rescue groups A new pet-adoption website, and nonproÀt organizations in your New dog-adoption PawsLikeMe.com, uses a series of quesdesired ZIP code. tions about your personality, lifestyle, “I was their vet,” Johnston says, service makes matches likes and dislikes to Ànd your ideal nodding toward three of Holmes’ by personality pooch from adoption listings across the four dogs. “One day she and I were country. It’s the Match.com for wouldtalking, and she said, ‘Wouldn’t it be be pet parents. cool if we could match people and pets based on personal“We realized that people had a lot of difÀculty Ànding ity?’ I said, ‘That would be awesome.’” the right pet,” says Elizabeth Holmes, 41, the company’s Johnston, a self-described numbers geek, and Benko, CEO and co-founder, who lives in Cocoa, Fla. For years with a background in psychology, tinkered with an initial before moving to Florida, she ran a dog-rescue group in formula, testing and reÀning it on more than 3,000 people Ohio. and their pets. The accuracy rate, they say, is now above 90 “Oftentimes, people would return a pet because they percent. Listing a dog is free. had made a bad decision,” she says. “Seventy percent of pets (change families) more than once in their lifetime. We knew there had to be a better way” — especially with an estimated 3.5 million pets still being euthanized each year
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
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ABOUT THAT CAT By attending pet-rescue conventions, the three woman forged partnerships with groups across the country, creating a database of 150,000 dogs. Among the various pet-adoption platforms already online — PetÀnder and Petango, for instance — the founders say PawsLikeMe is unique. “We look at compatibility and people’s environment,” says Benko, who has also volunteered for dog-rescue groups and led pet-therapy sessions with patients in longterm care facilities. “We also really look at how people relate to their pets.” Do you care whether your dog messes up your house? Gets fur on your clothes? Is a slow learner? Do you want an independent dog — or one that always wants to be at your side? “A lot of people — especially Àrst-time pet owners — don’t think about those things,” Johnston says. Though the company is just starting out, initial reaction is positive. “The bottom line is, if this service helps gets dogs adopted, I’m for it,” says Sean Hawkins, vice president of the nonproÀt Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando. “We believe it’s important to take a lot of time in making sure the animal is going to a home that Àts, which is why we do a personal interview that can take from 10 minutes to an hour. Our system is really driven by a lot of gut feeling and the vibe that’s transmitted in a one-on-one interview.” But Hawkins says he’s particularly intrigued by the opportunity for individuals to
‘Seventy percent of pets (change families) more than once in their lifetime. We knew there had to be a better way.’
One cat meows. One’s purr-fect. Q&A help Q: We have two cats that are brothers and were raised together. One meows all the time at us and seems normal in all respects. The other one hardly ever meows, yet seems to be purring loudly all the time. Is there a reason for this and should we be worried? A: Meowing by cats is done only by kittens to their mothers and by adult cats to their human keepers. Adult cats view us as their “parents” and express their needs to us in this manner. Among themselves, cats growl, hiss and make other sounds, but they rarely meow to each other. There is a lot of debate on purring among domestic cats, but scientists do ent purring styles, agree that there are two different nt and another one that expresses contentment nd comparing the type, measured by recording and tion purr.” In this sound waves, called a “solicitation essing type of purring, cats are expressing a need for something with a purr in the same manner they w. express the need with a meow. So perhaps your meowless catt has discovered his purring getss him the same things from you that a meow would. Only the cat knows for sure. ay — Marc Morrone, Newsday
The cost of a pet
Here’s a look at the average annual cost of taking care of a pet
re-home their pets — an often-agonizing process for many pet owners or the relatives of pet owners who die. Others agreed. “I really like that they’re giving people another option to Ànd a new home prior to coming to us,” says Carolina Devine, marketing and public-relations coordinator for Orange County Animal Services. “A lot of times people come to us as a Àrst option for Ànding their pets a new home. It should be their last.” That’s because Orange County, like many government shelters, euthanizes pets for whom it can’t Ànd homes, something the new site’s founders are trying to prevent. Under PawsLikeMe rules, adoptive animals must be spayed or neutered, which helps Àght pet overpopulation, and the site may dissuade people from listing animals on Craigslist, where they can fall prey to abuse and exploitation. The website doesn’t charge anyone to list a pet for adoption, nor does it take any percentage of the adoption fee charged by nonproÀt groups. For individuals looking to Ànd a new home for their own dog, the company collects a $180 fee, which includes pet insurance, product discounts and guidance for the new owner. In addition, up to half is donated to local shelters or adoption groups. In the coming months, Holmes says, plans call for reincorporating as a B-corporation, a for-proÀt venture with an altruistic goal. The trio also will add cats, perhaps next year. “There’s a lot of work in looking at cats,” Holmes said. “The considerations are totally different. But I will say there’s a ton of interest.” Q — Kate Santich, Orlando Sentinel
Food Litter
Medical costs Toys
Rabbit
$190
Dog
120
Cat
115
Guinea pig
105
Bird
75
Fish
Health insurance License
70
415 40 235
160
225 175
55 15
165 25
70
415 30
85 25
20 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
$700
First year cost Spay / neuter / other medical Collar / leash Litter box / cage / aquarium / carrying bag / crate
165
$160
Rabbit Dog
270 30
Cat
275 10
Guinea pig
70
Bird
70
Fish
Training class
155
110
400
500
75
200 0
100
Source: ASPCA Graphic: Tribune News Service
200
300
$600
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
ABOUT THAT BIRD Best munchies for macaws. Q&A advice Elaine has added a new member to her family and his name is Maxwell, a 5-month-old blue and gold macaw. Her questions revolve mainly around his diet and what would be best to feed him. Advice: Elaine’s new family member is truly a spectacular creature. Macaws are natives of Central and South America but thankfully are no longer imported to the United States after being taken from their homes. They are, however, readily available as pets thanks to breeders who are able to raise and breed these birds in captivity. These birds are highly intelligent and do require a tremendous amount of interaction with their caretakers. I’ve often heard of these birds being compared to a 5-year-old child in both intelligence and habit. Owing to their intelligence, they can be very manipulating if allowed. Obviously, these birds can be a challenge as companions; however, with the right “upbringing” they can make unbelievably wonderful family members. The best diet for a macaw is one that addresses their omnivorous needs. I recommend a diet based 80 percent in pellets. From this base, add vegetables of almost inÀnite variety, fruits to a much lesser degree, grain-based foods such as pasta and rice and small amounts of meat. Brazil nuts work quite well for this purpose allowing the macaws to work a bit to get at the nut and then providing the extra fat in a high quality that they require. Does this mean your bird should never have seeds? Absolutely not; seeds can be given as a treat once or twice a week for a couple of hours. Again, back to the 5-yearold, it’s OK to eat the ice cream once in a while. — Jeff Kahler, Modesto Bee
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Cool gadgets pets and owners can appreciate
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og and cat owners take note — new products have come on the pet market recently to make your life easier — and cater to your favorite pet.
Paw Boss It’s a portable paw-washing device that cleans each foot in fresh water, rather than using the same bucket and having each paw “washed” in progressively grungy water. It’s a simple idea: A clean-water reservoir is Àlled with water and soap. A tilt of the device transfers water into a cleaning compartment. A paw is dipped into the cleaning solution through a hole in Paw Boss — with practice, little Mr. Flapdoodle should master that part himself — and is rubbed against a cleaning pad. The foot is withdrawn and dried. Bingo. There’s no need to empty dirty water between paws, and an independent lab has veriÀed that Paw Boss eliminates 99.5 percent of bacteria. Made in the U.S., it comes in basic black and gray, but there are 10 “skins” with different colors and designs that can be added. Paw Boss sells for $29.99 and can be ordered at pawboss.com. There’s also a nifty video of it in action.
Houdini-Proof fence Keeping a dog or cat contained can be a challenge. The Dog-Proofer fence extension system attaches to an existing fence — aluminum, steel, chain link, wood or brick — to stop would-be escapees. There are various degrees of deterrent, from a standard extension to the Houdini-Proof Kit, made of heavy-duty welded wire fence material combined with an extension that arches inward over a fence for a climb- and jump-proof enclosure. Some Dog-Proofer setups will also work with cats, but there are also cat-speciÀc kits. Prices range from $395 to $569. To Ànd your best defense against a fence-jumper, go to dogproofer.com.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
ABOUT THAT FERRET
Doggy Bag Dry that wet dog quickly with this absorbent towel that’s in the form of a bag. Just put the dog in and zip up, then rub strenuously to soak up water, slobber, sand and dirt. The bags, which come in basic brown, travel well, dry quickly and can be shaken clean (or machine washed in extreme cases). Comes in sizes from teacup to extra large, prices range from $69 to $119. Available at doggybagusa.com.
Mason Cash pet bowls Mason Cash, the venerable British pottery company, is bringing its classic pet bowls to the U.S. market. Designed for cats, dogs, rabbits and other small critters, the bowls are made of heavy stoneware, making them difÀcult to tip over. One cool design element: a non-tip bowl with angled sides that prevent long-eared dogs from getting food on their ears. Other bowls are colorful or with unique designs. Accompanying place mats are also available. Prices range from $5.99 to $79.99. Go to masoncash.com for the full range of products. To locate the nearest dealer, email customercare@typhoonhomewares.com.
Catty Whack From OurPets comes an interactive electronic cat toy that should keep little Kit-Kat occupied for hours. The Catty Whack, which runs on four D batteries, is placed on a Áoor or table and switched on. A feather wand darts in and out of each of Àve faux mouse holes in the toy. The random movement — and an electronic mouse sound — will stimulate any cat. There’s also a carpet pad on top of the Catty Whack, where cats can stretch their paws and claw. Available in toy specialty stores, priced at $39.99.
Ferret is no longer squirrely. Q&A advice Petal is a 4-year-old ferret cared for by Tom and Maggie. Recently Petal has begun to slow down. She is sleeping much more than she used to and her play time is greatly subdued. Tom describes episodes in which she will begin to explore almost normally then suddenly stop and almost fall asleep and these episodes have become more frequent. Logically Tom and Maggie have concern, despite her normal diet. Advice: There are very many possible causes for the symptoms Petal is showing. However, Petal likely is afÁicted with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) caused by a tumor or multiple tumors in her pancreas called insulinoma(s). Sugar in the blood stream is the energy source that is used to power Petal’s body. When that energy source gets too low (hypoglycemia) her body becomes weak. Hypoglycemia in ferrets is most commonly caused by single or multiple insulin-secreting tumors. This condition left unchecked is fatal. DeÀnitive diagnosis of insulinoma is accomplished with blood samples tested for blood sugar and insulin levels. Treatment for insulinoma can be surgical. Removal of this mass will cure the disease. If Petal has a case of multiple insulinomas within the pancreas, surgical intervention is less likely to cure the problem. If surgery is not a option, medical management of the hypoglycemia can often be achieved using corticosteroids that counteract insulin, thus reducing hypoglycemia. There is also a drug called diazoxide that directly inhibits insulin and it, too, can be used in ferrets with insulinoma. For Petal, the Àrst step will be a veterinary encounter, hopefully then leading to a deÀnitive diagnosis followed by appropriate therapy to bring her back to her old “ferreting” self. — Jeff Kahler, Modesto Bee
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
11 BIG READS
ABOUT THAT NEWT The kid’s brought home what? Q&A advice Q: My children came back from camp in the Catskills (N.Y.) with Àve little red salamanders that they found in the woods. We went to the pet store and were sold a plastic tank to keep them in and some moss that we were told to keep wet. We also bought Newt and Salamander Bites to feed them, but they are not eating these pellets. Is there anything else we could feed them? A: Those salamanders are the larval form of the Eastern Newt, and they are called Red Eft. Adult Eastern Newts are olive green and totally aquatic. They live in ponds and lakes and never come out of the water, and they will very rarely eat those pellets that you bought. For the Àrst year of their lives, they are bright red and live in the forest under wet leaf litter, where they eat termites and other tiny creatures. They will only eat live foods and, in captivity, they will eat wingless fruit Áies and live blackworms or tubifex worms that are sometimes sold as food for aquarium Àsh. However, in New York State (and many parts of the country) it’s not legal (or, in my opinion, moral or ethical) to keep wild-caught native amphibians. That’s because the habitat of these animals is shrinking yearly, and they are not as common as they used to be. Many native amphibians are now endangered. So, even if you could get the live foods that Red Efts need to eat, you would be doing them a better service and performing a life lesson for your children by making a day trip of returning them to the area where the kids found them. Since they are not native to Long Island, turning them loose in a park near you would not work, and they would just die there. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
This animal book roundup stars cats, horses, birds, elephants and guinea pigs
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he majority of animal-related books that cross our desk are dog-related. This month we give equal time to the non-canine crowd: cats, horses, elephants, birds and guinea pigs. Still waiting to hear from the goldÀsh and ferret lobbies. “The Old Man and the Cat: A Love Story” by Nils Uddenberg (Thomas Dunne Books): Uddenberg, a retired psychology professor, never had a pet until he was adopted by a stray cat that showed up at his home one cold winter day. Translated from the original Swedish, “The Old Man and the Cat” describes the bond that developed between the two — much to the author’s amazement.
“A Guinea Pig Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen, Tess Gammell and Alex Goodwin (Bloomsbury): It has been more than 200 years since Austen penned her novel, but we Ànally have a version of the book that substitutes guinea pigs for humans. Guinea pig trainers and miniature set designers have teamed up on the project, which is a lot of fun.
“Unspoken Messages: Spiritual Lessons I Learned From Horses and Other Earthbound Souls” (Balboa Press) by Richard D. Rowland: Rowland spent 28 years as a state police ofÀcer before retiring and running an equine boarding facility in Kentucky. Diagnosed with terminal multiple myeloma, he writes about the lessons of hope and positivity he has learned from horses.
“Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much” by Allia Zobel Nolan (Health Publishing): With cartoons by Nicole Hollander (“Sylvia”), this humorous little book will help women recognize and accept their cat codependency. “Owls: Our Most Charming Bird” by Matt Sewell (Ten Speed Press): Who doesn’t love owls? Ornithologist and artist Sewell obviously does, as evidenced in his latest book. He looks at some four dozen species of owls, writing a paragraph or two about each and illustrating it with one of his drawings. He doesn’t get overly technical or scientiÀc, making “Owls” attractive for younger readers, too.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
ABOUT THAT CAt An equation for cat vs. human ages. Q&A advice Q: My father says that every year of a cat’s life is equal to seven years of a human’s life. So if my cat is 3 years old now, then is he equal to a 21-year-old human?
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“Birding for the Curious: The Easiest Way for Anyone to Explore the Incredible World of Birds” by Nate Swick (Page Street Publishing): If you’ve considered getting into birding, this book is for you. Swick, a 20-year aÀcionado, is the editor of the American Birding Association’s blog, and over 10 chapters he presents a thorough explanation of how to get involved. “Elephant House” by Dick Blau and Nigel Rothfels (Pennsylvania State University Press): Photographer Blau and historian Rothfels document the lives of the animals living in the Oregon Zoo’s Asian Elephant Building, as well as the building itself, which was demolished in this year to make way for the new Elephant Lands habitat. It’s a nice scrapbook of lovely stories and photos. “A Gift From Bob” by James Bowen (Thomas Dunne Books): In a follow-up to “A Street Cat Named Bob” and “The World According to Bob,” Bowen tells the story of how Bob, a cat he rescued from the streets of London, taught him the meaning of Christmas.
“The Cat’s Out of the Bag: Truth and Lies About Cats” by Max Cryer (Exisle Publishing): One need not be an ailurophile to enjoy Cryer’s examination of all things cat — the origins of phrases such as “it’s raining cats and dogs,” a look at felines’ sense of hearing and eating habits, cat fables and cats in music. And an ailurophile? A person who loves cats. “Stallside: My Life With Horses & Other Characters” by Matthew Eliott (River Horse Press): Of the 72 students who graduated in his class from veterinary school, Eliott was the only one who chose to work just with horses. Over his career, he kept track of some of his more interesting patients and their stories, and he has turned it into a very enjoyable book.
“Men & Cats” by Marie-Eva Gatuingt and Alice Chaygneaud (Perigee): Take photos of hot guys posing, many of them shirtless, and pair them with photos of cats in similar poses. As simple as that, you have a book. — William Hageman, Chicago Tribune
A: I have heard that all my life, and actually it is not true either for cats or dogs. Just think about it for a moment. A cat can breed at 6 months of age so with this estimate a 6-monthold cat is equal to a 3.5 -year-old human, and that obviously is not the case. Plus a cat at 2 years old has achieved its full size and weight, and that is not comparable to a 14-year-old human either. Most cats these days live to 17 or so and 17 times 7 equals 119 and a 17-year-old cat is much more youthful than a 119-year-old human would be. This timeline is a bit more realistic: Think of a year-old cat as comparable to a 15- or 16-yearold human and 2-year-old cat as comparable to a 24-year-old human, then after that Àgure each cat year is equal to four human years. This would make a 17-yearold cat equivalent to an 84-year-old human. — Marc Marrone, Newsday
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, July 17, 2016
ABOUT THAT RABBIT Rascally tooth issue for rabbit. Q&A advice Paula has a rabbit named Oscar. He is an indoor bunny with free roam of the house, as he is litter-box trained. He is 3 years old and is on an excellent diet. Recently, Paula has noticed swelling on Oscar’s left lower jaw. It does not seem to have changed his attitude about life, though recently he acted like the area was painful when touched by Paula. This increased Paula’s concern. Advice: The Àrst thing that comes to mind is a tooth root abscess. Rabbits have incredibly long teeth for their size and these teeth grow as long as the rabbit is alive. Rabbits eating a normal diet consisting primarily of hay and grasses naturally wear their teeth down appropriate to the growth rate of those teeth, thus keeping a balance. Sometimes one or more of these teeth can develop pockets of bacterial infection between the root and the bone and an abscess can develop. This is most common in the premolar and molar teeth along the upper and lower jaw lines as opposed to the front teeth, called incisors. A tooth root abscess left alone in a rabbit can lead to bone destruction and can be very painful. Eventually, the rabbit will usually stop eating because of the pain and soon after will die. Oscar needs a thorough evaluation with his veterinarian to determine if he has developed a tooth root abscess. This will involve a physical exam and probably some radiographs of the jaw in the area of the mass. It is also very important to culture the material from the mass for bacteria to determine what bacteria, if any, is involved and what antibiotic is appropriate. Unfortunately, if Oscar is dealing with a tooth root abscess, antibiotics alone are highly unlikely to cure the problem. In fact, tooth root abscesses in rabbits can be very difÀcult to resolve. — Jeff Kahler, Modesto Bee
Snakes, monkeys, pigs. What exactly constitutes a ‘service animal’? Jacob Langston/Orlando Sentinel/TNS
P.J. Suss raises and breeds pythons as a business and doesn’t think that a snake can be a service animal.
