Animals Unfolded

Walking your dog is one of the most fun and important things that you can do with them. It's a great activity that dogs of all ages can do and best of all - you're both outdoors! It's physical, mentally stimulating and a great way to bond any time of year. The number of people who share life with dogs has grown substantially -  more than  72 million dogs in the United States alone. With all of these pets and people in close proximity, there are a few rules of engagement to keep in mind. Good manners on leash is essential, of course as is one other very important thing: picking up after your pooch. No one likes to see waste on the local trails , on streets or worse yet - on sidewalks. It's just unsightly, not to mention unsanitary.  With all of the walking that I do, I can attest to the scowls from some people when they see a pooch that I'm accompanying might possibly stop on their lawn. It's understandable, certainly. I see dog waste left behind in very...

I'll admit it. As a pet care professional, I am not a fan of "The Dog Whisperer". I cringe when I see the commercials for the show, and the poor dogs being subjected to methods of interaction that are cruel, and even dangerous. Cesar Millan, star of the show and self-professed dog behavior guru offers his methods and advice to millions of people across the country on the National Geographic Channel. I will say that I do appreciate Millan's emphasis on dog's getting enough exercise and humans being more involved with their pets. flickr photo courtesy of pmarkham Alas, Millan relies heavily on the " dominance theory ", which is for so many reasons, just backward thinking. In fact, the trainers who get the best results from their client rely on positive reinforcement techniques. The Alpha roll , stringing up/hanging - all things that Millan is in favor of - are counterproductive, detrimental to actually teaching a canine anything besides, well, agg...

Abundant rain in the first two weeks in June, coupled with the hot temperatures here in south east Michigan has created an environment that is perfect for mosquitoes to thrive. Humans aren't the only ones who are affected by these irritating pests - pets suffer too, and pet owners are eager to find something to help their four-legged friends get relief. Since traditional mosquito repellent isn't safe to use on companion animals, you might be wondering what is. In this vlog, I detail what is safe, what ingredients work and what you want to stay away from. As you recall from a blog that I wrote in March for AnnArbor.com, catnip has been proven to be effective in a study that was done on livestock. Included in today's vlog is information on a piece that Linda Diane Feldt wrote in May on creating your own effective and safe mosquito repellent at home - for yourself, and your pets. Linda is a Holistic Health Practitioner in Ann Arbor and a contributor to AnnArbor.com...

This week I've been caring for a dear client, a 15 year old large-breed Lab mix who has been experiencing the effects of an idiopathic balance disorder. The lack of coordination, balance and her frustration were obvious. I saw the need right away to find a way to assist her physically, to help my back and peace of mind - and her dignity. I decided to pull out the Easy Walker harness out of my day bag, and it worked great. She improved throughout the week, thankfully but I think that having the harness helped her through the difficult periods. Check out the video for more: Lorrie Shaw is a professional dog walker, owner of Professional Pet Sitting and lead pets blogger for AnnArbor.com. Contact her via email or give her a buzz: 734-904-7279.

How many people have you chatted with that comment that their dogs become afraid during a storm - or even when a storm is expected? Chances are, a lot. I know that I have. After writing a piece for AnnArbor.com on helping dogs with noise or storm phobias , there was an interesting dialogue with folks about their dogs' behavior. One thing in particular seemed to be a common theme: Dogs who camp out in the bathroom to cope - either wedged between the toilet and the wall, up against the tub or the sink, or inside the tub/shower. Flickr photo courtesy of Alicia Nijdam This might seem like an odd thing, but a theory that Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor and Head of Animal Behavior at Tufts University has regarding the behavior is quite interesting. Dodman writes in his book, " Puppy's First Steps " and " The Dog Who Loved Too Much ", that it's common to find a dog pressed against one of the aforementioned surfaces, and for good reason - dogs b...

With so many breeds of canine, medical data can be confusing when considering the longevity of a dog . The standard has always been: The smaller the breed, the longer that they live. A recent study supports that mantra, for the most part. The records of over 80 breeds were kept over a 20 year period and analyzed in a new study co-authored by Dr. Kate Creevy , an assistant professor in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine and Daniel Promislow , a genetics professor in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences ,  Flickr photo courtesy of powazny Promislow notes, "Normally, if you compare different species of mammals, big ones live longer than little ones, and that pattern holds pretty well across hundreds of different species of mammals. With dogs, the opposite occurs; the little dogs live longer." This study may provide more answers as to why that is true. Click here to read the study. In 2003, the first canine genome was mapped by researchers and they...

Training a dog to assist someone who is visually-impaired typically takes a lot of time, skill and money to achieve. Having a leader dog can offer a great sense of freedom to someone who cannot see - but as you'll read, humans are not the only ones who can benefit from having as little help from an apt second set of eyes. Rhett and Scarlett are two peas in a pod. They were put up for adoption together in Albuquerque, NM recently after their owner had to relinquish them. The chihuahuas have been together for quite awhile, and have forged a unique bond: Rhett cannot see, and relies on Scarlett to guide him around. Scarlett is an all-too-willing assistant, who leads the way through their days. Rhett follows the sound of the bell that is attached to Scarlett's collar, navigating through doorways, around on walks and more. The pair were adopted by a nurse in their area who had previous experience with dogs who had lost their sight, after the shelter that facilitated the adopt...

