Animals Unfolded

One chilly pre-dawn morning this past year, I quietly padded past the dog bed where I can usually find Gretchen either lightly snoozing, as she appeared to be that day or already sitting up, looking around quietly. She's always been easy to rouse, either by my simply walking by or with a quiet whisper asking if she'd like to go outside. That morning, nothing. My heart sank, as at 12, I was all too aware then that my time with her is limited. I tried again, and nothing. I reached down and softly touched her shoulder, and she woke up with a start. What I should have realized was that she couldn't hear me, but I dismissed it as her being sound asleep. Gretchen failed to hear me again later that day as I called to her later as I was cutting up an apple to eat, as she will always come to beg for a piece. I called to her, then puzzled, I observed her as I loudly clapped my hands, then whistled. Not even a look in my direction. She had seemed to have lost her hearin...

People have a hard time understanding my disdain for retractable leashes . It's certainly understandable, considering how much the pet product industry has lauded them in an effort to sell. In theory, they certainly do have attractive qualities: they allow a dog to remain tethered to its person while being able to get some distance so that the dog can try to find just the right spot to relieve itself, or while snooping around in a safe proximity to its human in an open area, like a field or a beach. Another aspect of these leashes is that they come with a trigger lock that can be easily pushed with the thumb, to keep a pet from moving any further away from you, should the need arise (and if they're used correctly). The use of retractable leashes have increased in the past few years, and it's understandable on the part of the dog owner. In a world full of leash laws, they appear to make everyone involved happy: the animal can stay safely tethered to its human while ha...

The medical use of marijuana in humans has been a vigorously-discussed topic in recent years, and along with that, a conversation about using pot to help ease the discomfort associated with illness in pets has emerged. Flickr photo by chrismatos In fact, earlier this year one veterinary doctor, Doug Kramer, DVM made his case to have a clinical trial established on the efficacy of the use of medical marijuana in pets, primarily in the area of pain management. He acknowledged that medicinal pot could be of use in issues associated with end-of-life care, pain management and mitigating the debilitating side effects of some very useful drugs, including those used to treat cancer. But because there's been a lack of much-needed research, those possibilities aren't being pursued. The area of pain management is in dire need of more research, and Kramer notes that there are some pet owners who are seeking alternatives in helping their pets be more comfortable, and they're e...

"... she is not overly happy about being in a crate when we are not home, at night and being on a leash even in the house with the strict directions of no playing, no running, no jumping and no stairs." This is an excerpt from a recent email from a client, and a scenario is not all that uncommon in my line of work. Through the years, I've been able to help many of my canine (and feline) charges navigate through those first few days and weeks after a surgical procedure or injury, as resting the affected area is crucial in healing. Having two large breed dogs myself, I've been through this a few times too. Sure, when a pet has had an injury that requires some time off its feet and it is under doctor's orders to be on restricted activity, it can put a damper on things for a while. That said, I always remember that I'm not only there to take care of the pet's needs — but for fun as well. I've found that shifting the focus from what activities ...

Flickr photo by johnnyjet We expect a lot from our pets when it comes to living in our very human world -- at times too much. When that happens, we often see instances of misbehavior, especially in dogs . In some cases, it's clear that the misbehavior stems from being asked for more than they are able to deliver because of limitations due to their age, that they've lacked the opportunity to develop good skills or that we expect the wrong things. Mostly, it's because of us. So often we communicate in a way that's unclear with other humans; ambiguously, perhaps in a hurried manner, so it's no surprise that we behave in the same way with dogs. I was chided about sharing my disdain for the popular trend of pet shaming — snapping photos of pets after their respective displays of unruly behavior and posting them online. Yes, I know that to some degree, it's done very tongue-in-cheek, and I'm not a complete wet blanket. There are times when you just ne...