THE TRUE MEANING OF A
SERVICE ANIMAL A
woman and a kangaroo wearing a diaper walk into a McDonald’s, and the woman says: He’s my service kangaroo. No, it’s not the setup for a joke. But it may be a sign of the times. In a culture that has increasingly embraced animals as an extension of family, the recent kangaroo incident seems to be part of a growing debate. With pigs Áying — literally — aboard passenger Áights, monkeys cruising the grocery aisles and large snakes hanging out in restaurants, the issue of what’s legitimately a service animal for someone with a disability can get murky. “A lot of people don’t understand there’s a distinction between a therapy animal and a service animal,” says Dr. Rick Marrinson, owner of Longwood (Fla.) Veterinary Clinic. “And because of that confusion, I worry that the
people who abuse the law are ruining it for the people that really need it.” In Beaver Dam, Wis., for instance, the woman with the kangaroo ultimately sparked a call to police, and ofÀcers asked her to leave. But recently in Missouri, a man with what was thought to be a boa constrictor casually lunched at a Mexican cafe, claiming the snake helped him cope with depression. The owner told reporters he thought the patron had a legal right to his “service snake” and couldn’t be booted out — despite the fact that other customers hurriedly left. Elsewhere there have been parrots, ferrets and Áying squirrels that allegedly disrupt panic attacks, alert their humans to impending seizures or allow people to overcome such disorders as agoraphobia. Security
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ABOUT THAT BIRD ofÀcials at Orlando International Airport say they’ve screened what was described as a “service monkey.” (Because the monkey carried no explosives or poison, it passed.) The help those critters provide may — or may not — be real. Regardless, federal law doesn’t recognize those species as having access rights to public spaces and private businesses, though state law can. Two years ago, a campaign to crack down on phony service dogs, backed by Central Florida groups that train canines, appealed to the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene — to no avail. The proliferation of ofÀcial-looking doggy vests bought online, the groups said, allowed badly behaving pooches to show up in restaurants, hotels and theme parks, hurting the public image of their legitimate counterparts. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, only dogs and, in some cases, miniature horses can be considered service animals, and those must perform speciÀc tasks to aid people with disabilities — such as guiding the blind, alerting the hard of hearing, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving objects or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. But the law also says a business owner or employee can ask only two questions of the person: Is the dog (or miniature horse) a service animal required because of a disability, and what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? You can’t ask for documentation, require that the animal demonstrate its service or ask about the nature of the person’s disability. Further, there’s no universally recognized vest the animals wear or central agency to certify their training. And that, says Kevin Fritz, a Chicago attorney on ADA public accommodations, can make matters fuzzy. “Every time an animal is deemed to have some health beneÀt, people become more imaginative in their claims,” he says. “And it becomes even more confusing, because individual states can have broader deÀnitions than the federal law in allowing other species to be service animals.” Florida follows the federal law, limiting service animals to dogs and miniature horses, and Fritz says it’s one of the few states to crack down on abuses, at least for those who get caught. Earlier this year, legislators made it a second-degree misdemeanor to misrepresent yourself as disabled in order to bring your animal into a public facility or business. Punishment is a $500 Àne, up to 60 days in jail and 30 hours of community service for an organization that serves people with real disabilities. That wins the approval of guys such as P.J. Suss, a
26-year-old Orange County resident who breeds and sells snakes, specializing in ball pythons. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved all kinds of animals,” says the former zoology major. “I feel a kind of kinship with all species. But the last thing we need is some idiot who brings a snake into a restaurant. We have enough trouble with our public image.” And as much as Suss enjoys watching TV with one of his more docile pythons in his lap, he doesn’t see snakes in a service role. “I have customers who tell me their snakes are ‘just like a dog,’ but I don’t buy it,” he says. “They do have individual personalities, but most of their brain is devoted to just surviving. You may be attached to them, but I don’t see them becoming emotionally connected to you.” That’s not to say a snake — or a range of other creatures — can’t provide comfort or emotional support. It just means they don’t have the same rights as service animals. “Much of our relationship with animals is our projection anyway,” says Alan Beck, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University. “You believe that your golden retriever is listening to you, and you interpret this as love. We humans are social animals, and we need social support.” Emotional-support animals — also called therapy animals or comfort animals — do have limited legal standing. According to Pet Partners, a 40-year-old national nonproÀt for owners of therapy animals, such pets must be prescribed by a licensed mental-health professional for a person with a mental illness and can only accompany their owners in public areas with permission from the facility’s owners or managers. But they can live in apartments, regardless of a “no pets” policy. “Any animal has the potential to be therapeutic,” says Marrinson, the veterinarian. “From a neurochemical standpoint, attachment is attachment. When it comes to the neurological response of caring for another creature or getting some attention back, I’m not sure it matters if it’s a dog or a rat or an iguana. We love them, and we totally grieve for them when they die.” Q — Kate Santich, Orlando Sentinel
‘Every time an animal is deemed to have some health benefit, people become more imaginative in their claims.’
Cagey move to nab parakeet. Q&A advice Q: There’s a parakeet in my yard — of course, by the bird feeders and baths. I saw a lost-and-found ad and called. It may be theirs, but I have no way to catch it. Any ideas? A: Since the bird obviously is a pet and is familiar with cages, you need to get a cage and attach some Àshing line to the door in a way that you can pull the line and close the door. Load the cage with seed and place it where the feeders are with a door in the open position. Then take the seed out of the feeders. The parakeet will Áy down to the feeding area, see the cage full of seed with the door open and then should go right into it. If all goes well, you then pull the string and close the door and you have the bird. I remember when I was a kid, there was a loose parakeet in my backyard, being bullied by the local sparrows. Finally, I timed the situation perfectly and the bird went into the cage and started to eat as I was sitting about 30 feet away, holding the string. When I pulled the string, it got tangled on a bush and the part leading from the bush to my hand broke off. The part leading from the bush to the cage was still holding the door open, and, since I could no longer close the door, there was no point approaching the cage, as I was sure the bird would Áy right out of it. As the parakeet was eating, a gang of sparrows landed on the cage, glaring angrily at the parakeet. Instinctively, it went to the door of the cage and tugged at it hard enough so the string leading from the cage door to the bush came off and the door then slid closed. He then calmly went back to his meal. This was one of the few times in my life I actually saw an animal use a cognitive thought process. I kept that little bird and named him Pete and had him as a cherished pet for another six years, but he never showed off his cognitive skills like that again. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
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ABOUT THAT DOG Health issues with retrievers. Q&A advice Q: We have owned and loved a husky-golden retriever mix, a golden retriever and a yellow lab-golden retriever mix. All of them succumbed to cancer at an early age. Why is it so prevalent in these breeds of dog? A: I am very sorry for your losses — I have been there. Unlike in a wild-animal population, where only the best and strongest members will breed and pass their genes to the next generation, domesticated animals have the ability to pass on less-than-perfect genes. This applies to both purebred and mixed-breed dogs. The list of genetic defects is vast and too long to list here, but it seems like every pet-keeper I know has had a dog or two that suffered from one or more at some point in their lives. Only a very few breeds of dog are free of genetic health issues, and they are not breeds that are commonly kept as pets. For example, Alaskan huskies suffer from only a couple of genetic problems, as this is a breed in which only the best and strongest dogs were bred together, no matter what the male or female looked or acted like. Some dog breeders do genetic testing on the prospective parents, and if a dog does test positive for some kind of genetic issue, they will not breed that dog, no matter how good the dog looks or how well it may place in a show ring. However, responsible breeders like this don’t usually have many puppies for sale, and they will place you on a waiting list. But so many of us have acquired dogs through chance or circumstances, and if the mixing of the dog’s genes in utero has carried a genetic defect, then it is always a possibility that the defect will show up. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
Care for your pets should be an important part of estate planning.
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ESTATE PLANNING
FOR FIDO Providing for your pets after you’re gone
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our years ago, Pam Miller went to the home of a woman who was dying of cancer. The woman had lived a full life and was in home hospice care. She was no longer aware of her surroundings, which meant it was time for Miller to come for her cats. The cats were nervously hiding under couches, and Miller admits she felt sad taking them from the house before their owner passed. (Two days later, the woman died.) Miller took the cats to SAFE Haven For Cats, a Raleigh, N.C., nonproÀt, non-euthanasia cat shelter and adoption agency she founded 23 years ago and has run since. Eight weeks after removing the cats, Miller reports with satisfaction, they were in new homes. Miller doesn’t want to think about what would have happened to the animals otherwise. “In a (traditional)
animal shelter, the older cats, any cat with a medical issue, a cat that may not be quite perfect … most of the time they end up dying,” she says. One way pet owners can prevent that is to take the steps those cats’ Àrst owner did: She included her pets in her estate planning, and Miller was simply fulÀlling her wishes. Taking in and Ànding new homes for the pets of the recently departed is something SAFE Haven does relatively often — granted there’s a plan and funds set aside. It takes preparation, and it isn’t necessarily cheap, but more and more people are making assurances that their animals will be taken care of after the owners die. It’s a sacred trust, says Miller, and she is honored to take it on.
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“It comes up every week,” she says. “There are a lot of people who don’t have kids. There are people whose kids are all over the country or are overseas. There are people whose kids are allergic to cats.” In the fallout from a loved one’s death, too, there are so many things to take care of — the funeral, the house, and all the usual arrangements that come along with the grief — that it’s easy to forget that something needs to be done with the pets. To that end, Miller says, put a card in your wallet. It should say how many pets you have and where they are, and it should include the numbers of a vet, a pet-sitter and a trusted friend to whom you’ve spoken about caring for your pets in case the worst happens. Anyone can do this. If you have the means to leave a trust for your pets, talk to a lawyer with experience in pet trusts. Shirley Diefenbach, a member attorney at the Durham, N.C., law Àrm Walker Lambe, works with SAFE Haven regularly and holds two information sessions annually on estate planning for pets. “When I talk in a group setting, inevitably people who don’t have pets will chuckle a little bit when you introduce the concept,” says Diefenbach. But she says she works with a few people monthly who want to leave a trust fund for their pets. Pets, being animals, can’t legally inherit money as a child, niece or nephew could. Diefenbach explains it in terms of beach houses. If you have a vacation home you want taken care of for the next 30 years, she says, you put your money in a trust to pay for the expenditures of that property. A pet trust is similar, but the money goes to the care and feeding of the pet. After the animal dies, the remainder can go to a person or to a nonproÀt, though some pets live
longer than others (Diefenbach recalls one trust she did for a parakeet with a 100-year life expectancy). Finding an attorney who knows how to include pets in an estate plan isn’t the hardest part, says Claudia Mangel of Chapel Hill, N.C., though Ànding the right lawyer can take a little effort. Mangel wants to be sure her two dogs, older mixed breeds with chronic medical needs, are provided for and kept
‘When I talk in a group setting, inevitably people who don’t have pets will chuckle a little bit when you introduce the concept.’ together. It’s essential, then, that she work with a lawyer who understands and is responsive to this need.
“I had asked our estate planning attorney if he had a dog, and he recounted in detail how his dog had just emerged from two weeks in the ICU of their veterinary hospital and was Ànally doing better,” Mengel says. “So I knew our attorney would understand why we wanted to plan for the long-term care and well-being of our dogs after we could no longer care for them.” In Mengel’s trust, it’s her veterinary hospital that’s the trustee. There’s enough money in the trust to provide for boarding and medication until the two can be adopted together. If anything remains in the trust after her dogs pass, that amount goes to help homeless dogs get adopted. But this isn’t just an end-of-life decision. Couples of all ages, Miller says, ask about providing for their pets. James Smith and his wife, Irena, are in their early 50s, and they travel often. What would happen to their Àve cats, the Durham couple wondered, if their plane goes down? They have no children and no relatives live nearby. “It’s a morbid thing to think of,” Smith admits, but he and Irena feel better with a plan in place. The Smiths have been SAFE Haven volunteers and annual donors since 2007, so it made sense to approach Miller about it. She helped them work out a plan. If anything happens, their animals go to SAFE Haven, where the average stay between intake and adoption is two months. “I like to say that when they come here, all their troubles are over,” Miller says. “It’s good things from here on out.” — Corbie Hill, News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Ready to provide for your pet? Here are tips on getting started The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has a good primer online for setting up a trust. The highlights: • Consult an attorney who specializes in estate planning to make sure pet trusts are allowed where you live. • It’s recommended that your trust cover all pets in your life, rather than setting up separate trusts for each pet. • Be detailed about the type of care required for your pet, and require that the new caregiver will provide regular veterinary care. • Determine the amount of money needed to cover your pet’s needs and the amount of money needed to administer the trust. • Choose a beneÀciary for funds not used by the pet trust. On choosing a custodian: Mondy Lamb at the SPCA of Wake County, N.C., gives this advice: “The people named in your pet trust should know that they have been named and should be someone you would trust to love your furry one the same way you would.” Talk to friends or family members who may be interested, but you may also want to reach out to local rescue groups or your veterinarian.
Harry Lynch/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS)
Mystique, a 13-year old calico female, is carried from her cat condo by Safe Haven for Cats adoption counselor Ginger Rice. Mystique’s owner passed away this year but provided for Mystique in her estate planning to have her cared for while she is up for adoption.
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ABOUT THAT DOG So many dog breeds to choose from! Q&A advice Q: My kids Ànally broke me down, and I agreed to get a dog, the Àrst either my husband or I ever had. We are confused as to which we should get. Should we get a pure breed or a mixed breed, contact a breeder or rescue a dog from a shelter? A: All dogs make good pets, but some have physical and mental abilities that make them easier to raise. If you do not have time to comb a dog daily, do not get a dog with long hair unless you are prepared to take it to a groomer regularly. Better to get a short-haired dog to begin with. If you do not have time to take a dog outside to be exercised two or three times a day and cannot afford a dog walker, do not get a breed that needs lots of outdoor time. Instead, get a small dog that can tire itself out by chasing a ball around the living room. If you are a control freak and need a dog that pays attention to your every command, do not get a breed of dog selectively bred to think for itself and make its own decisions. These are the things that you should be doing research on. The dog does not have to be a puppy, either. An older dog that is down on its luck and in a shelter for whatever reason is such a good option. After you adopt the dog, you just take it home and walk in the door with it and feed it and let it pick out a place to sleep and, presto, you have a dog. The best dog I ever had was Barney, a 5- or 6-year-old mixed-breed that I found in a shelter. He was dumped there because he had chronic gingivitis that even my vets could not Àx. He had horrible and expensive dental problems for the 10 years I had him. However, there was just something about him that appealed to me. Our connection was instantaneous, and he always went out of his way to help me. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS
Maltese brothers Rudy and Smoky share the presidential suite at the Posh Pet Hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla. The 5-star hotel offers pick-ups in Bentleys and Maseratis, facials and massages — all for cats and dogs.
PAMPERED PETS ENJOY …
suite life
THE
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oft music plays in the lobby as guests check in at the front desk. Chandeliers dangle from the ceilings of suites, where visitors lounge on memory-foam beds and watch cable on Áat-screen TVs. Blueberry facials, Brazilian waxes and aromatherapy baths are among the treatments available in the gleaming spa. This new, 130-room Palm Beach County, Fla., resort was designed to feel like the Breakers or the Four Seasons, with one key difference: It’s for cats and dogs. Called the Posh Pet Hotel, it provides pampered pets amenities and services similar to those enjoyed by their two-legged best friends, bringing a new meaning to being “in the dog house.” “People are like, ‘Wow, I would stay here,’” said owner Lincoln Baker. “People literally want to stay here.” The hotel, opened in April in West Palm Beach, Fla., joins others across the country that offer super-luxe accommodations for cats and dogs. Forget chain-link fences or long stays inside a kennel — dogs that shack up in these digs get treated to oversized suites and hours of entertainment, whether they’re there for doggie day care or overnight stays. Dog pools with water fountains are among the offerings
at the Lauderdale Pet Lodge, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. A Àtness center with personal trainers who “offer expertise and assist guests with achieving their goals” is one of the features at Pompano Beach’s Chateau Poochie. And rooms with private patios are available at Lake Worth, Fla.-based Barkers Hotel & Parrington Inn. Nationwide, people are spending more and more on their pets. Last year, more than $58 billion went toward food, veterinary care, boarding and other expenses in the U.S., according to research by the American Pet Products Association. This year, it’s expected to surpass $60 billion. That people are so willing to splurge is a reÁection of changing attitudes toward pets, said Carmen Rustenbeck, CEO of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association. Dogs have gone “from the backyard into the doghouse, from the doghouse into the house and into the family,” she said. They now have birthday parties, costume parties and even weddings. “We’ve really sort of incorporated
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these pets into our lives, and the more human characteristics we give them, the more we want them to be treated the way we want to be treated ourselves,” said Rustenbeck, of Colorado Springs, Colo. “When we look for a room for ourselves, we look for the best we can afford. So now we do the same with our pets.” SoÀa Petris, who takes her 2-year-old Maltese, Maximus, to the Posh Pet Hotel for doggie day care a few times a week, explained the phenomenon like this: With her two kids grown, the little white pooch is now her “baby.” He rules her West Palm Beach house, and when she isn’t at home, she wants someone to look after him. “Pets are the new kids,” Petris said with a laugh. “What can I say?” In designing the 13,000-square-foot Posh Pet Hotel, Baker tried to think of everything a pet parent might want. Need a driver to pick up Fido or Fluffy? No problem — the hotel will send a Maserati, Bentley or Cadillac Escalade. Looking to treat him to something besides kibbles and bits? You’ll Ànd Àlet mignon, chicken and salmon on the menu. Still, despite the glamorous add-ons, Baker said the rates are set at a range meant to be friendly to all budgets. Day care, which includes constant supervision by the Posh staff, costs $35 a day. Room rates range from $49 nightly for the classic suite, an orthopedic bed in a cubby-like space, to the $120-per-night presidential suite, the “wow room” that features a queen-sized bed, chandelier and complimentary belly rubs and bedtime stories. “It’s like how you can get a cheeseburger or a Àlet mignon,” Baker said.