In all likelihood, we will outlive our pets. That's probably a good thing. The way that our relationships are structured these days, they are dependent on us not only for basic care like food and shelter - but medical care and eventually, entering into the final stages of life, regardless of the age of the pet. It's difficult to live with the end in mind, but as you'll read from two local residents' stories, doing so and keeping the pets best interests in the forefront can be invaluable. The beginning of a journey's final leg Wendy Beckwith speaks of her yellow Labrador, Holly with a quiet fondness that you would expect of any person that has shared their life with a pet for as long as she and her husband, Paul Takessian had. After arriving in their lives in 1999, it was evident that Holly loved people, and as Beckwith illustrates, Holly loved attention more than food - unlike most Labradors. In hearing about her, Holly's exuberance and the bond that she...

Washtenaw County's very own Humane Society of Huron Valley does a phenomenal job of so many things, but do you really know the reach of their work? What's the image that pops into your head when you think of HSHV? It's likely that what goes on in the day-to-day is very different than you might think. The organization takes in all animals, whether they be unwanted, injured, stray or otherwise, and they adopt most of these animals back out to responsible homes. The people who work and volunteer there also cultivate a culture of responsible pet ownership by way of education programs, assistance with training and even help with correcting behavioral issues with pets. Also, low-cost spay and neuter services are available. Pet owners can go for help when a temporary financial burden or life-changing event occurs so that they can keep their companion animals, by way of the Safe Harbor and Bountiful Bowls programs. Assistance with reuniting lost pets with their families...

Dogs who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of being abandoned, homeless and waiting to be adopted, numbers in the millions nationwide. Despite low-cost spay and neuter programs, overpopulation is a problem. For many dogs though, they end up in shelters, rescues and humane societies due to their owners' inability to provide what they need - whether it be time, proper training or financial resources to care the pet. Factors like a life-change or perhaps moving into a place that doesn't allow pets might be behind the decision. Sometimes the life that a dog has led before coming into a shelter situation is a mystery - they are found wandering alone, no identification, hungry. One thing is for sure: Dogs that are waiting to be adopted at shelters are superb choices for family pets. And as many dog owners will attest, mutts are the best! Jill Costello knows this all too well. Her pooch, Pete was a shelter dog. Despite what his life might have been like prior to...

Cats are interesting creatures to say the least. They do communicate differently than their canine counterparts do (or at best, we simply process their respective ways of communicating differently). Cats, for many of their owners, can be a little challenging to understand. But do felines have a preference for men or women? It's fair to say that most people would have a tendency to think that women are favored by the species. But why? This got me thinking. It makes logical sense to many for several reasons, I think: Cats are physically more delicate than most dogs. In history, dogs were associated more with men and more "sturdy" activities like hunting and gaming. Traditionally — and albeit to some, misguided — women are seen as being more delicate than men. Most people believe that women are more intuitive than men. Ditto for cats as opposed to dogs. (Is that because cats may not seem physically and vocally expressive as canines?) The seemingly mysterious nature...

Let's face it: We love dogs. Sharing our lives with dogs has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades, and by and large that's been a good thing for them. Better treatment of canines , our better understanding of the species as a whole and by the sum of its parts by experts, better health care and more has been helpful. The area of canine cognition has grown vigorously, which is also important for more reasons than I can count. As dogs have been brought into our lives in a more inclusive capacity, the whole dynamic of their behavior has changed. Dogs have had to evolve quickly. We expect more out of them - sometimes too much - and in order for them to exist in a more civilized way so that they can be with us inside our homes, the need for us as humans to learn to modify their natural instincts and behaviors has become a necessity. An unfortunate side effect of this change has been the anthropomorphism of animals as a whole. Ask anyone who lives with pe...

         flickr photo courtesy of A Gude I saw a blog over the weekend that caught my attention, and for good reason: A town in Virginia is proposing a law that would require only competent, responsible adults to walk dogs.    The article spawned a lot of controversy, and I think that the notion of creating a law is an interesting one. Frequently in my travels with dog walking, I am presented with an all-too-common situation where my charge and I encounter another dog accompanied an apt human on the other end of the leash. Many people are mindful about the dog in their possession: Are they calm, and able to pass by another dog without issue, or does being faced with the prospect of passing another dog on the sidewalk pose a problem? Most people who are aware that their dog isn't so good at dealing with others will usually move to the side or in some cases or change their course. I've done it myself - usually with a nod or a ...

Last week I posted this photo on Facebook and made a comment about the super cool dog "toy" pictured in it. There was an enthusiastic response to my post; the most common was "What is that called?" A simplistic idea, an equally simple yet ingenious design, the IQ Treat Ball gets dogs interested and keeps them moving. Foraging toys are not a new concept; several companies make them and they are a great way to give dogs a little something extra to do. Foraging toys can be used as an outlet for fun to dispense treats, or as a way to feed your pooch (as one of my clients does, and their dog prefers it.) In the wild, dogs had to hunt , catch and kill their food. Now, typically they just get a bowl of kibble plunked down in front of them. While many people argue that dogs are so far removed from living in the wild, and that the way that we deal with them today is perfectly healthy, a  lot of folks - including myself - beg to differ.  The problem is, dogs are the fa...

