Animals Unfolded

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.

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...

Pet ownership has certainly increased in the past 20 years. Having said that, many breeds of pets have been introduced into areas that might be challenging for them to thrive in due to living situations that are less-than-ideal as far as the geographic area that they spend time in, the time that their owners spend at work, or perhaps the amount and type of exercise that is made available to them. That, coupled with the way that our communities are changing so quickly, it's no wonder that most species of pets are finding it difficult to be fulfilled. Some breeds of dogs really need outlets that allow their inherent abilities to be used - like Border Collies , for example. If they don't get to use their skills, things can get pretty dicey. Cats exhibit behavior problems, too, regardless of the breed, if physical and mental needs are not met. A few months ago, I wrote a piece on the Indoor Initiative for Cats, facilitated online by The Ohio State University College of Vet...

flickr photo courtesy of jaroslaw In June of 2008 the City of Ann Arbor approved an ordinance for residents to keep chickens on their property (with neighbor consent). As Corinna Borden points out in a blog this past summer, keeping chickens is fairly easy manage, but understandably, it's not for everyone. For some people, what seemed to be a great idea, turned into a lot more than they wanted to handle.  SASHA Farm in Manchester has declared Urban Chicken Amnesty Week for folks in areas of SE Michigan and the Toledo area who wish to hand over their chickens for retirement to the farm. Space is limited, of course, as it is at most animal sanctuaries, and not every request can be honored. Amnesty Week is November 1 - November 6, 2010. Lorrie Shaw is a dog walker and owner of Professional Pet Sitting , and is a regular contributor to AnnArbor.com's pet section with her blog, More Than Four Walls, where she examines topics ranging from social issues, behavior a...

This is a hot topic: Breed-specific legislation for dogs . What's your experience with it? What is your opinion? Take the poll, and leave your comments. Your two cents is valued: poll by twiigs.com

In a previous article regarding the changes in the Americans With Disabilities Act , ADAI was one of the service dog training centers in the area that I had featured. Assistance Dogs America Inc ., located in Swanton, Ohio, has placed therapy dogs and service dogs with individuals for over 25 years. Helping kids and adults with disabilities achieve more independence by training and placing the dogs to assist with the individual's daily needs. ADAI serves individuals in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan's lower peninsula. For more information on just what these amazing service dogs do, or for more information, visit http://www.adai.org/ Read a featured article on AADI on AnnArbor.com - Local Woman Receives Therapy Dog - Community News Lorrie Shaw is a pet blogger, owner of Professional Pet Sitting (pet sitting and dog walking) and a regular pets contributor on AnnArbor.com. She enjoys writing about topics ranging from health, behavior and the social connection betwe...

A jaunt with your pooch out in the woods can be a great way to get exercise and spend time together. Most dogs like to dart off into the brush, sniffing as they meander around. Typical dog behavior, right? Of course! flickr photo courtesy of The Equinest It's important when fun time is over, to examine your pooch thoroughly. Looking for ticks is crucial, of course, but there is another caveat to outdoor fun, especially for long haired dogs, like golden retrievers . Foxtails are notorious for hitching a ride and embedding themselves easily into tangles of fur, but they can pose a bigger risk: digging into openings in the skin. If this happens, big problems can ensue and surgical removal may become necessary. Three common places that foxtails enter the body are the ears , nose and paws, so if your pooch spends a lot of time outdoors in fields or brushy areas, examining these areas is very important. Paws: Keep the fur trimmed on the underside of the paws and che...

A couple of nights ago, I was doing my nightly reading and research and ran across a blog post that one of my fellow tweeps, @MelzPetPals had written. The post included a gut wrenching letter from a Shelter Manager that details the not-so-pretty side of reality in a dog shelter. Read it here - but I caution you to grab a box of tissues; you're going to need them. For quite some time, I've had this sort of thing on my mind, and have been trying to organize my thoughts to pull together a concise blog. I cannot figure out why people are not "getting it". Why is it that there continues to be a steady stream of unwanted pets relinquished to shelters, unplanned litters of puppies and kittens who were result of an 'accident' and cases of abuse toward animals? Why do people insist on having exotic pets - ones that they have no idea how to, nor ability to care for properly? The plight of  "designer dogs" is distressing, too - and unethical breeders n...