All rooms come with daily sheet changes, and all dogs spend their days outside their rooms. They romp around with other guests and hotel staff in the indoor play areas, with frequent trips to the absorbent, AstroTurf-lined outdoor area. DOGTV, a Direct TV channel, plays on the 65 Áat-screens throughout the place, showing movies including Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” and “101 Dalmatians.” For cats, there’s Catlantis, a room full of multi -level “cat condos” overlooking a Àsh tank. It has an attached play area, Cat Cay, with towers for cats to climb on. Rates are $36 for a classic suite and $40 for a luxury one. The facility is staffed around-the-clock, often by Baker himself, a dog lover who moved from California to Palm Beach County to open Posh Pet Hotel with his wife. At night, he reads to the dogs and takes them out for bathroom breaks. “People really love their animals — they’re like family,” Baker said. “We treat them like family.” But do all the extra perks, from spa treatments to oversized rooms, actually matter to the pets? “You know, that’s an excellent question,” said KC Theisen, director of pet care issues for the Humane Society of the United States. “And it’s certainly something that pet families should think about before they make an investment. … The best path is to put your pets’ well-being at the front of your mind.” Laura Laaman, president of Outstanding Pet Care, an organization that consults with pet care providers, said her clients have found major beneÀts in two areas: “The more interaction and activity that a pet receives, the happier and the healthier they are,” she said. That’s true for Benson, an 11-month-old Bouvier
des Flandres, according to his owner, Amy Sinnott. He spent a few days at the Posh Pet Hotel while she was in Washington, D.C., and she found that the extra attention made a difference. “He was better behaved when I picked him up than when I dropped him off,” said Sinnott, a police ofÀcer in West Palm Beach. “And I didn’t have any of those add-ons like additional training.” Not long after, Benson checked into the hotel for the weekend while Sinnott was in Miami, and “he didn’t mind one bit going back,” she said, adding, “I wouldn’t mind staying there myself.” Throughout the day and night, owners can check in on their pets from afar using webcams accessible on their computers or cellphones. Petris keeps the video feed going on her laptop at the West Palm Beach body shop she and her husband run, Nickee’s Automotive Center. Customers who are used to seeing her 2-year-old Maximus there watch him running around on screen. Some tease Petris. But she said she wants Maximus to have the opportunity to socialize with other dogs. She said she’s noticed he has even made friends. And he and her son’s dog, Zeus, who go together, enjoy it — as far as she can tell. “As soon as we open the door,” she said, “they’re barking and excited.” Q — Brittany Shammas, South Florida Sun Sentinel
Family travel 5: Places that sit up and take notice of your pets 1. Chicago
Loews Hotels and Resorts were among the Àrst chains to throw open their doors to pet-loving guests. Offering dog treats, puppy beds and a special Yappy Hour, guests and their four-legged friends feel welcome at the 22 properties dotting the U.S. and Canada. With a hotel that serves drinks like Snooptinis and puppyccinos, why leave Fido behind? loewshotels.com
2. Scottsdale, Ariz.
You’ve heard of yoga’s downward facing dog? Now you and Spot can get your om on together during the W Scottsdale resort’s free monthly yoga classes. Salute the sun in class and then head for nearby hiking trails. wscottsdalehotel.com
3. Minneapolis
Whether you are checking out the university options, popping in for a game at Target Field or want to preview the new Viking stadium, your pup will stay in style — argyle style — at Commons Hotel. Designer patterned beds and bowls will be delivered by the Bark Butler, along with menu selections sure to please. Later, strap on the leash and stroll the many paths along the city’s scenic riverfront. commonshotel.com
4. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
No doubt your dog deserves a room with a view. Check into the W’s Doggie Suite, and the proper amenities will be waiting, including a Tinkle Turf pad on the balcony. The Bark Box delivered to your room promises healthy doggie snacks, toys
and a special menu. Knock on the door? It’s likely a dog walker offering to take Fido for a stroll. wfortlauderdalehotel.com/dog-gone-it
5. New York
Two Gansevoort hotels in New York give premium treats from the Barking Zoo, a comfy pet bed, Fiji water, toys and tasteful food and water bowls. Your pet will feel extra special when she settles in next to her own monogrammed welcome mat. gansevoorthotelgroup.com — Lynn O’Rourke Hayes, Dallas Morning News
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ABOUT THAT BIRD Think your parrot hates you? Q&A advice Q: My African grey parrot is 12 years old, and I notice that for the last year he does not want me to pet him anymore. I got him when he was only 4 weeks old, and we have been best friends all this time. I could cuddle him and kiss him, and he always liked me better than other members of my family. However, now he will step up on my Ànger just Àne, and he will put his head down for me to scratch it, but if I try to pet him he will back away. If I keep trying, then he will bite me hard. Is there any way to make him love me again like he used to? A: Well, none of us can go back in time, no matter how much we may want to, and all our relationships change as the years go on. First of all, he still loves you. The fact that he bows his head to you to be scratched proves that. (The back of a bird’s head is the most vulnerable spot, and he would not expose that part of himself to you unless he trusted you.) He just does not want your hands on his body and feathers. When my kids were small, they would happily walk hand in hand with me through the mall. Now that they are teenagers, I am only allowed to walk six feet behind them; otherwise they might not look cool. However, they still love me. The parrot is telling you politely that he no longer feels comfortable with your hand on his body, and when you push the issue, he gets upset that you are not respecting his feelings. If you insist on trying to pet him, I suggest that you stop trying at all for a few weeks. Just let him step on your Ànger and spend quality time with him on his own terms. Then, when everything is cool again, you can try to see if his behavior has changed. If not, please do not take it personally as it is not a reÁection of his feelings of friendship toward you. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
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LUCKY DOGS: CHEF-OWNERS ARE CREATING MEALS TO DROOL OVER
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hef Bryant Ng’s chicken rice recipe calls for jasmine rice cooked in a ginger broth and poached free-range chicken. It’s a minimalist dish, without any of the Singaporean-Vietnamese Áavors, the fermented shrimp paste and sambal sauces that Ng used at Spice Table in Los Angeles or that will load the menu at his new restaurant, Cassia, in Santa Monica. This is because Ng cooks his chicken rice dish not for his legion of devoted diners but for his dog, Teddy, a Yorkshire terrier. If you’re a chef, you cook for your customers, your family and your friends — and if your family includes a rescued mutt or your kid’s golden retriever, it stands to reason that you might cook for them, too. Most of us who cook and also have pets are used to sharing. We give our dogs leftovers, hand them marrow bones, watch as our kids slip them meatballs or make bacon cakes for their birthdays. But with growing concern about the safety of the food chain — for people and for animals — chefs are cooking more than treats for their pets. Some might say it’s over-indulgence, but if you’re worried about the ingredients in your own dinner, you may very well be worried about what’s in that can of pet food as well. Over at Red Bread in Los Angeles, Rose Lawrence initially just made baked crackers for her two rescued pit bulls, Blue and Honey. Then she skipped the baking, since she had enough of that to do for her own bakery, and started making hand-rolled batches of mint and parsley pasta, shaping them into bows or making large batches of lasagna with roasted sweet potato or beet puree, ground
beef and a little Parmesan. Pastry chef Sherry Yard has made peanut butter wholewheat dog biscuits for years, giving them away at Spago Christmas parties. And at McCall’s Meat & Fish Co. in Los Feliz, Calif., co-owner Karen Yoo, a former Sona pastry chef, bakes dog biscuits in the shop’s bakery. She says that the shop also sells 10 to 15 pounds of bones a week just for dogs, as well as chicken, salmon and beef, to customers who buy meat from the butcher shop not only for themselves but for their pets. But the chef who might have them all beat is Debbie Lee, author of “Seoultown Kitchen” and an alum of “The Next Food Network Star.” Lee cooks for her dog, Jackie, a lab-shepherd mix, every day. Lee says that she started cooking all her dog’s meals at the recommendation of her vet, to help nurse her back to health after she was rescued. For breakfast, Lee makes her oatmeal with bananas and peanut butter; for dinner a mix of brown rice and chicken, beef, lamb and chicken liver with sweet potatoes and berries. Lee, whose specialty — for people — is Korean street food, also gives her dog bone broth. “DeÀnitely the chef in me plays into how I cook for her,” Lee says. “If I won’t eat it, I don’t expect her to.” Lee says that she’s become so interested in cooking for Jackie that she’s even been thinking of developing a “farm fresh” dog food line. “The next phase of my chef career,” she says. And maybe the next phase in all our cooking. Q — Amy Scattergood, L.A. Times
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Fancy feast: 3 gourmet recipes you can make for poochy
SHERRY’S DOG BISCUITS
TEDDY'S CHICKEN RICE
Cooking/prep time: 50 minutes Makes: 3 dozen 3-inch cookies
Cooking/prep time: 1 hour Makes: Scant quart chicken rice
• 4 eggs, divided • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 tablespoon honey • 1 cup chicken broth • 2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) whole wheat Áour • 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (5 ounces) all-purpose Áour • About 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ounces) cornmeal • 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup jasmine rice (rinsed with cold water until water runs clear) • 1 1/2 cups water • About 1/2 ounce ginger, peeled and sliced thick so that you can easily remove it later (ginger gives the rice a nice aroma and is great for a dog's digestive system)
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together two eggs, the oil and honey. Whisk in the chicken broth. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer Àtted with the paddle attachment, combine the whole wheat Áour, all-purpose Áour and cornmeal. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour in the chicken broth mixture, then add the peanut butter. Mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. 3. Divide the dough in half. Roll out each ball of dough approximately 1/2-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes using small (3- to 4-inch) cookie cutters. Place on baking sheets sprayed with cooking oil. 4. Whisk the remaining two eggs, and brush the egg wash lightly over the cookies. Allow to dry for 10 minutes, and brush with the egg wash a second time (the second wash is optional but gives the cookies a darker brown color). Bake until Àrm and a rich golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway for even baking. Baking time will vary depending on size of cookies.
To cook rice: In a saucepan, combine the rice, water and ginger. Cook over high heat just until the water comes to a boil. Stir the rice, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a very low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes (do not remove the lid or stir), then remove from heat and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice and remove the ginger. This makes a generous pint of rice; cover and chill until needed. • 1 boneless chicken breast To cook chicken: In a small saucepan, add the chicken breast and enough water to cover chicken by 2 inches. Cook over high heat until the water comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the chicken and refrigerate until chilled. The dish: Tear cooked, cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces, then mix with cooked rice.
TURKEY AND WHOLE WHEAT MACARONI Cooking/prep time: 45 minutes Makes: About 6 pounds
• 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey (20 percent fat) • 1 1/4 ounces turkey or chicken liver • 2 1/2 ounces carrots, Ànely chopped • 2 1/2 ounces zucchini, Ànely chopped • 2 1/2 ounces broccoli, Ànely chopped • 1 1/4 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen • 1 1/4 pound whole wheat macaroni • 2 1/2 teaspoons omega plus Àsh oil supplement • 4 teaspoons Just Food for Dogs Turkey and Whole Wheat Macaroni DIY Proprietary Nutrient Blend 1. In a nonstick skillet, brown the ground turkey and turkey or chicken liver over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add the carrots, zucchini, broccoli and cranberries while the turkey is still slightly pink. Continue to cook until the turkey is fully cooked and the vegetables are soft. Do not drain. Set the mixture aside until it is cool to the touch. 2. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Set aside to cool. 3. In a large bowl, combine the turkey mixture with the macaroni, along with the oil supplement. Slowly sprinkle in the nutrient powder blend until fully incorporated. Portion into individual serving sizes and refrigerate or freeze. The product will keep, refrigerated, up to six days.
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ABOUT THAT PIG Just remember that cute potbelly is going to get big. Very big. Q&A advice Q: My daughter wants to get a baby potbellied pig for a pet. We do have a large house with two friendly dogs. These pigs seem very cute and smart. However, I have never actually seen one kept as a house pet. What advice could you give us about them before we actually get one? You seem to have kept every single kind of animal. A: Yes, I was one of the Àrst to keep potbellied pigs when they were initially imported into the United States in the late ’70s, and I have kept many as pets. However, they can only be considered good pets for people who can provide what is needed for the pigs’ natural life. First, be sure that keeping a pig is legal in your town. Second, pigs need regular veterinary care. You have to vaccinate them and have their hooves trimmed regularly. Seek out a vet who can do this in your area before you get the animal. Also, when you go on vacation, it is not easy to Ànd a place to board a pig. Your vehicle must be large enough for a giant-size dog carrier to move the pig about in. Few pigs can climb into a car and sit on the backseat as a dog can. Pigs are, indeed, very smart. Many scientists consider them to be the smartest domesticated animal. By the way, their reputation for being dirty is only because we keep pigs destined to be eaten in such horrible conditions that they have no choice but to be dirty. Too many people buy baby pigs as pets only to give them up when they get big. There are only so many sanctuaries for pet pigs, and they are all overÁowing with grown pigs that once belonged to well-intentioned families. — Marc Marrone, Newsday
Massage therapy Rose Baca/Dallas Morning News/TNS
GUIDE DOGS ARE STRESSED, YOU KNOW? IT’S TIME TO HELP THEM UNWIND
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errick has collapsed into a heap of dark fur, stretched out on the carpet like a piece of charred driftwood on a beach. “He’s letting go nicely,” said Carla Campbell, gently working the dog’s back and legs. “He really needed this.” It’s hard enough being a guide dog when you’re responsible for safely delivering blind and visually impaired adults from home to work and back again, across streets and through aisles, day in and day out. But add a few hundred other dogs and a strange environment to the mix, and suddenly those canine quads are feeling pretty tense. Campbell, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based canine body worker, was there to help, soothing dozens of burnedout doggies at a recent conference of the American Council of the Blind. The 54th annual conference of the Arlington, Va.based advocacy group, making its Àrst visit to Dallas, drew 1,500 attendees — along with about 300 guide dogs, many of whom strode the Sheraton Dallas’s expansive lobbies and unfamiliar corridors with their handlers in trusting tow. “This is probably the most stressful environment these dogs will ever have in their career,” said Carl
Richardson, Merrick’s visually impaired owner, from Boston. “It’s good to give them a little break and let them relax.” Trying to avoid canes, dealing with revolving doors and escalators, having to quash the urge to interact with all the other dogs: It was all a tiny bit stressful. “They’re used to big crowds, but they’re not used to big crowds that can’t see them,” Campbell said. “They’re having to essentially work upstream the whole time.” Campbell, who lost her sight to glaucoma, ditched a technical support job to pursue canine and equine massage. “Getting yelled at for a living was never my dream job,” she said. “And I always thought I’d be working with animals.” Her stints at the council’s annual conferences are a treat for the many dogs whose owners have brought them to her through the years for relaxation and therapy. Most are Labradors and Golden Retrievers, breeds that have proven themselves Àt for guide-dog work in terms of intelligence, size and strength. Campbell usually treats about 10 dogs daily at the conference, though her one-day record is 17. She works their muscles, joints, neck and back and places made
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sore by snug harnesses. “I’ve been through several dogs with different people,” she said. One of them was Richardson, who’d brought 4-year-old Merrick in for his Àrst-ever session. But before Merrick there was Kinley, and before that, Kiva. “She understands the demands and the pressures they go through,” said Richardson, who works as American Disabilities Act coordinator for the state of Massachusetts. Campbell said that while guide dogs generally enjoy their work, the chaos of a convention can be draining. “All that focus makes you tense up, just like it does humans,” she said, kneading Merrick’s upper leg muscles. “It helps to have that time out where you can physically relax.” Just then, the dog rolled onto his back into a slither, his mind clearly in a good place. “Oh,” she said. “There’s a good wallow.” Campbell also leads a conference seminar that walks handlers through some basic relaxation techniques for their dogs. Among the attendees was Natalie Garza, who trains guide dogs for Guide Dogs of Texas, a San Antonio-based Àrm that plans to expand to Dallas, Houston and Austin. “You can tell when your dog gets too stressed out,” said Garza, who was at the conference with blind husband Darrell and their two dogs, Cassie and Egypt. “Their work gets compromised. We want them to love their work. It’s up to us to make sure it’s pleasant for them.” Alexandra Bradstreet of Buffalo said she’d learned to apply Campbell’s relaxation techniques to Adonis, her 6-year-old Lab. “I’ve gotten out some of the kinks in his neck and back,” she said, talking as Adonis pulled her through a sea of attendees into the conference reception area. “This is a lot of work for the dogs. They have to remember a lot.” It had been a long trek from the labyrinthine hotel elevators, and Adonis seemed pleased with himself. Bradstreet responded with a doggie treat and a rub of Adonis’ nape. “That’s what they work for, is that love and praise,” said Kim Charlson, national organization president, who has her own guide dog, 6-year-old Dolly. “Because we’re sure not paying them much.” Q — Marc Ramirez, Dallas Morning News
ABOUT THAT DOG
First the ‘cone of shame’ — and now hidden pills? Q&A help
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t has been a long time since I needed to care for a dog recuperating from surgery, but that is currently the situation at my house. The wearing of an Elizabethan (aka “Cone of Shame”) collar to prevent licking and chewing, and daily doses of a variety of medications remind me of a few tricks that I haven’t needed to utilize in a while. Advice: For some dogs, medicating them can become a game of sniff-out-the-pill-in-the-cookie. Once they Àgure out that there may be a pill lurking in the goodie, they tend to deconstruct every cookie offered, and it becomes increasingly difÀcult to hide the pill. But there is a nearly sure-Àre way to get around this: Use your dog’s tendency to be a greedy little cookie pig to your advantage. Select a type of goodie that your dog really enjoys, also making sure it is moist and soft. I use string cheese, hot dogs or soft jerky. Carefully conceal a pill in one treat, and then add at least four “unstuffed” treats to the pile. I offer my dog the Àrst treat, allowing him plenty of time to check it for the presence of the pill. When he has decided it’s “clean” and safe to eat, I offer him the second treat. As soon as I do, I show him the third “loaded” treat and place that one right at his nose. He will likely gulp the second treat in order to grab the third. Then I rapidly follow up the third treat with the fourth, so the dog will gulp the pill-laden third treat in order to get the fourth, and presto! I have successfully pilled the dog without arousing any suspicion. Another approach is to utilize other dogs in the house in a competitive manner. You can give a treat to the dogs one at a time, and chances are each dog will be more focused on you and who gets the next cookie over what they are actually swallowing. Everybody wins as long as I am certain to give the treat with the pill to the right dog! Having the dog wear an Elizabethan, or “cone” collar is a necessary evil, but one must remember that its function is to prevent the dog from licking or chewing when unsupervised. It is impossible for my dog to lick or chew at his incision when we are walking the neighborhood, so the cone is off, making the walk much more pleasant and stimulating. I can also give him some time without the cone by providing him with a chewing project, but I must be there to supervise. When my focus is elsewhere, or I need to leave the dog alone, the cone goes back on. There are numerous cone options available, and many do the job of preventing your dog from licking and chewing while being much less cumbersome than the standard plastic, rigid cone. Kong makes an inÁatable tube collar that can be very effective, depending on the area the dog needs to avoid. My new favorite is the Comfy Cone, made of a soft and Áexible material, easy to clean, doesn’t bruise my leg when the dog is moving around, and seems to be much less stressful for the dog to wear. — Lisa Moore, Modesto Bee
