DOT with a plea for help.

Welcome to this week's DOT post. I first wanted to tell you about a little change in the DOT volunteers. It is sad but both Nichole and Sue have stepped down from posting on the main boards. They are both busy and we will miss them and I thank them so much for their help over the last couple months. They have added greatly to our main blog and I appreciate them for stepping up.

This being said...I would like to ask for more help. If you have time and would like to contribute once a month to the main blog, please contact me at gnatchat(at)gmail(dot)com and let me know. I really want this blog to continue, however, sometimes life gets a bit busy and it's nice to have help to keep it going.

Thank you in advance for your support.

So...on the the post. For this week, I wanted to share a sad but amazing story about a dog named Blue. Not sure you have seen this before but my friend Monica sent it to me and I about cried reading it. It definitely pulls my heart strings because it's a story about a black lab.

But please go over and read this story about Blue! Also check out the AWESOME leather bags that Blue's owner makes!

Hope you enjoy the story and hope you and your pups have a great week!!

And because I can't resist sharing my pups...Here is a pic of Jackjack and Abigail swimming at my friends pool. They had SO much fun!!

Paws for Charity

Welcome to this weeks Dogs on Thursday post! We have a couple of new people on our dog roll! Please welcome Melly and Roslyn. Go over and give them a tail wagging hello!! :)

For this week's post I wanted to talk about a book called Paws for Charity!

"The Paws for Charity Art Book Project is a compilation of photography and artwork submitted by artists from the US, UK, and Canada. All the images are of dogs and cats (the "Paws" part of this project) and proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade (the "for Charity" part of this project).
Information about the 37 artists and Paws for Charity is available on the blog:
pawsforcharity.blogspot.com"

Blurb taken from this site. Image from their etsy site.

I have not purchased the book yet but I definitely plan to. The blog is a great read and you will find many people who are doggie minded like us! Please go over and check it out and let them know you found them through the Dogsonthursday blog!

The book and other items are available for purchase from PawsForCharity.etsy.com.

Have a great week and safe 4th of July!!!

Natalie

PS...I shared this on my podcast but a great tip on keeping your dog calm during the loudness that is this holiday is to make a big batch of chamomile tea and mix it into your dogs water for the next couple days. It will help ease their nerves!!

Also don't forget to go over and say HAPPY birthday to Chan! Her birthday was yesterday! :)

Nailing Down Dog Nails

I must confess, I had another post planned for today, but something wonderful happened at our house, and I wanted to share it with you.

Around our house, the Knight - my husband, also known to the fur-kids as Dadaw - has nail duty. He was raised in a home where shelties were raised too, so I suppose he learned to help trim the dogs' nails after he'd mastered trimming his own. In fact, it's not unusual for my family to whisper in his ear when they hug him hello, and before we leave, he and the family dog(s) have some quality time together. He has a knack many vet techs would love to have.





Rewind to last winter. We brought home baby Sissy, our second basset hound. Bassets are notorious for being very persnickity about their feet, and Sissy took it to a new level. Finally, the Knight began to suggest that I make sure the vet trimmed her nails while we were there. It was a blow to his Dadaw-ego.





Several of you and a couple of our local friends bought Pedipaws when they first hit the market. The Knight already owned a couple of Dremel tools, so he did some research and decided Sissy wouldn't like it. So imagine my surprise - and the eye rolling - when a Pedipaws found its way into our cart a few weeks ago.

(Insert nail in that little cut-out. You can see the file below.)

He started with one nail every other night, and in under two weeks, Sissy has decided that the buzzy thing can touch all her nails in one sitting. The Knight still has to pin her down a bit, but I predict that in a few more weeks, she'll sit in his lap like Gretchen does. I don't think Sissy will ever like it, but for our pack, Pedipaws is fantastic.







Sissy's nails are rather thick, thick enough that "we" use the big dog clippers. I think that's why the Knight originally discounted the "as seen on TV" tool, but in a matter of seconds, a whole paw's worth of nails can be filed without a fight.




