IT'S BACK TO SCHOOLl! Ease the Transition For Your Dog As Well As The Kids

When kids go back to school in the Fall, it can be a big change for the dog as well as for the kids.  There's a flutter of activity in the days before school starts, then the kids are suddenly gone for long periods of time every day.  Dogs can experience some anxiety during this major change within the household. there are several reasons for this dog anxiety.



Your dog may be missing the kids when they head back to school!

WHY DOGS GET ANXIOUS AS THE KIDS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL 

• The dog may miss the kids
• He may worry that the kids won't come back
• He may get bored without the kids at home to play with
• A dog may even try to get out of the house or yard so he can "look for" the missing kids
• He knows something's different but doesn't understand what it is.  This may make him feel some separation anxiety.

What can you do to ease the Back To School transition for dogs?

^ Although Back To School time can be busy and hectic, try to spend more time with your dog as the kids head back to school.  If your days are packed, extra evening walks will be appreciated by your pup!

Puzzle toys are mentally stimulating.  They help keep dogs occupied and can burn off some energy & anxiety

^ Give your dog a new toy or something else he loves, to keep him occupied as the kids leave the house in the morning.  A puzzle toy or other interactive toy is a great distraction, and very mentally stimulating.



A nice long hike or walk will take your dog's mind off the kids being gone!

^ If your schedule permits, take the dog for a nice long walk or a hike sometime during the morning to exercise and relieve anxiety or boredom and to let him know he's still an important family member!

^ In the first week or two of school keep a close eye on your dog to see if he's exhibiting anxiety or boredom, or developing any negative habits following the transition.  

^ If you're lucky enough to work from home or be a stay at home parent and you have the time, consider trying a fun new activity with your dog.  Discover a new walking or hiking trail, sign up for lunchtime agility classes, or even take some Doga (doggie yoga) classes together!

^ If extra time with the dog isn't an option, you can hire a trusted dog walker or pet sitter to give the dog some extra attention and exercise during the day.

^ Another option is to take your dog to Doggie day camp.  We have taken our dogs to PetSmart doggie day camp regularly. The dogs love playing with other dogs all day and they burn loads of energy!

^ Have a special treat ready for your dog or cat to give just after the kids leave the house.  Make it extra delicious, and one they only get at that time.  They'll quickly realize that the kids leaving for school means special Treat Time for them!

Don't let your Fur Kids get lost in the shuffle once the insanity of Back to School starts! Have a plan to deal with the changes that will impact your dog.



Hey, where'd everybody go??



Have you experienced your dog's behavior changing when Back To School starts?  Please tell us about it in the comments.  We LOVE hearing from you!

Send the Dog Back to School too!

The Benefits of Adding Pumpkin to Your Dog's Diet

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Dogs In Carts!

RIDING IN CARTS WITH GIRLS.......

IS IT BETTER THAN RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS??  

WHAT WOULD DREW BARYMORE SAY?

MY DOG THE THERAPIST: Why Children Should Read To Dogs

Awhile back I published the first My Dog The Therapist segment, where I talked about How my Husky Icy Became a Therapy Dog.  Now I'll share with you one of the programs she participated in, a program where children read out loud to dogs!  Sounds weird, right?  Believe it or not, this helps improve a child's reading skills and is particularly beneficial to kids that struggle with reading.

Icy resting after one of the children's reading program sessions at a local library.

I was always a book worm and loved reading as a child, so a reading program where kids read out loud to dogs to improve their reading skills was right up my alley!  It sounded a little unconventional, but when I researched it more I learned that:

> Reading aloud helps children improve their reading skills significantly.

> Reading to dogs can help a child build confidence without fear of judgment or embarrassment by parents, teachers or other kids. 

> The Dogs help motivate reluctant readers who don’t like to read, or are afraid they won’t read well. 

Reading programs can take place at libraries, schools, bookstores, hospitals, even homeless shelters.

Icy in the library Community Room, waiting for the kids reading program to start. 