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ABOUT THAT GUINEA PIG
What’s up with popcorn pig? Q&A advice Q: We got a guinea pig two months ago for our children. He is a very sweet pet. For the Àrst few weeks, he did not do much more than hide in his igloo all day, but now he seems to know us and will squeak at us when we come over to the cage. He runs to the front of the cage rather than running away as he used to do. Sometimes, he will run around the cage, then jump up and turn around in mid air, coming down in the opposite direction. We worry he may have mites or lice or some other kind of parasite and wonder what we should do. I looked through his fur with our dog’s Áea comb and did not see anything, but we wanted your opinion. A: Your guinea pig would really need to be checked by a vet who knows small animals to be sure if it has parasites, but, based on your description, I do not think that is the case. When you Àrst got your guinea pig, it was terriÀed that you were going to eat it, and that is why it was hiding all the time. However, now that he has come to the conclusion you are not going to eat him and that all his experiences with you are pleasurable, he is relaxed enough to allow you to see his true personality. Guinea pigs are playful animals that enjoy life. A scientist would call that jumping you see “acrobatic play behavior,” but guinea pig enthusiasts call it “popcorning.” It is just his way of telling the world how happy he is, and it’s a way for him to work off the excess energy he was forced to keep hidden in the early part of his life, when he was not comfortable enough to show off his true nature. It reminds me of when I was a kid on the Àrst day of school. I always sat in the back and did not draw any attention to myself until I was able to Àgure out my new teacher. Then, after I felt comfortable, my teachers could never shut me up. — Marc Marrone, Newsday
Exotic options Kevin R. Wexler/The Record (Hackensack, N.J.)/TNS
FOR SOME, EXCITING REPTILES & RATS BEAT OUT HO-HUM DOGS & CATS
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et store owner Joe Averso has found a niche in downtown Lodi, N.J., that he believes will set him apart from the big-box pet store competition. His shop, NJ Exotic Pets, sells creatures you might see on the Discovery Channel, but not necessarily at Petco or PetSmart, the industry’s 800-pound gorillas. Not all animal lovers want cats, dogs or Àsh. So Averso has made his 1,200-square-foot shop the go-to place for people who want the pricier writhing reptiles, gliding marsupials or hairless rats to be a part of their lives. “You’ll never Ànd a coatimundi in a Petco,” said Averso, who had three of the long-snouted South American cousins to the raccoon in his shop one day recently, acquired from a Florida breeder and priced at $2,000 each. Petco did not respond to a request for comment. The largest pet store chain, PetSmart Inc., sells hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, Àsh, birds and reptiles, but its main business is selling pet food, supplies and grooming services for dogs and cats. U.S. pet-related spending will top $60 billion this year, up from about $48 billion in 2010, according to the American Pet Products Association. Americans, who own about 54 million dogs and 43 million cats, also own about 9.3 million reptiles and 12.4 million other small animals, the trade group said. Averso, 44, who has been in the retail pet business for 15 years, opened NJ Exotic Pets a little more than a year ago. In recent years, he’s noticed that customers, especially
younger ones, are more interested in reptiles and other exotic pets, and they are willing to pay higher prices for the more exotic creatures. His top sellers are so-called pocket pets — sugar gliders and hedgehogs, small enough to Àt in a pocket. Sugar gliders, named for their love of sweet nectars and an ability to glide like Áying squirrels, are 5-inch-long marsupials from the South PaciÀc. Averso recommends that customers buy two — at $400 a pair — because of their need for social contact. African pygmy hedgehogs, priced at $350 each, are spiny mammals. Like sugar gliders, they can be held in the palm of one hand. Averso also has what he described as a “super rare” striped possum, a larger South PaciÀc marsupial, about the size of a gray squirrel with black and white stripes, priced at $2,500. These he also he gets from his Florida breeder. Averso, who declined to disclose sales Àgures, said he expects “a modest proÀt” this year. Earlier this year, he received a hard-to-get license from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to sell captive-bred skunks, a native North American species. “We’ve already sold 35 of them,” he said. The price ranges from $650 to $950, depending on color and markings. It is illegal to keep a skunk in New Jersey unless it is acquired from a licensed dealer, and Averso is the only dealer in the state authorized to sell them, said Susan Predl, chief biologist at the Division of Fish and Wildlife. As such, he can issue a temporary permit to skunk buyers,
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who must then pay $12 a year for a captive-game permit. NJ Exotic Pets works closely with veterinarian Christopher Stancel of the Dog, Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley, N.J., an exotic-pets specialist, who de-scents and neuters the baby skunks before they are sold, Averso said. “Is there high demand for pet skunks? No,” said Joe Ricciuti, owner of 88 Pet World in Brick, N.J., who stopped selling them a number of years ago. “Are there people out there who want them? Yes,” Ricciuti said. And because they do, store manager Megan Zayatz, 29, has the unenviable task of cleaning the skunk cages. “People think it’s a cool job because you get to play with animals,” said Zayatz, who started working in pet stores at age 16. “But you don’t have time to play with them, and you touch poop with your hands.” On a recent Monday morning Zayatz was cleaning a skunk cage, and at the same time was on the phone advising a customer to add some blended banana to the milk the customer was trying to feed to a young coatimundi. Zayatz continued the conversation while signing off on a delivery of live crickets and wax worms. Customer Chelsee Firestone, 18, said she and her friend drove to the store just to admire the snakes. “I Àrst came here looking for ferrets and ended up falling
in love with reptiles,” said Firestone, gazing at the leucistic rat snake coiled around her wrist and forearm. When asked if she owned any reptiles, she produced a pencil-thin corn snake from a pocket in her skirt. It eats “frozen pinkies” — hairless, newborn mice. “This store is fantastic,” said Vicki Stout, who brought her teenage son Matthew to pick up Peaches, his Brazilian short-tailed possum, after boarding it at the shop while away on vacation. Boarding of reptiles and small animals is a “very small” part of the business, Averso said, and is offered as a convenience. Customer Hevin Shepstone is one lizard-owning customer who admits having a mild case of buyer’s remorse. The bearded dragon she bought in October for her 10-year-old son has cost her about $500, all told, since then, after adding the cage, lighting, food and other supplies for the lizard, known also as a pogona. “And you get to hold these things in your hand,” she said, displaying what would be her latest purchase, a bag of dragon food containing live crickets. — Richard Newman, The Record (Hackensack, N.J.)
Exotic pets
States that ban private ownership of exotic animals
The term “exotic animal” does not have an exact legal definition, but it often refers to the ownership of strange or wild animals as pets. Here’s a look at the laws governing exotic animal ownership.
States that require owners of exotic animals to get a license or permit
WA
MT
OR
States that ban private ownership of some exotic animals but not others
States that have no statute ownership of exotic animals
ME
ND
ID
MN
SD WY
NV CA
AZ
CO NM
NY MI
PA OH IL IN WV VA KY MO NC TN SC AR MS AL GA
IA
NE UT
WI
KS OK TX
VT NH MA RI CT DE MD
LA FL
AK HI
Source: Born Free USA
Graphic: Tribune News Service
ABOUT THAT BIRD Too hot for the tropics? Q&A advice Q: We have a sun conure that is 6 months old. His wing feathers are trimmed, and he enjoys coming into our backyard with us. On a recent Sunday, we had him on our patio and we noticed he had his mouth open and his tongue was moving up and down and he was standing straight up like a soldier. We did not know what to do. Do birds pant like dogs and could he have been too hot? It was only 80 degrees out at the time, and we know that these birds come from tropical places that are hotter than that. If our bird was too hot, how do we know what temperature is OK for him? We have been afraid to take him outside again since this episode. A: Your bird was indeed too hot. The panting you noticed was just as a dog would do, and he was standing up straight like that so that his feathers would not hold any heat. (Conversely, when a bird is cold, it will Áuff up its feathers to trap pockets of air to hold in body heat.) A temperature of 80 degrees really is not too hot for a bird as long as it is not in the sunlight. Although you did not say if your patio was sunny, I am assuming it was. A little bird like a sun conure sitting in the sunlight on a summer day, unable to get out of the sun because its wing feathers are trimmed, will quickly overheat, as you saw. The conures you saw in Costa Rica could Áy and were able to get out of the sunlight if they got too uncomfortable. They can tolerate very warm temperatures as long as they are not in the sun and have access to clean water to drink. Taking your parrot outdoors is very good for the bird if its wing feathers are trimmed. You should not be afraid to take yours outside now that you are aware of this situation. Just be sure to keep him in the shade and have a plant mister Àlled with water nearby that you can spray him with periodically to keep him cool. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
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Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS
“Having dogs in the office is nice,” says Kaleidoscope CEO Gary Chiappetta, shown here with Olive, his Australian labradoodle.
BARKING 9-TO-5 SOME OWNERS (AND POOCHES ALIKE) WISH EVERY DAY WAS BRING YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY
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or some dogs, Take Your Dog To Work Day isn’t conÀned to one day. Diesel, an 8-year-old schnoodle, looks at the calendar and snorts. Diesel comes to work one or two times a week at Kaleidoscope, a company that assists brand owners through consulting, strategic design and prototyping, in Chicago. On this particular afternoon, she is walking the aisles near the workspace of her person, Dawn Brigando. “We come in and she’s on her own,” says Brigando, a production artist. “I never worry. She knows who she gets treats from, and she’s free to go where she wants.” Diesel, who has been coming to the ofÀce since she was about 4 months old, is part of the culture at Kaleidoscope, which has an open doggy door policy.
Employees are encouraged to bring their canines to work, and eight or 10 of them do regularly. There’s usually a dog (or dogs) in the ofÀce three or four days a week. The idea of pets in the ofÀce isn’t new. But it got a boost when Pet Sitters International launched Take Your Dog To Work Day 17 (people) years ago, and things have snowballed. According to the American Pet Products Association, 20 percent of U.S. companies now have adopted pet-friendly policies. “I don’t know the origin of this. I do know it’s a growing trend,” says Steve Feldman, executive director of the Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation, a nonproÀt research and education organization based in Washington, D.C., that gathers, funds and shares research on the positive health impact of animals on people. “Fortune magazine, which is known for its annual
list of best places to work, now also puts out a list of the most pet-friendly companies,” Feldman says. “Having dogs in the ofÀce is nice,” says Kaleidoscope CEO Gary Chiappetta. “It calms things down, makes people happy.” Lying next to his desk is Olive, his 3-year-old Australian labradoodle. “Pets have a wonderful effect on people,” Feldman agrees. “They reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and they increase social interaction, in and out of the workplace.” At Kaleidoscope, the rules are unwritten. Actually, there really aren’t any. “People are very respectful (of co-workers) and want to keep this up,” Chiappetta says. “Only one time did we have somebody’s dog that was a distraction. You tell them, ‘If the dog needs that much attention ...’”
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At some businesses, animals aren’t so much invited as they are interlopers. At Sharprint, a Chicago apparel printing and embroidery company, a young orange cat wandered into the building through an open door one night in November 2013. An employee coming to work the next morning found her sound asleep on a pile of T-shirts. She was dubbed Molly at Àrst, but employees soon started calling her Margaret Schroeder, after the character from “Boardwalk Empire,” and she became the company’s house cat. Or a member of the staff, depending on your outlook. “She caught a mouse once, so she at least earned her keep,” says Zach Corn, Sharprint’s head of sales. He says Margaret — or Schroeder, she doesn’t have a preference — spends most of her time lounging. “She’s a stress reliever,” Corn says. Of course, having dogs or cats as daily visitors to the ofÀce isn’t practical for all companies. Adam Goldberg, digital marketing specialist for the Humane Society of Broward County in Florida, came up with an alternative, the Snuggle Delivery. For $150, HSBC volunteers will bring puppies, kittens,
dogs or cats to your ofÀce for an hour of playtime. Employees get a treat, homeless animals get needed socialization, the shelters raise money and get the word out about their mission — and when things click, there are adoptions. Goldberg got the idea from a Texas group that brought kittens to a workplace. “I said we could totally do this. ... We had no idea it would be so successful.” In the Àrst two months, there were four adoption events and another dozen are on the schedule. Eight puppies found homes in those Àrst four events. In addition, the group raised more than $2,700. “The fee is only $150. People are donating above and beyond, and in addition are donating items off our wish list,” Goldberg says. The program got off the ground about three months ago. “When we Àrst did it, right before tax time, the people who jumped on it were accounting Àrms,” Goldberg says. “They were very excited because they were very stressed out.” “It’s a good trend,” Feldman says. “It makes us happier, healthier and makes us more satisÀed with our jobs.” Q — William Hageman, Chicago Tribune
Top dogs The American Kennel Club annual rankings of the most popular dog breeds of 2014. The French bulldog entered the top 10 for the first time since the 1910s (the breed was ranked 11th in 2013). The dachshund dropped out; it was number 10 in 2013.
Labrador
1 retriever
2 German shepherd 3 Golden retriever
4 Bulldog
Tips for when your dog comes to work Do an ofÀce check. Check with management and co-workers to see if anyone is allergic, afraid of or opposed to you bringing your dog to work. Be respectful of those you work with and plan an alternate course, if necessary. Puppy-proof your work space. If you plan on working with your dog, make sure your ofÀce environment is safe. Remove poisonous plants (go to www.aspca.org for a list of toxic plants), hide electrical cords and wires, and secure toxic items such as correction Áuid and permanent markers. If your ofÀce has received any pest control/extermination services, ensure there are no hazardous products accessible by your dog. Is Fido Àt for work? Be sure your dog’s shots are current. Also, make plans to have him bathed and groomed. Be mindful of your dog’s “workreadiness.” If he is aggressive or shy, it’s best to leave him at home. Prepare a doggie bag. Include food, treats, bowls, toys, leash, paper towels, clean-up bags and pet-safe disinfectant. If you are routinely in and out of your work space, consider bringing a baby gate or kennel. Plan his feeding and, um, his business. Plan your dog’s feeding time and subsequent potty break around your work schedule. Choose an appropriate area for your dog to relieve himself. Don’t force co-workers to interact with your
5 Beagle
Yorkshire
6 terrier
7 Poodle
8 Boxer
dog. Be mindful of fellow employees’ time and space. Dog lovers will make themselves known. Keep tabs on the treats. To avoid pet accidents, monitor the treats your pet is given from co-workers. Remember that chocolate, candy and other people food should not be shared with dogs. Some non-dog owners won’t know that these items can be toxic to pets.
9 French bulldog
10 Rottweiler
Source: AP, AKC Graphic: Tribune News Service
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FIFI & ROMEO
MAX-BONE
Yana Syrkin, costume designer for the 1997-2002 Fox series “Ally McBeal,” opened her by-appointment-only shop more than 17 years ago and counts Bruiser Woods among celebrity clients. Her chic fashions are locally made using recycled cashmere, accessorized with embroidery or beading. FiÀ & Romeo will also create matching outÀts for owners. Cashmere sweaters ($220 and up) and beds ($340 and up) are the must-haves.
Max-bone owners Max and Parisa Fowles-Pazdro are not fans of the “Áashy, bedazzled” looks on the market; they’re going for something minimalist and a little more elegant. Though there is no Max-bone brick-and-mortar shop, their products can be found in a number of stores in New York, Los Angeles and Australia. The couple recommends their William bow tie ($45), Grace hoodie ($45), Willie jumper ($35) or Maddox bandanna ($35).
D.O.G. PET BOUTIQUE When Chris Price adopted his Chihuahua Bailey in 2006, he wanted the dog to be the best dressed in town. So later that year, he and his business partner Christian Velasco opened D.O.G. (“Dogs of Glamour”), catering to owners who want their pups to be the trendiest in the dog park. Carrie Underwood, John Legend and CeeLo Green visit regularly. Price suggests the D.O.G. Glam tote carrier ($190), Coco RufÁe dress ($55) or Dogs of Glamour T-shirt ($35).
EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS
DOG FASHION Essentials for the fashion-forward hound
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ruiser Woods (or his handler) might have been onto something in the 2001 movie “Legally Blonde.” The fashionable Chihuahua companion to Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods seemed to be in a new outÀt as often as his mistress. Fourteen years later, the dog fashion industry is intent on making sure your pet is pampered in style. A Google search Ànds such results as Shea butter shampoo and conditioner for $14 at Harry Barker, leopard-print bikinis — yeah, dog bikinis — at Bitch NY for $33, a My Canine Kid reversible parka for $56 and a waterproof raincoat by Hurrta for $75. (If getting ready to go out is just too exhausting, there’s a luxury dog sofa by Snoozer for $190 and a ReÀned Canine chaise longue for $258.) The idea of clothing pets has practical roots. “People have always thought that if our dog is old or thin or has short hair, some kind of warmth and
covering was good” for health reasons, said Dana Humphrey, owner of pet industry public relations Àrm Whitegate PR. “And it’s natural that once you have something new, you want to embellish a little bit.” Laurren Darr, founder of the International Assn. of Pet Fashion Professionals, credits celebrities such as Paris Hilton, who took her Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, around in diamond collars while he rode in high-end totes, for the industry’s initial rise in popular culture. Humphrey points to Tori Spelling, who dressed her dogs in tuxedos and gowns for a wedding. Now, according to the American Pet Products Assn., the U.S. pet care industry will top $60 billion for the Àrst time this year. Almost $14.4 billion of that will be spent on pet supplies, including apparel. Q — Tre’vell Anderson, L.A. Times
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QUICK! SHE’S BEING CUTE AGAIN
PHOTO SHOOT 6 tips for capturing candid & posed moments
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our pet is doing that thing again. It’s the cutest thing ever, and it must be snapped, shared and forever immortalized on social media. Cats and Dogs of Instagram, here we come. But what happens? Just as you reach for the camera to compose the killer shot, your subject bolts. The moment is gone forever, as are your dreams of Instagram stardom. We get it. Taking memorable photos of your pets is challenging. But it’s not impossible. The tips:
Harmony Von Kwok, in squirrel huntress mode. We get it — taking memorable photos of your pets is challenging. But it’s not impossible.