Gretchen seems to prefer the human fingernail clippers, but I like the smooth finish Pedipaws provides, so she's going to have to adjust.



Me? Despite countless tutorials and many assists, I've always been too afraid of nicking the quick to try on my own. However, I think that if the Knight ever tires of giving his girls their pedicures, I just might give it a whirl.




Happy Dogs on Thursday. Don't forget to visit some of the other members, and let us know about your Pedipaws experiences too.

Lost Dog

One In three pets will get lost sometime in their lives. Those are terrifying statistics. Are you prepared? Have you taken all the important steps to keep your pet safe? Do you know what to do if your pet does get lost? It's important to know what to do and do it quickly to assure that your pet is one of the lucky ones.
First, just as you carry ID when you leave the house, your pet should also have ID. Dogs and cats should have identification tags attached to their collars. The tags should give the owner's address and phone number. It might also be helpful to have as second contact phone number, a friend or relative that is usually at home when you're not, or your veterinarian. The address and phone number should always be up to date. If you haven't updated Fido's tag since you moved or changed your phone number, now is the time to do it.

ID tags come in steel, bronze or plastic and in many shapes and colors. Choose whatever you like, but be sure they have enough room for the important information and check them frequently to be sure they're in good condition and legible.
The plastic tags can break and tags that have the information stamped on them can become illegible if the animal is very active or the tag gets hard use. My dogs playing in dirt and water frequently have rubbed the lettering off some tags. I choose tags that are engraved instead of stamping. The letters are deeper and dirt and rub marks don't cause the letters to fade.

There are many places to purchase ID tags, especially online. I use Boomerang Tags. They are deeply engraved and will print on both sides of the tag. I have my info on one side and my vet's on the back.

What if your dog is out without a collar or the collar breaks? How will anyone know who he belongs to? For many years dogs have been identified by tattoos. Usually the dog is tattooed on the right earlobe or the inner thigh. There are a couple registries that keep track of tattoos. They are National Dog Registry and Tattoo-A-Pet.

The number tattooed on your pet should be registered with one or both of them. If someone finds your missing pet and reports to them, they will contact you. Most animal control people and vets know where to look for a tattoo. Sometimes, however, with very long haired dogs, it's not easy to find a tattoo.

A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and holds a unique number. The chip is inserted between the shoulders of a dog or cat and the number is readable with a scanner. Vets and shelters have the scanners to read the number. There are several registries that will match the number with the owner's information and contact the owner.

The three registries in this country are Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) run by the American Kennel Club, Home Again, and American Veterinary Identification Devices (AVID). The owner must be sure to register the microchip with one or more of these registries. Today, many dog breeders have their puppies microchipped before they go to their new homes.

So, your dog is chipped or tattooed and has a collar with up to date tags. Now what? As soon as the dog is missing, calls should be made to the local animal control and shelter. It's also a good idea to contact any veterinarians in the area. There is an organization called Find Toto which when contacted about a missing pet, automatically makes calls to neighbors within a certain geographic area. They act as a clearing house for any sightings and keep the owner up to date.


Don't delay.
Make sure you have a lock on the fence so neighborhood kids can't open it and let Fido out.

Check his ID tags to be sure the information is up to date and legible.

Make an appointment with your vet to have a microchip inserted. It doesn't hurt. My dogs were so distracted by the yummy liver treats being offered, they didn't even react.

Register the microchip with one or more registries.

Have the vet scan each year at your regular appointment to be sure the chip is reading properly.

Make a list of important phone numbers: animal control, local shelter, vets in the area, FindToto
and keep it handy.

I hope none of us ever have our pets get lost, but if they do, being prepared in advance can make the difference between being reunited with our pet or tragedy.
Be sure to drop in on The other Dogs On Thursday and say hello.

Mr Linky isn't cooperating with me today, so just leave a comment.
edited: This has been fixed! Please add your name to the linky below!