Here are some compelling and disturbing facts about literacy in the U.S.:

> Over 40 million adults in the U.S. don't read well enough to read a simple story to a child.  How shocking is that?!

> Nearly half of the nation's unemployed youth aged 16-21 are functional illiterate, and will have little to no job prospects.

> Children who haven't developed basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3 to 4 times more likely to drop out later.

> 60% of American prison inmates and 85% of juvenile offenders have  reading problems.  That is a pretty scary statistic!

Fact Sources:  US Dept. of Education & US Dept. of Health & Human Services

Icy and I participated in reading programs in public libraries. Usually there were 3 Therapy Dogs. Over about an hour, each child got 15 minutes to sit with the dog of their choice and read a book of their choosing. The kids loved it and so do the dogs! Kids get a kick out of seeing a "snowdog" at the library.  They loved when Icy's expression showed that she was enjoying their reading and the book they chose to read to her!  Sometimes she was so relaxed she even closed her eyes and dozed off a bit.
 

Some of the kids have never owned a dog, so it's a real treat to spend time with a dog.  The funniest thing is that sometimes the parents enjoy it even more than the kids, petting the dogs and asking questions about them while their child is reading!   

Afterwards, I would take Icy home and give her a Kong bone filled with peanut butter or a special chew stick! It's so much fun and rewarding, we love the children reading to dogs program!

 "To learn to read is to light a fire;
every syllable that is spelled out is a spark"

- Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

What do you think about a reading program where kids read out loud to dogs?  Leave us a comment, we love hearing from you!

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: The Legendary Billie Holiday's Beloved Dog

THE INCOMPARABLE BILLIE HOLIDAY WITH HER BELOVED PIT BULL, MISTER

Photo Source: The Pet Blog

"In the 70’s they blamed the Dobermans. 

In the 80’s they blamed the German Shepherds.

In the 90’s they blamed the Rottweilers. 

Now they blame the Pit Bulls.

When will they blame the humans?” 

- Cesar Millan

THIS IS A WORDLESS WEDNESDAY BLOG HOP, HOSTED BY BLOGPAWS!!!



 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR DOG GOES MISSING?

According to the Humane Society it is estimated that 6 – 8 MM pets enter shelters each year.  Many of them are owner surrenders, but many of these pets have simply gotten lost for a variety of reasons.  It is estimated that 1 in 3 family pets will get lost in their lifetime.  In addition, according to Petfinder.com, as many as 2 million animals are stolen each year!

A beautiful Lab that ended up in our animal shelter

If the unthinkable should happen and your pet disappears, time is of the essence so act quickly.  Spend a couple of hours searching the area where your pet was last seen, but if you can’t find her, here are some steps you should take.

• If your pet is micro-chipped contact the recovery service right away to alert them that she is missing.  They may be able to assist in recovery by alerting area shelters and vets.

• You should have good quality updated photos of your pet, especially when traveling.  Photos should clearly show your pet's face and body and should be in color, a black and white photo isn’t very effective.   Create flyers with color photos, details of your pet, and contact information.  Pass them out to all the neighbors within 10 or 20 blocks.  That way neighbors will have the photo to refer to if they should see your pet.  Post them in grocery stores, area veterinary offices, and other central places near where your dog went missing. 

• When you search the area check schools, malls, wooded areas, yards, and places with sheds or barns they might use for shelter.  Check areas that may be appealing to a dog or cat to hide in or get fresh water, shade or warmth.  Try to think like your pet and check places or routes they may recognize.  As you search, call her name, use a favorite squeaky toy & make other familiar noises.

• Go online and post quality color photos and details about your lost pet.  You can post on Petfinder.com, Craigslist, your local newspaper web site, Fidofinder.com, and other sites.  Do a “lost and found dogs or cats” search online to locate other sites you can post photos and details on.  Also check the Found Dog or Cat sections to see if someone has listed your pet as found.

3 little dogs that ended up in the animal shelter

• Use your social media network to communicate that your pet is lost on Facebook and other social media channels you use to connect with family and friends.  Get the kids and all their friends involved in this!