Instead of trying to get your pets to stare squarely into the camera, consider photographing them in their natural state, where their quirkiness and personality emerge. Sleeping, playing, hunting, bathing or even getting caught in the act of chewing up your favorite pair of running shoes can make for truthful and inÀnitely better photos.
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Moments happen in the blink of an eye, so be prepared and anticipate. Whether it’s an iPhone or a point-and-shoot camera, be familiar with its settings and ready to shoot when cuteness strikes.
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Good photography is all about light. Soft, even light outdoors works best; morning and late afternoon are the best times to shoot. Indoors, turn the Áash off and use available light. The Áash produces a harsh effect as well as red eye, and some pets are spooked by it. Try posing your pet by a large window or open door.
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Explore all angles and try the unexpected. Crouch down to their level and shoot from their perspective. Zoom in for visual impact so their face Àlls the frame. Isolate a particular detail, like that big Áoppy tongue or those gorgeous green eyes. And don’t forget to pay attention to the backgrounds — you’ll want them to be clean and free of clutter.
4
Bribery usually works. For dogs, try squeaky toys, treats or that clicking sound you make with your tongue. For cats, use treats or a little bit of catnip sprinkled on the Áoor. A piece of yarn or a feather teaser will work, too.
5
Finally, take lots of photos, and be patient. It’s all a numbers game, and in the Digital Age, the duds can easily be erased. If you can get one or two winners from each session, the shoot will have been a success. Q — Ken Kwok, L.A. Times
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When photographing your pet, bribery usually works. For dogs, try squeaky toys, treats, and that clicking sound you make with your tongue. For cats, use treats or a little bit of catnip sprinkled on the floor. A piece of yarn or a feather teaser will work, too.
Ken Kwok/ Los Angeles Times/ TNS
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CAT VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE? 10 MILLION AND COUNTING …
MEOW POWER Must. Make. Cat. Videos. But why?
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o member of the animal kingdom has conquered the Internet like Felis catus, the humble house cat. YouTube is home to an estimated 10 million cat videos, which, to put it in perspective, works out to an upload rate of roughly two cat-related pieces of content every minute over the last decade. There’s a blue-shirted keyboard-playing cat (“Charlie Schmidt’s Keyboard Cat! — The Original!” has more than 40 million views since 2007), a kitten raising its paws in surprise (“Surprised Kitty,” 75.6 million views) and a very angry shelter cat from across the pond that’s managed to rack up more than 88 million hits since 2006 (“Very Angry Cat”). The phenomenon has made household names of Grumpy Cat (real name Tardar Sauce), whose endorsement deals, media appearances, 2014 movie and upcoming comic book have generated a reported six Àgures, and Lil Bub, a talk-showhosting special-needs rescue cat that’s helped raise more than $200,000 for the ASPCA since 2012. How did the cats-on-the-Internet meme become so entrenched in pop culture that the phenomenon was recently footnoted in congressional testimony on the use of Internet bandwidth and referenced in the CIA’s ofÀcial Twitter feed? To help answer that question, we turned to someone who may have watched more of those 10 million YouTube videos than anyone else on the planet — Scott Stulen, the curator of audience experiences at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and organizer of the Àrst Internet Cat Video Festival at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 2012. Here’s a Q&A with Stulen: Q: What is it about cats that make them such popular video subjects? A: They have their own personalities, they act like they don’t need us and they operate very independently. So there’s a sense that they’re not performing for us. Within that, we start to project very human personas, traits and characteristics onto them. There’s also the practical thing of them being in the home all the time and everybody has a video camera now, so that helps fuel the relationship. Q: Why don’t dog videos seem to capture our collective attention in the same way?
Mike Kane/Los Angeles Times/MCT
William Braden of Seattle films Henry the cat, with help from an assistant.
A: While dog owners have a lot of social spaces that exist — going out to the dog park or going out for a walk — cat owners are primarily (interacting from) home and don’t have the same options. So in a lot of ways the Internet — and cat videos — became the cat park, a place where cat owners interact with one another and share things. Q: What would you consider the Golden Age of Internet cat videos? Are we there now? A: To me the Golden Age was probably like the Golden Age of YouTube, when the monetary piece wasn’t such a part of it. I’d say 2008 to 2012 was probably the sweet spot, bookended by the “Keyboard Cat” video that was posted in 2007, and the Henri (LeChatNoir) videos from 2012 and a little after. That’s the window: pre-Grumpy Cat,
pre-Lil Bub, where things shifted a bit. I’m not saying it’s good or it’s bad; it’s just changed. Q: Can you think of anything that could ever dislodge the cat video meme’s place in our collective conscience? A: I would have thought it would have already happened by now because the life span of a typical meme is so short and this has lived on now for a solid four or Àve years at full speed and doesn’t show any signs of weakening yet. But I think the platforms it lives on will change — I’m sure there are already Periscope channels that are streaming cats everywhere. Q — Adam Tschorn, L.A. Times
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APP REPORT
Press image
Sockamillion, aka , @Sockington, from Waltham, Mass., leads Twitter felines with 1.34 million followers and counting.
@superstar Pets are social media stars, but how do they type?
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he world has come a long way since 1993, when New Yorker magazine published Peter Steiner’s cartoon of two canines above the caption: “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog,” making us laugh at the absurd notion of household pets on the World Wide Web. Now, more than a dozen years later, your dog — or cat or hedgehog or pot-bellied pig — is a nobody unless it’s got an Instagram account, Twitter feed, Facebook page — or all three. Here’s a look at some of the animal kingdom’s current social media standouts. Twitter’s most-followed feline is Sockamillion, a grayand-white domestic shorthair from Waltham, Mass., whose @Sockington Twitter feed has 1.34 million followers. Other famous felines include Grumpy Cat (288,000 followers) and the totally adorable Lil Bub (56,400). When it comes to canines, Twitter’s top dog is a 12-yearold Shih Tzu named Marnie with 99,300 followers, but @Kermit — the dog (owned by YouTube personality Jenna Marbles) — is a chew toy’s toss away at 98,100. On Facebook, it’s Grumpy Cat that rules the kitty-cat club, with an ofÀcial page clocking in at 7.62 million “likes” — or about 846, 667 for each of her nine lives. Dog-wise, Boo the Pomeranian is Facebook’s social media standout with a follower base of 17 million.
Among Instagram’s mostfollowed pets are a Siamesetabby mix named Nala with a cool 2 million and a dog named Maru, a Shiba Inu breed with 1.7 million on leash — though Marnie the Dog, already a Twitter star, is within fetching distance at 1.4 million California’s Àrst dog, Sutter Brown, and deputy Àrst dog, Colusa Lucy Brown (pets of Gov.Jerry Brown) both have Twitter accounts at @SutterBrown and @ColusaBrown. A white chinchilla named Mr. Bagel wages a one-man (one-chinchilla) online war against wearing fur, spreading his message to 84,800 Instagram followers. We’re not sure exactly what hedgehogs do when they’re out in the wild, but on Instagram a super-cute one named Biddy keeps 652,000 followers entertained by wearing silly party hats and posing alongside a range of nearly as cute stuffed (and sometimes live) animals. Q — Adam Tschorn, L.A. Times
Connecting with a world of canine lovers, resources NAME: Dog Land AVAILABLE FOR: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch. Requires iOS 7.1 or later COST: Free WHAT IT DOES: The app links you to dog lovers as well as canine resources nearby and all over the world. Included are dog parks, pet stores and services, vets, animal shelters and rescues, the great outdoors, food and dining, cafes, shops and services, and travel and hotels. WHAT’S HOT: I went in for the resources, but I stayed to look at cute dog photos and add my own. Unlike other apps that require you to be “friends” with someone Àrst, I liked that I could connect, follow and message other dog owners I saw in the Newsfeed. You can also vote on whether a place is dog-friendly, get directions to a park or store you Ànd through the app, and add your own dog tips. It’s nice to have one place where you can share doggie photos and Ànd pet services in a friendly community. An Android version is in the works. Some of my favorite dog-loving friends don’t have iPhones. I’ll wait. WHAT’S NOT: A couple of times, it took me a few tries to get results when searching a new city. Sometimes, it would revert to the previous city I had looked at. What worked best for me was going to “Explore Places,” adding a destination search in “Everything” and then using the back arrow to click on a category such as “Dog Parks” or “Pet Stores.” It could use more dog-friendly votes in the travel and hotel section, so add your favorites. — Jen Leo, L.A. Times
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Q&A WITH COLUMNIST ARMIN BROTT, ‘MR. DAD’
NEW ARRIVAL Preparing Rover to be a good dog with baby Dear Mr. Dad: I’m pregnant with our Àrst child and I’m due in about four months. One of the things I’m worried about is our dog, a 150-pound male mastiff, who is truly a part of our family and not just a pet. Some friends of ours say that it’s dangerous to have a giant dog around a newborn and that we should start looking for a new home for him. Is it? And is there some way to prepare our dog and keep our baby safe? A: There’s no way to predict with 100 percent accuracy how animals are going to react in any given situation, but you can get some hints by asking yourself these questions: What is the dog’s personality? Is he aggressive or territorial? Does he growl or bite? Does he jump on you, the furniture or guests? Has he spent time with children? Does he like children? How protective is he of his toys? Could he possibly confuse a neatly wrapped up baby with a chewable toy? Does he bark when he wants attention? Does he understand and obey basic commands? I’m sure you can Àgure out which questions need a “yes” answer and which need a “no.” But no matter how wonderful your dog is, there’s always some risk. According to Michael Wombacher, author of “Good Dog, Happy Baby,” of the 4.7 million people who get bitten by dogs in the U.S. every year, 80 percent are children under Àve. Eighty percent of those bites are to the face and happen during feeding, petting or playing. Most of those dogs live in the victim’s home and have no history of biting. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are ways to reduce those risks. And the time to start is right now, long before the baby arrives. The goal is to get the dog acclimated to the changes that are going to happen — some of which he may not be thrilled with. That way, he won’t blame the new baby for ruining his life (exactly what most Àrst-born human pups think when confronted with a baby who knocks them out of the center of the universe). Some of the changes will be fairly easy. For example, you can download some baby cries from the Internet and play them every few hours to get the dog used to the sound. If you’ve got friends or relatives with infants or small children who are willing to help you out, start inviting them over so the dog can check out
what a baby looks like, acts like, sounds like and smells like. Next, set up the baby’s room now, and let the dog check out the crib, changing table, diapers, wipes, etc. If you’ve already got a stroller, take it with you when you’re walking the dog. You want to get him used to walking beside it without trying to drag it into the middle of the street. While you’re doing all this, you’ll also want to be getting your dog used to the new rules of the house — again, long before the baby arrives. For example, if he sleeps on your bed, you’ll probably want to break that habit. Same goes for barking indoors, jumping on the furniture or jumping on people. If you’re able to do the re-educating, great. If not, you may want to hire a dog trainer who’s got experience preparing dogs for babies. Wombacher’s book is a great resource, as is “Please Don’t Bite the Baby,” by Lisa Edwards. And for the pure entertainment value, check out the “Good Dog, Carl” books by Alexandra Day. Q — Armin Brott, Tribune News Service
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I do n kno ’t w abo ut h er
You ’s he think ne? o the
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Romance, unleashed Finding love with a fellow dog owner
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hen Karith Foster met her future husband, Craig Russell, in February 2011, it was love at Àrst bark. Pointing out it would have been an “absolute deal breaker” if he didn’t like her Chihuahua, Lealah, she says, “As soon as Craig walked in the door (on the Àrst date), she wagged her tail, bowed down, then begged him to pet her. They bonded instantly.” One marriage, two kids and the same Chihuahua later, Foster recalls sparks Áying immediately; he moved in with her after their second date, and they were engaged by June. Romance had turned out just as planned for this Riverside, Calif. couple; they had each joined LeashesandLovers.com, an online social community for dog lovers, looking for a long-term, dogfriendly love connection. “The idea behind meeting somebody who had an animal or who at least had an afÀnity for animals was important,” Foster says. Psychologist Seth Meyers, author of “Dr. Seth’s Love Prescription: Overcome Relationship Repetition Syndrome and Find the Love You Deserve” (Adams Media), says doggy deal breakers in dating are not uncommon. “Simply put, dog lovers come only as a package
deal: them and their dog,” he says. Some guidelines for creating leash-inspired love connections: Join a niche dating site. Laurie Davis, author of “Love at First Click: The Ultimate Guide to Online Dating” (Atria Books) and founder of eFlirt Expert, an online dating consulting Àrm, suggests registering on two dating sites: a niche site such as DateMyPet. com and a mainstream site like Match.com. “With a niche site you may not Ànd there are many matches, but quantity isn’t always that important,” she says. “You already know you have something in common. It’s easy to strike up a conversation.” Join a local dog community. Sarah Edwards launched social network MuttMate.com for dog owners to “arrange walks and meet up with locals” in “MuttClubs.” Passion for pooches is common ground for visitors who are making new contacts online by searching for breed and/or location to build a local doggy network. “I never set up MuttMate for this (Ànding love),” Edwards says, “but I realize that I’ve created something that could change people’s lives for the better.” Whether you go to a pet park, attend a “bark in the park” ballgame, volunteer at your local animal shelter or bring your dog along to a pet store, Sheryl
Matthys, founder of the LeashesandLovers website and author of “Leashes and Lovers: What Your Dog Can Teach You About Love, Life and Happiness” (L&L Media), encourages people to strike up a conversation. “Think, ‘I’m going to say hello to somebody today,’” Matthys says. “Even just smile. Be open to that.” And while you’re at it, leverage your common interest. Open by complimenting someone’s dog and following up with a question: “What a lovely golden coat your dog has. Where do you get him groomed?” If you’re really looking to Ànd love, your dog is really your wingpaw,” Matthys says. Attend dog-friendly singles mixers. Meyers says singles events are another way to meet people who value dogs but, he cautions, “keep your expectations for meeting a potential partner in check.” Do we have to add this? Yes, we do. Although it might sound enticing to break the ice via a dog, Meyers cautions against going to extremes by getting a pooch solely as a date magnet. “Pets require a lot of time, attention and money,” he says, “so be sure you get a pet for the right reasons.” Q — Vicki Salemi, Chicago Tribune
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DOG DAY CARE 12 tips for finding the best fit for your pup or older dog
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og trainer and behavior consultant Jonathan Klein says day care can be very beneÀcial, especially for dogs with separation anxieties or home-alone issues. “Day care can provide stimulation and activities for a dog when it would otherwise be alone and stressed or bored,” Klein said. “It’s for balanced, socialized dogs.” Doing your research is key, said Stephen Zowistowski, science adviser emeritus for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, because day care is not heavily regulated. “Some places are better than others. … Between the Internet and the Better Business Bureau, look at facilities to see how well they’ve been functioning.” Finding day care for your dog takes time and commitment. And for some pet owners and their pooches, it’s
the best solution. 1. Assess your dog. Klein, also principal of I Said Sit! in Los Angeles, recommends hiring a trainer or dog behavior consultant. A session can range from $60 to $250, depending on the market. “They would have a better notion of what might be really good for a given dog,” Klein said, adding that they also can recommend local, reputable daycare centers. 2. Two places to start a search. The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. 3. Tour the facilities. New York-based pet behaviorist Carolyn Georgariou suggests making an unscheduled visit. “See what goes on,” she said. “The place should be very clean — especially to
the nose!” Look for space where dogs can run and play. Become skeptical of facilities only offering scheduled tours during off-hours. And per the ASPCA, look for toys, nap spots and excellent customer service. Staff should be courteous to humans as well as their canines. 4. Expect behavioral evaluations. Many facilities evaluate dogs before enrolling them. Centers often ask questions regarding interaction with other dogs, such as going to a dog park and if you have additional dogs at home, Zowistowski said. “You shouldn’t drive up, hand the leash to the owner of the day care center and walk away,” he said. Typically, centers also observe dogs to determine how to best manage them. 5. Ask how dogs are grouped. “Dogs should be grouped not only by size but also by compatible
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When visiting a dog day care center, look for cleanliness, enough space for dogs to run and play, and ample toys and nap spots. Also ask about the staff-to-dog ratio.
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play style or temperament,” Klein said. He recommends checking out the size of each room and asking how the center determines a safe ratio of dogs to staff. “Some cities are instituting regulations of no more than 15 dogs per person in cage-free play,” Klein added. 6. Stay current with vaccinations. The ASCPA advises asking your veterinarian which vaccinations are right for your dog. “Dog owners should always consult with their vet for medical advice; however, sometimes the facility may require something that their vet doesn’t,” said veterinarian David Gonsky of Chicago. “Some centers require the inÁuenza vaccine, but every veterinarian doesn’t require it.” Overall, Gonsky said that the day care centers should “deÀnitely ask for proof of vaccination. If they don’t ask, that’s a red Áag.” That said, many facilities will require paperwork to establish a dog’s credentials. In Gonsky’s practice, an email is sent to the day care center regarding the wellness and preventive testing conducted on the dog. Alternatively, he said, centers may call veterinarians to request conÀrmation of the most recent vaccinations, heartworm testing and intestinal parasite screening results. 7. Watch for canine Áu symptom. The recent epidemic of canine Áu cannot be ignored. Gonsky feels “the worst is over” but still recommends that pet parents “pay attention to their dog much like a parent would to their child.” If you notice lethargy — not just fatigue from playing with other dogs at day care but also if your dog seems “off ” — keep your pet at home and consult a veterinarian. “If it’s canine inÁuenzalike symptoms — fever, cough and potentially runny nose, the dog is contagious for three weeks.” 8. Evaluate costs. “One cannot get good day care cheap,” Georgariou said. “The cheaper the rate, the more crowded the day care will be.” The average cost in major cities we checked ranges from approximately $27 per day to $543 per month. 9. Ask about worst-case scenarios and certiÀcations. The ASPCA recommends asking if employees are trained in animal Àrst aid and CPR as well as what the protocol is in the event of emergency illness or injury. Zowistowski advises looking for certiÀcates indicating employees have been professionally trained as animal caretakers and conÀrming that the facility is appropriately licensed. Paperwork should indicate the facility has been inspected by the health department and has obtained a legal permit to operate its business.