Monica Martino set out to create a reality show, and as an Emmy-nominated producer, she has a knack for getting people's attention. But instead of creating just another reality show, Martino had a purpose in mind: To highlight the plight of the homeless dogs in Detroit from a unique vantage point - the dogs themselves. Its no secret that the city has suffered it's share of unwarranted setbacks and beat-downs, and so many people have suffered as a result of economic strife at the hands of greed and mismanagement. It's a great city, and great people, but the resources are limited. Those who suffer immensely, with absolutely no way to change their situation, are the homeless, abandoned and neglected pets . In the end, the City of Detroit shot the idea down , and Martino and her partner in the project, Hush, whose real name is Dan Carlisle, were at as loss for what to do since the project couldn't go forward. Out of the duo's despair came the idea to stay and ...

Brucellosis is a venereal disease that you hear about typically with regard to breeding canines, but a Michigan State University veterinarian and researcher has stern news: Not so fast. In light of an outbreak that has affected six counties and is suspected in another ten - Missaukee, Osceola, Wexford, Grand Traverse, Ottawa, and Macolm - Cheri Johnson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM warns people not to discount the fact that the highly transmissible disease is spread simply through breeding.  flickr photo courtesy of Acme Canine Any dog owner will tell you that dogs frequently poke their noses in all sorts of places. They have a habit of eating gross stuff and licking things that they shouldn't. By and large, it's not an issue.  Brucella , as the bacterial disease is referred to, is present in the bodily fluids of infected vertebrates - in higher concentrations in the semen, urogenital secretions, fetal membranes - but can also be found in urine and saliva . There's ...

Humane Society of Huron Valley Lead Cruelty Investigator Matt Schaecher is warning Chelsea residents to keep an eye on their pets after two dogs were found tortured . The dogs, owned by two different neighbors, were outside playing in the morning, and discovered missing. Found eight hours apart on the same day - severely injured - they were rushed to the Humane Society of Huron Valley Veterinary Clinic after being picked up by the Humane Society of Huron Valley Rescue Department. Both dogs had to be humanely euthanized due to the extent of their injuries. Necropsy results from Michigan State University show that wounds were intentionally inflicted with a hatchet while the dogs were bound. “This is a very heinous case of animal cruelty and we want to make sure that the community is aware that dogs running loose may be in extra danger. We have no reasonable explanation for what happened to these dogs. For their sake, and that of the safety of the community, we will do everythi...

Having a sick pet is hard. They cant speak, can't convey what is wrong exactly and can be uncooperative when trying to medicate or getting them to eat. This is compounded when it's a feline - times ten! flickr photo courtesy of lunachrome Chronic illness can be especially challenging, especially when kidney disease or other serious disease has taken hold. Eating can be a hurdle, as can oral medications. There are a lot of treatments and medications that can help sick kitties, but if they won't take them, what good are they, right?  What do you do, as a pet owner if a cat is just too disagreeable? Is there a time to say "when"?  Dr. Jess Franklin of Ann Arbor Animal Hospital came up with the Sick Cats Bill of Rights to help cat owners get as better handle on this topic . Click here to read more.  Lorrie Shaw is a pet blogger and a professional dog walker and pet sitter serving the Ann Arbor area. Follow her writing and pet adventures on Twitter @psa...

In a study done by researchers from Belfast University, there is a clear preference of female cats in using their right paw for most activities. And, depending on a tasks' complexity in both sexes, cats will use either their right or left paws, which shows that the feline brain has specialized areas. Try watching your furry friend the next time he or she is trying to retrieve a piece of errant kibble from under a large object — which paw do the cat use? How about when you are playing a game with them using a suspended cat toy? In the following video, you'll see that none of that matters though, as this kitten uses every paw. It's sure to brighten up any dreary day. Lorrie Shaw is a pet blogger and owner of Professional Pet Sitting . Follow her daily writing and dog walking adventures on Twitter @psa2 , and contact her via e-mail.

Pit stop - Culture - Detroit Metro Times

One topic that I frequently find myself troubled by is the training of canines. As someone who works with dogs every day, I see all sorts of living arrangements, behaviors (some quite normal, some not-so-normal) and approaches (again, some good, some downright horrible) in finding a happy medium in co-existing with dogs. I can see that the main problem with dogs today, isn't with dogs - it's with people... they're the root of the issue. It's always been the case, but now, it's amped up. With today's way of living, which in my opinion is for some dogs nothing short of chaotic and counterproductive to the nature of dogs, it's no wonder that dogs can't settle down or walk on a leash when they do get to go out for a walk, behave, not chew things and forget what they've been taught. We've asked a lot of canines . Too much. In fact, because of humans, dogs have had to be the fastest evolving and adapting species in the world. flickr photo co...