• Check ALL the animal shelters in a the area, even those that are not closest to you.  You never know which shelter a pet may be brought to, it often depends on which shelter has the most available kennel space.  Pets sometimes get transferred to different shelters as space availability changes.  Post flyers on the shelter's Lost/Found wall and try to talk to staff and volunteers if possible.

 

• Many fabulous shelter staff comb through lost pet sites online in an attempt to find an owner if there are no updated tags or microchip.  This usually works when your pet has unique attributes or is an uncommon breed.  There are likely many, many listings for lost Golden Retrievers that look very alike.  However, a listing for a lost Komondor would probably be very unique!

• Post signs throughout the area, especially near stop signs and traffic lights.  Don’t use white 8.5” by 11” paper, most of us can’t see them from a car!  Buy larger pieces of oak tag in Bright or Neon colors.  Post a color photo of your pet with details and contact info in black magic marker in large print.  Don’t cheap out, have color photos printed!

• Some people have had success using a "scenting" method. This is where you drop a trail of items with your scent or your dog's scent on it near where he was last seen before your dog got lost. This can be small items of clothing or a blanket, a recently used toy, or even treats you've rubbed your scent all over. However, be aware that treats could be eaten by other animals so use them along with other scent items. 

Rudy, one of my foster dogs napping in the sun in our yard.  He came into the shelter in pretty bad shape.  You can read Rudy's Story here. 

It takes a village to find a lost dog or lost cat, so make sure you spread the word and enlist the help of everyone you can think of in your search!

Sharing is caring, so if you have additional tips for finding a lost pet, please share them by posting a comment!

IT'S NATIONAL CHECK THE CHIP DAY, CHECK YOUR PET'S MICROCHIP!

August 15th is National Check The Chip Day, a day that reminds us to have our pet's microchip checked!  We should check our pet's microchip annually to ensure it's still working properly, and that it hasn't shifted away from the shoulder area of our pet's body where it's typically implanted and scanned.  It's also a reminder to update the information on the chip such as address and phone number if it's changed since you last updated it.

I never knew how critical a microchip as pet identification can be until I started volunteering at an animal shelter.  I microchipped my 15 year old cat after hearing all the stories of the bizarre ways in which pets go missing and how easily collars can break off or get wiggled out of.  

I could share countless shelter stories that illustrate the importance of microchipping your pet and of making sure the chip is updated as needed.  I have my dogs' microchips checked every time they go to the vet.  My vet thinks I'm a little neurotic, but who cares?  Here is one story I'd like to share with you.  Don't let this happen to your beloved pet.

At the shelter one day, I heard a lot of yelling in front of one of the kennels.  I walked over to find a customer yelling at a fellow volunteer, arguing about a gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgeback dog she thought she had just adopted.  Amazingly, the owner showed up to claim his dog at the precise time the woman was completing her adoption of his dog – what are the odds of that?!  Per shelter policy, the pet was to be given back to the owner and the adoption cancelled. 

Photo of a Rhodesian Ridgeback  Source: Wikipedia

The woman was furious, she wanted that purebred dog!  In her mind the owner was irresponsible and she was entitled to the dog because she filled out all the paperwork before he showed up. 

This beautiful dog had a family.  He had a Rhodesian Ridgeback sibling who missed him and a human family who loved him.  Needless to say, the dog hadn’t been microchipped and had somehow lost his collar.  The owner, a very nice young man, was overjoyed to find his beloved lost dog.  He explained that a crew of workmen in their home had been instructed to keep the front door closed, but a new guy joined the crew and wasn’t told about keeping the door closed.  He left the door open to get materials from the truck and both dogs ran out.  The other dog returned home soon after, but this one did not.  A good citizen found the dog on the street and brought him to the shelter.  The owner was lucky to have come to our particular shelter to search for his lost dog – in the nik of time!   Literally, 15 minutes later his dog would have been gone forever.  A microchip would have identified him as the owner immediately and his poor dog would not have had to go through the trauma of sitting in a shelter for days, being put through assessments and an adoption process, and nearly adopted by a total stranger.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback incident is one of those stories I often bring up when discussing the importance of microchipping pets and of ensuring the chip is working properly and is updated with current information.  It was pure luck that enabled this guy to find his dog at a shelter moments before the dog’s adoption to a stranger was FINALIZED.   