“There’s also training through a certiÀcation program for pet dog trainers, CPTs (certiÀed professional trainers),” he said. “This training and certiÀcation indicates they’ve actually had some really good professional training and understanding of dog behavior. That’s a good thing to look for as well.” 10. Watch your dog. Once your pup is enrolled in day care, assess his overall health and happiness. “If your dog comes home and he’s ‘good-tired’ — he’s had a good day over there, that’s great,” Zowistowski said. “If he comes home and he looks like he’s been scared or (acts) lethargic, that’s not a good sign.” 11. Pursue other options. Day care may not be appropriate if your pet is a frail, senior dog or anxious, fearful or rambunctious. “Sometimes we think that every dog needs the same thing,” Zowistowski said. “There are quite a few dogs who enjoy just chilling out all day.” His advice? Consider other available options, asking yourself, “What is good for the dog as opposed to what is good for me? What would the dog really like as opposed to what would I really like?” Consider a dog walker or dog sitter. The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters provides training and “at that point, you’re looking for someone who is bonded and has appropriate insurance,” Zowistowski said. Be sure to check references: “Are they willing to give you the name of someone they’ve worked for for a while? You’re basically giving them a key to your house. They have access to your dog and your television set.” 12. Mix it up. Day care doesn’t have to be an allor-nothing approach. Peter Franz of New York takes his puppy, Franklin, to Biscuits & Bath one day a week to play with puppy pals; the day care center also provides dog walking services, and a dog walker visits his apartment the other four days — he pays $500 for a monthly package. “With a puppy, socialization is crucial, and daily exercise is a must,” Franz said, “so a combination of walks and day care made the most sense.” Q — Vicki Salemi, Chicago Tribune
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Pet lovers Everyone who has a pet loves it to death. We buy them clothes and provide them with food and shelter. Here are some demographics of pet owners.
By the numbers
63%
74.8 million
U.S. households that own a pet
Owned dogs in the U.S.
39%
Households that own at least one dog
63%
12%
Dog owners who own 3 or more
$219
Adopted a dog from an animal shelter
Average spent annually by dog owners on vet
88.3 million
34%
Owned cats in Households that the U.S. own at least one cat
56%
Own more than one cat
$175 Average spent annually by cat owners on vet Source: statisticbrain Graphic: TNS
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While you’re busy planting petunias, Rex is digging under the fence and getting lost. Make sure your perimeter has a barrier that extends below the bottom of the fence about a foot.
Diggin’ in Chew on these ideas for successful gardening with pets
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afe, friendly gardening with a pet in your household can be a difÀcult pastime if your yard isn’t set up to handle the wear and tear from a four-footed animal who doesn’t know the difference between your prized petunias and the potty. In Hampton, Va., gardener Wendy Iles preaches the dos and don’ts of gardening with pets. “Dogs love to dig, so giving them a place to do that may save them from digging in your garden,” says Iles, founder of the nonproÀt community gardening effort, Hampton Grows in southeastern Virginia. Her husband manages the area’s newest pet shelter, where she’s planting pet-friendly demonstration gardens and giving workshops on the topic.
“You can also lay down chicken wire to make digging less inviting. A low fence — not picket or chain link — may deter dogs from disturbing your vegetable garden. Netting plants can deter cats.” For dog-friendly plants, Iles suggests perennials such as alyssum, pincushion Áowers, bachelor buttons, nasturtiums, marigolds, calendula and celosia. Daylilies are good, too, and pampas grass can be used as a barrier. For cats, safe herbs include basil, chamomile, chervil, catmint, catnip, dill, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, mint, oregano, parsley and thyme (all good for dogs, too). “Catnip, a member of the mint family, can be
used to stuff cat toys, easily grown from seed and will self-seed,” she says. “For ‘cat grass,’ consider young grass species of oat, barley, Áax, wheat and others, a favorite for kitties to snack on. It grows well in containers, too,” she continues. “Tall, ornamental grasses, sunÁowers and bean tee-pees provides shade and privacy, as well as visual interest from birds and insects. I have never had the cat try to attack the birds on my sunÁowers. “Ripe tomatoes are Àne, but any green part of a tomato plant is toxic,” she adds. In Richmond, Va., Grace Chapman gardens with a 16-month-old, 55-pound female boxer named Timber.
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ABOUT THAT DOG “I learned quickly that my boxer loves to chew and swallow plastic, so I have to be very careful to store plastic nursery pots in a shed or enclosure that she can’t access,” says Chapman, director of horticulture at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, also in Richmond. “Patience is very important. Puppies have natural tendencies to chew and dig, so you might want to wait to plant new seedlings until the puppy grows out of those habits,” she says. “I’m a beekeeper, so I had the added challenge of keeping my puppy’s nose out of the beehives. I had to build a fence around my backyard apiary to keep her away from harm. “I have a six-foot wooden privacy fence around my yard, so I installed a ‘pet peek’ window to allow Timber to see what is going on in the alley. She loves watching the garbage truck, people taking walks and the dogs in the neighboring yards. We call her the neighborhood sheriff because she is always on top of what is going on.” Here are tips from the Hampton Clean City Commission in southeastern Virginia and other sources on making your pet, your yard and your environment all work together, according to Debbie Blanton, clean city commission director: Plan a designated toilet area for your dog and train her to use it. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has information about how to train your pet at aspca.org. Does it allow your pet some privacy — maybe partially surrounded by low-growing decorative grasses or Áowers — yet allows you to follow the recommended training program? Is it paw friendly? That means the surface is relatively smooth, without jagged gravel or other sharp substances. Some sources recommend an area of tallish grass (about 5 inches) because some dogs prefer that. Others recommend Áagstones, pea gravel, bricks and small mulch chips. Beware of a pooch digging under the fence and getting lost. Prevent that by making sure your perimeter has a barrier that extends below the bottom of the fence about a foot. Search for information on the proper technique at humanesociety.org. If escape isn’t an issue but digging up your petunias is, create a designated area. Use a sandbox idea, making a nice digging spot for Pooch, and encourage him to use it by burying a bone or a toy in it and then showing him it’s OK to dig it out of that spot. Cats generally aren’t inclined to stay in a fenced area, and once they get out, they are subject to lots of potential dangers, including cars, other cats, dogs and wild animals. They also are deadly to birds and our diminishing populations of amphibians, whether in back yards or beyond. Some cat people have devised wire “breezeways” for their cats that allow them onto a deck while remaining safe and enclosed. Others keep them inside. Some train their cats to walk on leashes. “Please, don’t let your cat roam freely, though, for the good of the cat and its prey,” Blanton says. Q — Kathy Van Mullekom, Daily Press (Hampton, VA)
Let heart, vet determine when to put down pet. Q&A help Q: My Yorkie is now 17 years old and family members are putting pressure on me to have her put down. They say it is a pity to see her bump into walls as she cannot see very well now and that I am only keeping her alive to satisfy my own needs and not hers. She seems happy enough to me. She still eats and goes to the bathroom to poop on her Wee-Wee Pad, but she does leave puddles here and there on the Áoor. But we have tiles and not rugs so it is not an issue for me to clean up after her. At what point do you say goodbye to a pet? A: This is an issue that I have gone through myself time and time again with all my pets for many decades. Only a handful of my assorted pets died peacefully in their sleep. Otherwise, I have been in the same situation as you. First of all, do not let family members pressure or guilt you into doing it. The only person who is qualiÀed to say your pet is suffering physically is the vet who has been caring for it and knows it intimately. Older animals like yours that can eat on their own and still keep themselves clean, recognize you, enjoy your company and walk about without pain are not suffering. Yes, there may be issues like bodily functions and vision, but these are not problems animals worry about, as they live for the moment. You can only put your pet down once, so do not make the choice to do it unless your vet advises it if you do not want to feel any guilt. Wheezer, my last Siamese cat, is now 19. He is frail and skinny and suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, despite a raw food diet and drugs such as Prednisone prescribed by my vet. However, he still toddles about the house and keeps himself clean and at night always Ànds me and falls asleep on my chest. He could sleep anywhere in the house, but the fact that he feels safe with me at this time in his life touches my heart. I do not mind cleaning up the messes he makes, as I know the problem will resolve itself sooner than I would like, and I will never have another Wheezer again after that. — Marc Marrone, Newsday
A real beat-the-heat beagle treat. Q&A help Q: Is it bad to give ice cubes to my dog? My beagle will do backÁips to get an ice cube from me when she sees me open the freezer. She licks them and crunches them and seems very happy, but I wondered if dogs can get “brain freeze” like we do and if I should limit them. A: If crunching an ice cube is bad for a dog, I have not been able to Ànd any scientiÀc research on the subject. All my dogs used to go crazy for ice cubes. My cat would bat them across the Áoor. My parrots all enjoy playing with them, and even our bunny will nose one along a bit and then lay on top of it until it melts. I assume that he is using it to cool off. However, if any readers have uncovered research on whether eating or playing with ice cubes is harmful to pets, I would eagerly review it and share it in a future column. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
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Florida’s Miami-Dade Animal Services director Alex Munoz, center, holds Ringo, a terrier mix, as Finding Rover founder John Polimeno logs a photo of Ringo in the pet-finding app.
Carl Juste/Miami Herald/TNS
Searching for Fido New pet finder app uses facial recognition technology
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s Fido missing? There’s an app for that. Really. And, borrowing from law enforcement, it involves facial recognition — 128 facial features, to be precise. For dogs. Recently, Miami-Dade Animal Services became the Àrst shelter in Florida to have its dogs integrated in the free Finding Rover app, whose developer came up with the idea when he saw a missing dog poster, triggering “horrible” memories of his lost dog. Here’s how it works: A person downloads the app through their smart phone and registers their dog by snapping a picture. The app loads it into a database. If their dog goes missing, the dog owner clicks a
button to report it. The software then searches the database for a match. If a match comes up, the owner is notiÀed. If someone Ànds a dog, he or she can take a picture of it and upload the photo to the site. If the dog has been reported missing and is registered, the app will notify the person who found the dog. The idea that all you need is a smart phone to help reunite a dog with its owner is very exciting to Animal Services Director Alex Muñoz. “It’s just one more way for us to keep dogs out of the shelter and in their homes,” he said. John Polimeno, the man behind the app, recently demonstrated how easy the tool is to operate at
Miami-Dade County Animal Services. Using his iPhone, he snapped a photo of 3-month-old Ringo, a terrier mix, found in the area recently. The barking button on the app got Ringo’s attention; Polimeno got a close-up of the dog’s face and posted it on the app. “It helps to get their attention,” Polimeno said of the button. “It’s that easy.” Polimeno, 56, said there are about 100,000 users in the United States and Australia, but the goal is 100 million around the world. And you don’t have to own a dog to register. Muñoz said the app will help the agency become a no-kill shelter. Last year the shelter saved 82 percent
The idea that all you need is a smart phone to help reunite a dog with its owner is very exciting.
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of the dogs and 80 percent of the cats. Muñoz said only about 1,000 of about 15,000 animals that come into the shelter annually are reunited with their families. “We are always looking for new ways to keep animals safe and out of the shelter,” he said. Polimeno came up with the idea three years ago as he sat at a coffee shop with his wife in Northern California. He said he spotted a poster of a missing dog and it brought back memories of when his black lab, Harley, went missing. Harley had jumped over their fence and took off. He and his kids, who were about 10 and 11 at the time, were devastated. They plastered the neighborhood with posters and drove around the neighborhood until they Ànally found Harley three days later with a neighbor. As he spoke to his wife an idea hit him. “I Àgured they used facial recognition on humans, why can’t they use it on dogs,” he recalled. He teamed up with the University of Utah and they developed software that uses an algorithm to use facial features to match pets that are lost and found. Polimeno said furry friends are a bit trickier than humans — short ears, long ears, long snouts, short snouts. Polimeno said he and his investors have spent about $1 million, and have more ideas in the works, including advertising on the site. They’ve started promoting the app with a music video parodying Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” featuring dancing pooches. San Diego County Animal Services was the Àrst shelter to partner with Polimeno. Since introducing the app six months ago, the shelter has had two reunions. A 10-year-old Shiba Inu named Roxie was dropped off at the shelter after the person who found the dog checked the app and didn’t get a match. Turns out Roxie’s owner had already visited the shelter, but didn’t Ànd his dog. He saw the poster for Finding Rover, and his daughter uploaded a picture of Roxie wearing sunglasses. So when Roxie came into the shelter, a worker said she remembered seeing the dog on the app. “Every time an animal goes home it is a good thing at an animal shelter,” said Daniel DeSousa wiht the San Diego Animal Services Department. “For us that proved that this does help and it does get dogs reunited.” Q — Carli Teproff, Miami Herald
ABOUT THAT FISH
Fish tank’s clear water doesn’t mean it’s clean. Q&A help Q: We have a 29-gallon fresh water Àsh tank with parrot Àsh, rose line sharks and angelÀsh. It has been running for two years now, and we have not lost any Àsh. We just bought four gloÀsh and added them to the tank to give it some color, and they all died within two days. We took a sample of water to the pet store and the guy there tested it and told us that the pH was low and we needed to raise the pH and change at least 25 percent of the water. To keep the tank in perfect condition, he said, we need to change 10 percent of the water once a week. We have a very expensive canister Àlter for the tank that keeps the water crystal clear, and we add more water as it evaporates. We do not understand why we need to change the water if the Àlter is keeping it so clear. Plus, why do the Àsh that we have in the tank now seem so perfect if the water is supposedly so bad? A: Just because the water in your tank is crystal clear does not mean that it is in perfect condition. The Àlter that you have forces the tank water through layers of Àber and carbon and other media that catch all the free-Áoating debris and thus hold it in one place — the Àlter. It is all still in the aquarium but just not in the part of it where the Àsh live. The Àsh, however, are still exposed to it as the water Áows from the tank to the Àlter and back again. All this organic debris that is sitting in the Àlter will affect certain aspects of the water chemistry such as the pH as the person who tested your water discovered. There are invisible chemicals that the Àsh give off regularly — such as the ammonia in their urine — that cannot be Àltered out. Bacteria that live in the Àlter media will break down the ammonia into nitrite, which then breaks down into a chemical called nitrate that is harmless to Àsh in small amounts. But since the nitrate does not break down any further in your average home aquarium, it builds up through time into amounts that can stress Àsh out. The only way to reduce the level of nitrate in the water is to physically remove it by taking out some of the water and replacing it with new water. Adding water after evaporation doesn’t help because evaporation leaves all the harmful toxins in the water. This is why frequent partial water changes are so important to keeping your home aquarium in top condition. Fish are like humans in that they can adapt over time to less-than-perfect living conditions. Your Àsh that have been in the tank have become used to these conditions as the changes happened gradually. However, when you moved the gloÀsh from the perfect water that was in the pet store to your home aquarium, they could not handle the change to a water of low pH and most likely a high nitrate level, and that is why they succumbed so quickly. — Marc Marrone, Newsday
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You’re movin’ in? Move it on over, this is Rover!
So you’re moving in with someone, and it turns out he or she already has a roommate — one that is sometimes smelly and at times quite charming.
Roommate, pet included W
hat happens when your new roommate — whether a friend, signiÀcant other or family member — has a pet? Navigating someone else’s adoration for an animal can add a thorn to communication in the kingdom of living together. Tread carefully, experts advise, whether Fluffy belongs to a platonic roommate or a romantic interest. People can have emotional attachments to a cat or dog that rival similar feelings toward kids, said Dr. Jeremy Martinez, a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist. “Some people will see their pets like children and may tie a lot of importance to that pet, more than you might realize,” Martinez said. “You might
see the pet as just an animal, but they might see it as a family member.” Cat Warren, the Durham, N.C.-based author of “What the Dog Knows” (Touchstone), has been both the one moving in and the one with an attimes rascally pet. When she moved in with her husband while they were dating, her asthma compelled him to Ànd another home for his two cats. But years later, when they took in her parents’ dog, an Irish setter named Megan, he adopted her as his own, albeit reluctantly. “She really was a complete pill,” Warren said. But when Megan died 12 years later, she recalled, “we actually both cried.”
If you’re moving in with someone who expects you to be a pet parent — or if you are deciding how much of a role you want to play in the pet’s life — experts offer some guidelines: Communicate. An animal, which should be a spirit lifter, can, in fact, become a wedge. Before moving boxes in, make sure to sit and speak. Just as you would talk about bills, discuss who will care for the pet and where it is allowed. “Dogs are really good at invading space,” Warren said. “Are you going to allow the dog to be in the bedroom when you have sex, much less on the bed?” And when issues arise — cats urinating outside their litter box, dogs chewing favorite shoes —
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instead of blaming or attacking the pet or person, use “I” statements, Martinez suggested: “‘This is how I feel about the animal.’ Instead of placing the blame on the other person, this technique allows people to really redirect those strong emotions toward those feelings and toward more rational discussion.” Take care of your own pet. At least in the beginning, the responsibilities of pet ownership — feeding, walking, trips to the vet, purchasing food and other supplies — should be the primary pet owner’s responsibility, said Charlotte Reed, a self-described “petrendologist” who offers pet etiquette advice. “Don’t expect your new boyfriend to want to walk your dog,” she said. And if your pet brieÁy turns into a monster, “You should expect to pay for anything that your pet destroys,” she added. “If your cat pees on your roommate’s bed, expect to buy your roommate a new bed.” Consider investing in a dog trainer to scope potential problems. “We never truly understand what our own bad habits are and what we tolerate versus what somebody coming into this relationship might tolerate,” Warren noted. Don’t force someone to love your pet. If you were coming into a relationship in which a signiÀcant other had a child, you would need to let that relationship develop naturally, Martinez said. The same is true where a pet is concerned. The Àrst meeting can be key. “Kneel down; let the pet smell your hand,” Reed said. “Don’t come looming over.” Pet owners need to give their new roommate as much time as needed to get to know their pet. “Try to remember back to when that dog came into your life and
what you did to bond with that dog,” Warren said. Be open to change. “Very often in new relationships, the person who has the pet is loath to give over any control,” Warren noted. “They have to be willing to give over some control.” Understand that your routines might change. For starters, let the
‘Oh, were these your towels from your grammy? My bad …’ new person feed the dog, if he’s willing. Have him set the food down, then quietly stand behind the animal, Warren advised. (Unlike standing in front of the dog and its food, this reassures the pet that the new person won’t be taking the food away.) Realize that your pet might love the new addition more than you expect. Sure, one fear is a dog growling at the new roommate,
boyfriend or girlfriend. But what happens if the pet actually likes the new person more? “That can be very discouraging, and we see that happen with actual children, too,” Martinez said. “Oftentimes that does require a discussion of those feelings between the two individuals, so that they don’t harbor resentment.” Recognize that this doesn’t have to turn into a negative situation. Warren and Reed both said that when their signiÀcant others embraced their pet equally, it became another member of the family. On the other hand … Be prepared to walk away. Sometimes, living with someone who has a pet reveals a different side of the pet owner. What if the person doesn’t take good care of the pet? What if she thinks having a roommate means she can abdicate some responsibility? “You have a date and don’t want to come home? Either get home to make sure you can feed your cat or say to your roommate, ‘Do you mind feeding my cat?’” Reed said. “Don’t assume anyone is going to take care of your responsibility.” Reed had a friend who lived in an apartment where her roommate’s cat cried all the time and was often left by itself for days. “She had to move,” Reed said. Life lessons: Whatever happens, experts say, cohabitating with a pet will lend lessons about the strength of a friendship or relationship. “Sometimes, dogs are great sort of barometers,” Warren said. Q — Alison Bowen, Chicago Tribune
ABOUT THAT CAT
Stay classy, kitty. Q&A advice Q: I know you’re a big proponent of training classes for kittens. Why do kittens need to go to school? A: Kitty kindergarten (or kitten socialization classes) offers a wonderful opportunity to socialize kittens to one another, to people (of all different ages) and to new experiences. Typically, classes are offered for kittens from 8 weeks to 15 or 16 weeks old. The classes generally meet over two days for an hour each time, or in one 90-minute session. Avoid any kitten class that doesn‘t mandate a veterinary medical release to make sure all participating pets are healthy. Such classes are also useful if you want to take your cat out into the world later on. You’ll learn the basics of using a leash and harness, plus tips on how to desensitize kittens to carriers and to car rides. I suggest these kittens are healthier because they’re likely to visit the veterinarian more often, just because it’s not such an ordeal to get them there. “Students” are introduced to a variety of toys and a wide range of people, all of whom will handle the kittens (in a game called “pass the kitty”). Early handling seems to help kittens become more accepting of different people later in life. Kittens can be taught behaviors — like giving a “high four” — using a clicker in class, but as with puppy classes, the focus is mostly on teaching owners how to care for their pets. Basic care is covered, from clipping nails to how and where to set up litter boxes, brushing your cat‘s teeth, etc. Many classes are held at veterinary clinics so the exam rooms and the lab coats become familiar. Most of all, the classes are fun for people (including children) and for kittens, who learn to cope with change (not a cat’s favorite thing). — Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency
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Forward pawgress You, too, can sign your dog up for a presidential run
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unning for president is so easy, even a dog can do it. Or at least the dog’s name can appear on the Federal Election Commission’s list of nearly 800 potential candidates for president. Candidate ID P60009883, also known as Bailey D. Dog, is a black Labrador who lives with the Rubin family of Chicago’s northwest suburban Long Grove. He was thrust into politics by Jacob Rubin, 14, and his brother, Jonathan, 12. “We had no idea what our sons were up to,” their mother, Judy, said. “We (she and her husband, Bob) were in Florida, and our sons were having these random conversations about Bailey running for president.” To introduce Bailey into presidential politics, the Rubin brothers Àlled out a Form 2, a “statement of candidacy,” which is required for presidential candidates within 15 days of raising or spending more than $5,000. Filling out the form starts a process in which the FEC can track a campaign’s money. However, a candidate need not spend or raise a penny, or even be serious about running for ofÀce. The form is online, and the FEC is required to check it and publish the results no matter who Àlls it out or his or her intentions. (Getting on ballots is a different matter, and the process varies by state.) A burst of candidates, some quite nontraditional, has the FEC processing signiÀcantly more of these forms than any presidential race in the last 40 years, a duty that can distract from the group’s primary job of tracking campaign funds. A candidate’s eligibility to run for ofÀce is irrelevant to the FEC. “The agency has no authority and makes no judgment on an individual’s qualiÀcations or eligibility to run for ofÀce or obtain ballot access,” said Christian Hilland, FEC deputy press ofÀcer, in an email. When the Chicago Tribune noticed that a local dog was on the FEC’s list, it reached out to Jacob Rubin, a freshman at Stevenson High School. “Bailey is a black Labrador retriever who was born and rescued in Indiana,” Jacob said in an email. “His exact age is unknown, but he is estimated to be between 4-5 years old in human years, which would make him about 35 in dog years, thus making him eligible to run for president.” Eligible if he were a human being. The Constitution requires the president to be both a “person” and a “citizen.” Jacob said the process of registering a presidential candidate was simple. “To Àle, you just need to either mail a statement
of candidacy to the FEC, or you can Àle online,” Jacob said. Plenty of other names on the FEC’s list are mock candidates. There’s “Tom Brady’s Sketch,” a reference to an unattractive courtroom drawing of the NFL quarterback that went viral recently. There’s also a cat from Arizona. The ease with which people can add names to the FEC list was highlighted when an Iowa teen submitted “Deez Nuts” as a candidate, and a pollster included that name in a survey. “Deez Nuts” attracted 9 percent support in North Carolina, trailing Donald Trump (40 percent) and Hillary Clinton (38 percent). The number of candidates on the FEC list — 768 as of John Konstantaras/Chicago Tribune/TNS Aug. 23 — easily Jacob Rubin, 14, left, and his brother Jonathan, 12, with their dog Bailey. The brothers eclipses the 419 in signed up the dog — Bailey D. Dog — as an independent candidate for president. 2012 and the 366 in 2008 With more obvious that things can spread pretty quickly via Àlings on its plate compared to last election, and the social media.” media onslaught of the fake candidates, the FEC has “That the number of these ‘mock’ candidates its hands full. has grown is not surprising given the nature of this “We’ve always had protest candidates of various particular election,” said Meredith McGehee, policy sorts,” said Timothy Hagle, a political science director at the Washington-based Campaign Legal professor at the University of Iowa. “It seems pretty
BAILEY FOR PRESIDENT
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ABOUT THAT DOG Center. “First, there is no incumbent running. Second, the leading Democrat is a woman. Third, the (then) leading candidate for the Republicans is an outspoken businessman who is shocking the political world. Fourth, this election will likely solidify a generational change in political leadership that started with (President Barack) Obama.” Another new element this time around: Bailey D. Dog. “I was inspired to register Bailey after reading an article about all the wacky presidential candidates that are running,” Jacob Rubin said. Bailey has taken stands on the issues, Jacob said. “Bailey does like socializing with both animals and humans, eating gourmet cheese, barking at trucks, taking walks and playing tug of war,” he said. “The only two things Bailey greatly dislikes is swimming (he is very afraid of the water) and postmen.” The Long Grove canine can be described as a democratic socialist, Jacob said. “Bailey supports helping the homeless, as he was once a homeless dog, doesn’t believe in the death penalty, as when he was rescued from a high-kill shelter, he was just days from his planned euthanasia.” The dog’s campaign website, bailey2016.weebly.com, features his slogan: Forward Pawgress. Q — Kori Rumore and Jonathon Berlin, Chicago Tribune
Training dogs to come when called. Q&A help Q: Can you give me some tips on teaching my shepherd mix Zeus to come when I call him? So far, what I’m doing isn’t working. A: You didn’t mention what you’ve been doing with Zeus, so I’ll list some general concepts here for you and readers in general to consider. I describe the recall, or teaching the come cue, as a valuable behavior well worth the investment. It’s one that is really important to have from the dog owner’s perspective, and to have an excellent recall relies, in part, on lots of practice. In my mind, the perfect recall looks like this: My dog is off leash, at a distance from me, not looking in my direction, and is interested in something in the environment (a squirrel, another dog, a smelly bush, etc.). When I say “Come!” the dog immediately and joyfully turns and runs directly to me, ignoring everything else in the environment. That’s my goal behavior, not a training scenario. First and probably most important is to recognize that in order to be reliable, the act of coming to you must be a pleasurable experience for Zeus, both when teaching it and maintaining it. So it’s important to know what your dog Ànds highly rewarding. In my opinion, the very best reward for a recall is an active one, so I engage my dog in a game of Tug each time he comes when called. For some dogs, hand play is just as rewarding, as is high-in-value food, access to a squeaky toy, etc. You’ve got to Àgure out at least two ways to highly reward your dog when he comes to you, and that may require some experimentation on your part. The word “Come” is not nearly as important as how you say it. If you are quiet, monotone, scolding or demanding in tone, it makes sense that your dog would want to avoid you. So make sure your tone of voice is positive and encouraging. Dogs are attracted to motion, so you can use movement as an incentive to come to you by calling your dog and running away from him, encouraging him as you go. Most importantly, when he responds and comes to you, the reward should be massive and prolonged — a true celebration each and every time! Remember, having a reliable off-leash recall is the goal behavior, but it should be taught in increments. First on a short leash and without distractions, so it is easy for the dog to successfully come to you. Next on a long leash, so you can work at a greater distance. Finally, working on a long leash in a variety of distracting environments to continue with the concept that coming to you will always be more rewarding than whatever your dog can Ànd in the environment. Keep in mind that every time you call Zeus and reward him for coming to you, you’re investing in his response the next time you call him. So practice it often, and make it fun and rewarding. Getting hooked up with a trainer who teaches positively, without punishment, is of particular value in obtaining a beautiful and reliable recall. — Lisa Moore, Modesto Bee
What?
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Katie Falkenberg/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Vet tech Lauren Nickerson weighs Sammy, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, at DTLAvets in Los Angeles. According to the latest study from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, more than 50 percent of the nation’s dogs and cats are overweight.
How much does he weigh? The importance of preventing pet obesity
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arÀeld is not the only fat cat around. According to the Assn. for Pet Obesity Prevention, more than 50 percent of the nation’s cats and dogs are overweight. And just as concerning, more than 90 percent of their owners don’t recognize that their pet is carrying around extra pounds. “People automatically think a fat cat is a happy cat,” says Ernie Ward, owner of Seaside Animal Care in Calabash, N.C. “But it’s not cute. It’s killing.” Ward founded the organization in 2005 after realizing that many veterinarians were not talking to pet owners about obesity. Ten years later, he says, vets are Ànally having those necessary conversations. “It’s an emotional land mine,” Ward says. “You don’t know when you’re going to step on the wrong button because people inherently have a problem with questions (about how they’re) feeding pets because we equate love with food and treats.” Not unlike humans, pets can face obesity because of too much food and too little exercise, says Eve Flores, a veterinarian and co-owner of DTLAvets with Leia Castaneda.
Overweight animals are more prone to a host of health conditions, including arthritis, high blood pressure and blindness. Here are suggestions from Ward, Flores and Castaneda for pet owners looking to improve pets’ health:
ANNUAL CHECKUPS Many pet owners do not take their dogs or cats to the veterinarian until something is wrong. “We can’t practice preventive medicine if we’re not seeing the pets,” Flores says. Pets should be seen by the veterinarian at least once a year for the doctor to evaluate the animals — and educate the owners.
READ LABELS “The most important decision a pet owner makes every day is what they feed their pet,” Ward says. Flores encourages pet owners to look at the ingredients listed on food packages. If any of the Àrst three items is unpronounceable or hard to understand, don’t buy it.
CALORIES COUNT “Pay attention to the amount you’re actually feeding your dog,” Castaneda says, adding that owners should be aware that treats have calories too. She also says that diet food and pet foods that are grain free or raw have become marketing tools more than healthful alternatives.
EXERCISE Ward uses a simple equation to get through to his clients: “Fat equals inÁammation, which equals disease which equals early death.” To avoid that, exercise is a must, he says. “It is as simple as walking your dog 30 minutes a day, interacting with your cat for Àve minutes three times a day.” Flores adds that extending normal walking or play times by 10 minutes can do the trick. Q — Tre’vell Anderson, Los Angeles Times
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ABOUT THAT DOG
Hound carrying too much weight around? Q&A help
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yle expresses some frustration as he attempts to get some pounds off his dog,
AJ. AJ is an 8-year-old basset hound who has become quite overweight. Kyle had AJ neutered about 18 months ago, and it seems AJ has gotten heavier ever since. Even with the use of a “lite” formula diet, AJ has continued to put on weight, and Kyle is concerned. Advice: I’d like to commend Kyle for his concern over AJ’s weight. Indeed obesity, as we have discussed before, is a huge problem in our companions — one that can have veryy serious health consequences. I also would like to address an issue brought up by Kylee concerning neutering and weight gain. Neutering, the term given for the sexual altering of a male or female animal, does not cause weight gain and obesity. This misconception is common, and its source is quite logical. When a companion is neutered, their metabolic rate will gradually drop, in some individuals as much as 25 percent over time. With this drop in metabolic rate, there is a corresponding drop in the amount of food necessary to maintain body weight and condition. Unfortunately this is not always taken into consideration, and these companions continue to be fed the same amount of food after neutering as before. This excessive caloric intake can lead to weight gain and often obesity. To alleviate this potential health problem, I advise caretakers to begin to reduce the amount of food they give their companions after having them neutered. I shoot for a 25 percent decrease in the volume of food fed over two to three weeks. This will
completely eliminate the weight gain potential due to the drop in metabolism brought on by the surgery. AJ is already obese, and he needs to drop some pounds. Kyle reports he has tried “lite” formula foods without results, which, I must say, is a common scenario. “Lite” diets do indeed contain fewer calories per unit volume when compared to the regular formula of the same food. However, the difference is often not enough to truly engage the weight loss cascade within the pet’s body. When we think about it, it is really quite simple to initiate weight loss in our companions. Simply reducing the amount of any diet fed to below the daily requirement for maintaining body weight will, over time,
lead to weight loss. The problem with this method is the compliance of the caretaker and the insistence from the companion that he or she is starving. I have personally been through this process and can sympathize. A better method for producing consistent weight loss involves the use of a prescription diet formula designed to provide your companion with that feeling of fullness after eating without providing excess calories. Prescription diet foods are available through your veterinarian. Your veterinarian, after establishing that your companion has no underlying problems proble that may be causing obesity, can establish an iideal body weight. Then, with the exclusive use of a diet formula in a speciÀed volume on a ddaily basis, the weight loss program can begin. The length of time needed to reac reach the ideal body weight targeted by your vveterinarian will vary primarily based on how mu much weight needs to be lost, but also on each individual’s ind metabolism. As is the case in people people, each companion is unique in their metabo metabolism, and some require more calories than oth others to maintain the same body weight. This can be dealt with by starting with a speciÀc amount of diet formula as eestablished at the beginning of a weight loss program progr and then weighing the companion on a mont monthly basis and adjusting the amount of food aaccordingly. If the weight loss is too rapid, the th food volume will be increased; and if the weight loss is too slow, the amount will be reduced. These adjustments are determine determined by your veterinarian and over time will assure successful weight loss. Once your companion reac reaches the targeted body weight, a maintenance maint diet and amount can be established establishe assuring a healthy body weight for your companion’s long, happy life. — Jeff Kahle Kahler, Modesto Bee
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A different kind of
‘treat’-ment Holistic medicine goes to the dogs (and cats, horses, birds)
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alancing on three legs — one of her hind legs was amputated because of an injury — Olive basked under the agile Àngers of Julie Kaufman, reveling in her chiropractic session at Animal Holistic Care Specialists in Marshall, Wis. The long-haired mini dachshund’s remaining hind leg stopped moving. Because of their shape, it’s common for dachshunds to suffer spinal problems, usually in discs near the spot where their ribs end. Owner Marie Woerpel brought Olive, writhing in pain, to Kaufman. Kaufman diagnosed a paralyzed disc in her back. By gently restoring range of motion through massage and acupressure, an ice pack fastened around Olive and other homeopathic methods, the rescue pup regained use of her back leg. Chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal medicine, JointYoga and other holistic remedies are no longer just for humans. A growing number of pet owners are bringing their animals to places like Animal Holistic Care Specialists — dogs, cats, even horses and other pets suffering from ailments and injuries. Last year Americans spent a record $58 billion on their pets, according to the American Pet Products Association, which estimates that number to grow to $60 billion in 2015. Of that amount, around $15 billion is spent on the health of pets. At Animal Holistic Care Specialists, most animals brought in for chiropractic work are injured in slips or falls — three to four paralyzed dogs come in each week for treatment — or are older and having difÀculty getting around. The clinic sees a range of animals, from performance animals such as police dogs, show cattle, racing horses and service dogs, to geriatric animals that are virtually homebound. The largest patients for Kaufman have been draft horses with pelvic and range-of-motion issues. The smallest was a zebra Ànch named Chester suffering from a bum leg, which meant he couldn’t hold onto a perch. “It’s every type of animal, every economic range,” said Kaufman. “We see milking goats, alpacas, goshawks that Áew into windows.” Prices for chiropractic treatments range from $120 for small animals and $151 for large animals for a Àrst visit, which includes a full exam, and $60 to $91 for a return visit. Acupuncture treatments are $140 for small animals for a one-hour Àrst visit and $88 for return treatments; for large animals it’s $150
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/TNS
Chiropractor Julie Kaufman works with Turbo (who suffered from paralysis) at Holistic Animal Specialists in Marshall, Wis. The clinic offers treatment options not found in most practices, including chiropractic care and acupuncture.
for a Àrst visit and $98 for further sessions. Animal Holistic Care Specialists makes house calls for large animals such as horses, sheep and cattle. In another room at the facility, veterinarian Lisa Kluslow places acupuncture needles in a retired greyhound named Judge. She can tell by Judge’s toenails that he’s dragging his rear legs, like an older person walking with a shufÁing gait. She places 17 needles at pressure points throughout his body, some on his head, down his sleek back and a few in his hind feet.