 

Let today be a reminder to Check Your Pet's Chip !

THIS IS THE CHECK YOUR CHIP DAY BLOG HOP!!!  LYNC UP & JOIN US IN SHARING THIS IMPORTANT REMINDER!!

MY DOG THE THERAPIST - A Therapy Dog's Tale

Have you ever wondered if your dog would make a good Therapy Dog?  Right from the start Icy had that rare gentle, sweet disposition that made her ideally suited for the Therapy Dog role she would have 2 years later.  The key attributes of a successful therapy dog are a gentle temperament, being well socialized, and solid basic obedience skills.  She inherently possessed the first quality, it was up to me to help her develop the socialization and obedience skills she would need as a Therapy Dog. 

Icy in front of the Christmas Tree at a local Nursing Home where she visits residents weekly.  I don't show photos of the residents to respect their privacy

A Therapy Dog is not a Service Dog.  Their job is mainly to offer comfort, emotional support, and smiles!  Icy just knows how to make people smile, even people who aren’t “dog people” are drawn to her.  I knew early on that becoming a therapy dog was somehow her calling, and I wanted to help her achieve that.  Dogs must be at least a year old to become a therapy dog, so when she was 18 months old Icy and I enrolled in a class to prepare us for the challenging requirements of the Pet Partners Therapy Dog evaluation.  My friend Paulette also enrolled in the class with her beautiful Keeshond, Tebow. 

Icy at a mall during her training, curiously checking out a Carousel

One day we took the dogs to an outdoor mall to practice our skills.  No sooner had we arrived at the mall when people started approaching us, asking to pet the dogs.  “Of course!” we’d say.  The dogs solicited smiles, laughter, and lots of pet parent stories in the people who stopped to visit with them.

A sad looking woman approached Icy and quietly asked to pet her.  As she stroked Icy, she began to talk about her German Shepherd, who had recently died.  As she talked, it was apparent that the loss of her dog was traumatic and she was having a terrible time dealing with it.  After petting Icy for awhile, she suddenly grabbed her and hugged her closely.  Tears rolled down the woman’s face as she spoke about how much her dog had meant to her and how terribly she missed him.  She was letting her tears and emotions out, allowing herself to be comforted by Icy.  It was truly an amazing thing to witness.  

 

She left after about 20 minutes, smiling and thanking us for letting her pet our dogs.  Paulette and I looked at each other, shocked at the sudden change in this woman’s mood from sad to bright and cheerful.  “I think we just did Therapy Dog work” I said "and we're still in training!"  It was such a great feeling knowing that interacting with our therapy-dogs-in-training helped lift this woman’s sadness, even if only for awhile.

After that, Icy laid down, emotionally drained by the experience.  Paulette and I decided it was time to take our “Therapists” home. 



Icy walking through a crowded Apple computer store during her training



Any breed or type of dog can become a therapy dog, it's really about their individual temperament and personality.  If you're interesting in learning more about becoming an animal therapy team visit the Pet Partners web site.  Therapy Dogs International (TDI) is another organization through which your pet can become a therapy animal. There are several other therapy dog organizations.

Icy at a Stress Busters event at a local college where students took a break from finals to visit Therapy Dogs and unwind.  I obtained permission from the students to post event photos.

Please visit my blog post on the children’s reading programs Icy participates in and how Therapy Dogs can help children improve their reading skills!

Did you know some Puppies are Being Raised in Prison for a life of service?

Is your dog a therapy dog?  If so, please share how your dog helps people in need, by leaving a comment.  I’d love to connect with other therapy dog handlers, and organizations who utilize therapy dogs as well so please share your blog URL in a comment and let’s connect!