Kluslow uses the same acupuncture needles for animals as humans though she sometimes needs longer needles for patients with thick fur or heavily muscled bodies. Acupuncture points are roughly in the same parts of the body for both humans and animals, areas with bundles of nerve endings that release endorphins that help alleviate pain and nausea, modulate blood supply and affect the immune system. Pet owners often notice an almost immediate change in their pet. Dogs that couldn’t jump into a car or walk up stairs have a new spring in their step. “We see pets that the owners thought would never walk again,” said Kluslow, a 2001 University of Wisconsin-Madison Veterinary School graduate. After a session or two, animals quickly Àgure out what’s happening and sprawl out during the treatment and nap. “A lot of times they’ll present the body part they want done. We see a lot of older hunting dogs with problems especially in their hips, and they’ll position themselves for the hip they want done,” said Mari Frank, as she held a cat named Nacho for acupuncture treatment. “Horses will do the same thing — they’ll position themselves if you’re not hitting the spot right away.” Frank sought Kaufman’s help when her roping horse suffered a pulled groin muscle. She later became a certiÀed JointYoga practitioner who combines acupressure, joint alignment and massage to alleviate pain and calm anxious animals as well as people. Before becoming a JointYoga practitioner, Frank worked as an MRI and X-ray technician in Madison, Wis., and joked that, although she works with many animals in pain, “I got bit, scratched and hit more in the medical Àeld” with humans. Referrals come from veterinarians or other pet owners. Sometimes those who don’t want to spend money on surgery or euthanasia come to Animal Holistic Care Specialists as a last resort, Ànding that their pets respond well to treatments and tell others. Kaufman was a pre-veterinary student at University of Wisconsin-Madison when she injured her back in a horseback riding accident. She sought treatment for her back with a chiropractor but then wondered about her horse. More than 1,200 people have become certiÀed
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ABOUT THAT CAT through the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association since the late 1980s when the program started, said Leslie Means, the association’s executive director. Veterinary chiropractic certiÀcation programs are also offered in Australia and Europe. Members include a mix of both veterinarians and chiropractors, quite a few of whom work with both humans and animals. Gene Giggleman, a veterinarian and director of the postgraduate program at Parker University in Dallas, is seeing an increase in the number of veterinarians seeking chiropractic training. Class size is limited to 40 students and the program is always Àlled. Giggleman’s small animal practice has evolved over the years to where it’s now 90 percent chiropractic and 10 percent traditional veterinary medicine. He thinks more veterinarians are getting chiropractic training because they’re becoming more aware of the beneÀts. “More and more animal owners are seeking chiropractic care because they are concerned about the adverse effects of drugs and the cost of surgery. I have helped so many dogs who were brought to me because the owner could not afford surgery and the veterinarian recommended euthanasia. They bring me their beloved pet, and through chiropractic care we are able to restore the pet’s quality of life,” Giggleman said in an email.
Prices for chiropractic treatments range from $120 for small animals and $151 for large animals for a first visit. A year ago Lora Post heard her dog, Turbo, bang headÀrst into a door at her home and scream. Her poodle-fox terrier mix was paralyzed. Surgery would have cost $4,000 to $5,000 with an iffy chance of Turbo regaining mobility, Post said. Her veterinarian suggested contacting Kaufman, who could see that the dog’s neck was swollen and he was suffering from head and cervical injuries. It took six weeks of once- or twice-weekly chiropractic treatments before Turbo could move again, as Kaufman gently increased the range of motion in his neck. Now Turbo comes once every two months. “The difference was just so amazing,” said Post, as her Cairn terrier, Willow, stood on hind legs for a closer look at Turbo’s treatment. “We were surprised. We thought about putting Turbo down.” While Kaufman straddled a padded bench, Turbo sat on his haunches as she massaged his stout body, using gentle pressure on muscles, tendons and joints. “It’s the best profession in the world, to work with both people and animals. It’s so amazingly fulÀlling,” said Kaufman. Q — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The adventures of crazy tabby. Q&A help Q: We do not know what to do with our kitty. She is a rescue and we have had her for almost nine months. She is wild and runs all over the house from room to room, sliding over rugs, up and down furniture. She loves to play, but is always climbing on something she shouldn’t — window screens, kitchen counter, windowsills, etc. We have tried scolding and spraying with water, but neither works. Does anyone “obedience train”’ cats? A: You need to get the idea that the cat is doing something wrong out of your head. Cats have no idea of right and wrong behavior. There is not a thing in the world that a cat would think of as something that should not be climbed on except perhaps an electric fence. Otherwise, the world is theirs for the taking, and spraying it with water just reinforces the cat’s idea of how ridiculous and random your actions are. You have to get the cat a couple of those big cat trees that have shelves and tunnels on them and put them in her favorite rooms. Make the cat tree even more attractive by rubbing catnip all over it. This is more fun for her to play on than your couch. Get a big cardboard box and tape the top closed and then cut a few holes in the sides so that she can crawl in the holes and explore the inside of the box; something like this can keep her busy for a long time and thus tire her out and divert her attention away from the other household objects that she is knocking over. To keep her from jumping on the kitchen countertops, you can put a few strips of double-sided tape on them so that when she does jump on the counter she will feel the sticky tape touching her paws and thus decide for herself that this is not a nice place to be. If she likes to jump on the windowsills, install a couple of those cat window seats in front of her favorite windows so she can lie there and look out the window as long as she wants, thus leaving the curtains alone. Only by looking at the situation from the animal’s point of view can you understand why it is doing what it is doing, and when you understand that, you can trick it into making your choices its choices. — Marc Morrone, Newsday
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CAT ADOPTION IS A WONDERFUL OPTION
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hile some animal shelters have too many dogs, all shelters that accept cats seem to have an excess. For starters, by adopting, you may save a life. Cat lovers tend to seek out kittens or very young cats, which is fine. Certainly, when it comes to the “cute factor,” it’s hard to beat out a kitten. Still, adopting an adult cat — or better yet two of them who already know each other — can be the best fit, especially for busy families. At least the cats can enjoy each other’s company when family members are away. Adult cats are usually still playful, but they’re past the kitten crazies and have learned general rules about living with people. If a shelter adopts cats with FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), consider taking in one or two infected cats. Although this virus is in some ways similar to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), people can’t get the feline form of the disease. Many shelters euthanize these cats because they have to be housed separately and the shelters don‘t have space. FIV cats can pass on the virus to other cats, primarily through bite wounds. However, with proper introductions, FIV cats and cats without the disease can live together peacefully. Several FIV cats certainly can live together with no risk. In my experience, FIV cats are often like cuddly teddy bears. Cats with FIV are in fact more susceptible to illness, so they do need
owners who are diligent about following up at any sign of sickness. Yet with proactive veterinary care (which all cats should have anyway), many cats with FIV can live as long as uninfected cats and in general good health. Whatever kind of cat you choose, adoption overall is a wonderful bargain. “People often think there has to be something wrong with (cats in shelters), that they’re second-hand pets,” says Dave de Funiak, executive director of Tree House Humane Society in Chicago. Of course, this is false, and, “Today, with the economy being what it is, saving money is important,” de Funiak notes. Petfinder.com has actually done the math. When you adopt a cat from a shelter, the pet has already been examined by a veterinarian at the facility, given necessary vaccines, tested for feline leukemia and the feline immunodeficiency virus, spayed or neutered, treated for parasites and microchipped. “This adds up to $300 to $700 in savings,” says Jane Harrell, an associate producer at Petfinder.com. “Shelters also observe their cats to understand and treat behavior quirks and to learn which cats may have special dietary requirements.” Many shelters offer cats with special needs, but these animals can still make super pets. Some of these cats may be getting on in years, missing an eye from a fight, or minus a leg from a collision with a car, but they’re desperate for love and a home. If you want to make a difference, every adoption matters. Adoption may be a great option, but there can be some bumps in the road. Or sometimes, the cats outdoors choose our house to live in. Be honored. Besides, once they‘ve decided many cats just don‘t take no for an answer. Q — Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency
Fotolia
Adopting an adult cat — or better yet two of them who already know each other — can be the best fit, especially for busy families.
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VIRTUAL PET FUN Kids at hospital can ‘play’ with shelter pets via interactive camera
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hildren at a Chicago-area hospital soon will be able to play with puppies and kittens at an animal shelter without leaving their
rooms. Wright-Way Rescue animal shelter set up a camera system in a playroom at its new adoption center in suburban Morton Grove so children can engage with pets virtually from their hospital beds, said Lisa Aiken, director of development at the no-kill shelter Since the beginning of the year, children at Lurie Children’s Hospital, in downtown Chicago, have been able to watch the animals play throughout the day via a stream that can be seen on their rooms’ television monitors, according to Susan Ruohonen, the hospital’s director of children’s services. “It really was amazing how popular it became almost immediately,” Ruohonen said. “It’s sort of a day in the life of puppies and to be able to experience that in real time is really a unique opportunity.”
The interactive portion will be set up at the hospital as soon as coding issues can be worked out, Ruohonen and Aiken said. Until then, the interactive portion is available online to the public, Aiken said. Anyone can watch the animals live on WrightWay’s site. Above the feed, a link labeled, “Come play with us!” leads to a site with an interactive feature that controls a camera in the room and activates one of three devices, a machine that shoots peanut butter-Áavored bubbles, a tail that wags or a long rope hanging in the middle of the room that spins. The hospital will have a separate link once it is up and running. Each visitor has two minutes to engage the devices in the room after clicking a button to queue on the site. A hospital in Florida created a similar interactive playtime, but Wright-Way is hoping to expand to hospitals across the United States. The children at other hospitals would have a separate link, Aiken said, but they would wait for their turn
to interact with the animals alongside children at Lurie. “We kind of feel like we’re rescuing both the children and the animals at the same time,” Aiken said. “They both have challenges in their lives.” Discussions to launch the program and build the room came after a bus ran into the shelter’s Niles, Ill., facility in October 2013. The video camera system was set up through a grant by LinkedIn for Good shortly after the shelter opened its new facility in September 2014. The shelter, which takes in an average of about 75 adoptable cats and dogs per week, hopes that as children and the public play with the dogs, they fall in love with them and adopt. “We already had someone come in that saw the video from the hospital bed and adopted a dog from a facility,” Aiken said. Q — Meredith Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune
Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/TNS
Sunshine, left, and Smiles, 7-week-old Brittany spaniel mix puppies, play at the Wright-Way Rescue Connect Us room in Morton Grove, Ill. Kids can watch dogs play at a shelter through a new web cam program.
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Cat training — and other feline advice TRAINED CAT? SURE, BUDDY You’ve written that cats can be trained. I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous. Why would anyone ever want to train a cat, anyway? A: Why wouldn’t you want to train a cat? Training is good for many reasons, especially because cats should be kept indoors and don’t have as large a universe as most dogs, who typically spend time exploring outdoors. It’s a fact that cats live longer, healthier lives inside. Outdoors, they must contend with coyotes, dogs, infectious diseases, ticks, even frostbite. Besides, allowing cats to roam is irresponsible, since they may kill songbirds or relieve themselves in a neighbor’s garden. However, many indoor cats become bored and fat. Dr. Karen Overall, a veterinary behaviorist and researcher in the psychiatry department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine-Philadelphia, says, “Unused brain cells do seem to wither away in people; it’s likely the same is true for cats.” In other words, if you don‘t use it, you lose it. Meanwhile, indoor cats often don’t get enough exercise. Many owners don’t take the time to play with their cats, or they don‘t know how. Training your cat to come when called, or to play hide and seek, is fun for the entire family, and good exercise for the kitty. “Behavior Guidelines for Indoor Cats,” a booklet from the American Association of Feline Practitioners and Hill’s Pet Nutrition, written by Overall and other experts (including me), promotes such games as contributors to a cat’s well-being. Teaching your cat to sit or wave will not only impress visitors, but most cats also seem to enjoy learning (as long as there’s a payoff, such as a treat). “It’s important not to diminish the importance of exercising our dog’s brain, and we seem to do that some, but cat brains require exercise, too,” Overall says. The fact is, you can train a cat to do pretty much anything you can train a dog to do. Learn more from “Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats.” Also, “Behavior Guidelines for Indoor Cats” is free at catvets.com.
CAT BEGGING AT THE TABLE We recently rescued a cat that was hanging around our home. At Àrst, we thought he was feral and kept feeding him because he was so thin. When we discovered he was incredibly friendly, we brought him indoors. We took him to the vet, had him neutered and given appropriate shots. There’s only one problem: He’s desperate for food and continually begs. He even tries to snatch food from our hands. Is there any way to curb his appetite? A: You did the right thing by taking him for a checkup, neutering and vaccines. (For pet owners with other cats in the house, it’s important to quarantine a newcomer for several weeks.) As for this cat’s appetite, remember that outdoor life isn’t easy. Many homeless cats don‘t know where their next meal is coming from, so they learn to take full advantage of any opportunity to eat. To curb your cat’s cravings, rather than leaving food out all the time, feed him at speciÀc times. If you feed kibble, use Play-N-Treat balls (or similar products cats can push around to make food to tumble out). Place the balls near the cat’s food dish, then gradually move them farther away until you’re “hiding” the balls around the house. This will activate the cat’s drive to “hunt” for food. If you’re feeding moist food, do the same by splitting the cat’s food into three or four different bowls and scattering them around the house. It’s best to feed this cat while you eat; if he’s off searching for his own meal, he won’t be begging at the table. Also, don’t offer your cat table snacks. If the begging continues, gently take your kitty into another room and close the door until you’ve Ànished your meal.
MISSING SWEET SNICKERS Snickers recently passed away, and my other cat, Sophie, 6, misses him. These cats were very close, often lying together, paws wrapped around one another and grooming each other. I feel I need another cat to take Sophie’s mind off of Snickers, but I don’t know whether to get a kitten or an older cat. Also, should I get a male or female? I want to limit any risks. A: CertiÀed cat behavior consultant Beth Adelman, of New York City, has a great way of looking at this matter: “Imagine you lost your husband just days or weeks ago, and some cousin is not only Àxing you up but asking the person to move in with you. Give yourself and Sophie time to grieve.” Once you think you’re ready for a new feline face in the house, in general, the opposite sex is best, says Adelman, and a kitten would be the least threatening. Most important is the way in which the cat is introduced to Sophie. The newcomer should Àrst be placed in a sanctuary room. Adelman quotes certiÀed cat behavior consultant Pam Johnson-Bennett’s advice to introduce the cats “one sense at a time.” “In a word,” Adelman says, “the introduction needs to be gradual.” She adds: “Rotate the bedding and toys so the two cats get a sense of each other through these objects. They get to know one another through their scents. When you initially introduce the cats, keep it brief and give each cat an amazing treat. Then return the cats to their usual places. If they only get this treat when they see each other, they’ll more likely become buddies. There’s no guarantee they’ll ever be as close as Snickers and Sophie, but since Sophie apparently appreciates companionship, if you take your time, (this technique) will probably work.” Q — Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency
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ROVER RX The health benefits of pet ownership
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umans are the complete social being. Like many animals, humans live in our own packs and strive to form a connection with other living things. In 10,000 B.C., dogs, thought to be the Àrst domesticated animal, were found buried cradled in the arms of their owners. In 7,500 B.C., the Àrst evidence of domesticated cats was found in Egyptian burials. “Pets continue to be an optional part of our modern lives. Research shows that our desire to connect with our pets can be a valuable asset for those struggling with physical and emotional pain; mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety; and environmental factors, such as loneliness,” says Jennifer Wickham, licensed professional counselor at Mayo Clinic Health System. The potential beneÀts of pet ownership and pet therapy were Àrst explored in research in the 1980s. This research found that the companionship of pets may be important in fostering positive mental health and well-being in people (McNicols, 2005). In July 2011, the American Psychological Association reported on a study that found pets serve as an important social and emotional support for “everyday people” and for those with
“signiÀcant health challenges.” This study examined the outcomes of those individuals who owned a pet and those who did not. The results show that “pet owners fared better in terms of well-being outcomes.” “Though not a replacement for social interaction with people, pets do provide social support and stress reduction,” adds Wickham. “We know, through medical research, that increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol slows immune response to injury sites. When this occurs, the healing process can be delayed, causing increased recovery times. Developing strategies for reducing stress in everyday life and in health crisis situations has been a recent focus for all.” Many hospitals and clinics now have policies allowing pets to be present to provide emotional support and companionship to ease the stress of illness and pain. “So if you own a pet, take good care of them, because they take care of you. Their unconditional love for us bestows many wellness beneÀts,” says Wickham. Q — Mayo Clinic News Network
ABOUT THAT DOG Sometimes, dogs just don’t like each other. Q&A advice Q: We have two dogs. One is a pug who weighs about 20 pounds. The other is a Brussels Griffon, also about 20 pounds. Quick history: My son got the Brussels Griffon at his house, and it got along with the cat that was already there. Then came a pug puppy and everything was good between the dogs. Then a new baby arrived. The dogs were good with the baby until the pug snapped at him one day. So my son gave us the pug to watch until he could Àgure out what to do. We already have a rescue dog. The rescue dog and the pug became best of friends. We decided to keep the pug. Even though the pug and the Brussels got along Àne before this moving around of the dogs, the Brussels and the pug now hate each other. (We have since converted our home to a two-family and we all live there.) Although we have a gate that separates the two units, the dogs will charge at each other and then Àght at the gate. The Àghts that happen when someone leaves the gate open are quite Àerce. Can you give us any clues or advice? A: A question like this is a brutal reminder that no matter how much we love our dogs and are fascinated by them and their ways, they are still animals and some just do not like each other. In a state of nature, two such animals would go their separate ways. A professional dog behaviorist may be able to help out here by putting muzzles on the dogs and allowing them to interact doing fun things in a neutral setting over a long course of time. However, the situation will always be rather delicate, and you and your family will always be walking on eggshells around the dogs. There may be those who disagree with me, but you just may have to either resign yourself to the situation and keep the dogs apart or do your best tto rehome one of them. — Marc Marrone, Newsday
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Check out our Pet Sense page in today’s paper full of special offers from local pet care and related businesses.
T E P Sense Caring for your home and pet
Your generosity benefits the work of Pawsitive Dog Training Pawsitive Dog Prison Training Program is a cooperative effort between the Airway Heights Correctional Center, SpokAnimal, and Diamonds in the Ruff. Offender handlers train shelter dogs to make them more adoptable under the guidance of professional dog trainers Kim Imel, CPDT-KA and Carol Byrnes, CPDT-KA using force free positive training methods.
PPOEWT ER
ps and ti Tales s, cats g g o d on in veryth and e een in betw
AIRWAY HEIGHT CORRECTION CENTER
P WSITIVE DOG