(Photo courtesy of Kim Garrison) Sequel, seen here padding through a creek in NJ The weather here in southeast Michigan has been uncomfortable as of late - hot, muggy - oppressive! It's not just so for us, but our pets! We all want ways to keep cool, and safe from the effects of the high temperatures. This morning, one of my pawsome followers and fellow dog owner, @kimhalligan1 on Twitter reminded me of a great way to keep dogs cool on days like these, while getting them their much needed exercise. Read it here. Ordinarily, I'm not a fan of retractable leashes because they do not allow me the control and safety factor that is often needed when I'm walking dogs, but in this case - swimming alongside a clear riverbank, or even running or biking in a safe, open area - retractables work great and allow your pooch a bit more freedom and distance while keeping them tethered safely. Sometimes, that's a really good thing. So, why not get out there with your pup to...

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Service dogs are an integral part of some peoples lives who are coping with chronic illness. Shaylee Jones is no exception, Shaylee, who is 5 and has Aicardi Syndrome is plagued by the possibility of seizures - as well as the risk of stopping breathing while she sleeps at night. A service dog can help by alerting her family when an emergency arises, saving her life. A garage sale was held in Berkeley, MI to help defray the cost of a service dog. A local business donated $10,000 to the cause and 95.5's Mojo in the Morning were on site to help out. Roop Raj of Fox 2 spent some time there, and with the help of his tweet , brought more attention to the cause. Watch the video story here . The ability of canines - especially those that have been through training - to perceive a possible health crisis and to bring comfort to the individual that they have been carefully matched with is uncanny. A lot of work goes into the selection, training of the dogs, and then matching up human to ...

Flickr photo courtesy of Justin Baeder This heat wave that we are experiencing has reminded me of a condition that affects canines , and I think that it bears emphasizing as it hits one of the most popular breeds - and can be exacerbated by temperatures and humidity that are higher than the dog is used to . Exercise Induced Collapse , or EIC, is an inherited disorder that is characterized by onset of weakness in the hind limbs, (sometimes progressing to the front limbs,) an unusual gait, inability to coordinate limbs - to in some cases, inability to move at all. Symptoms are typically brought on by strenuous exercise, sometimes only after a few minutes. EIC is usually found to affect Labrador Retrievers (all colors and both sexes), Chesapeake Retrievers and curly coated retrievers. Although a pooch may seem in tip top condition and athletic, do not let this fool you - EIC can affect seemingly healthy dogs. Researchers at the University of Minnesota discovered the gene . Add...

In training puppies and dogs, there are a few things to remember - consistency, keep the sessions short, a good sense of timing and most of all, use really yummy treats... and just tiny bits of them. In keeping your dogs attention during training sessions - we can use all the help that we can get! I see many people buy expensive dog training bits and treats, but to me it seems a bit silly. You can use things like hot dogs , sliced thinly and then cut into quarters - or you can make homemade liver training treats for just pennies. Best of all, in the latter case you have control of what ingredients are in the treats and most dogs love liver. Start with organic calf liver (this is important as the organ acts as a filter to mitigate toxins from the body), boiled for a few minutes in water to cook (10 - 15 minutes), then rinse off to get rid of the scum that accumulates. Dry with a paper towel, then place the boiled liver onto a cookie sheet, completely flat and into a 225 degree ove...

With the workplace environment becoming more relaxed, more and more people are able to bring their dogs to work with them. Are you one of them? Participate in the poll and please - leave your comments... how it has changed the way that you feel, your productivity and how it affects your work environment as a whole. If you work in the Ann Arbor area, I'd be very interested in talking with you personally about your experience. poll by twiigs.com

A couple of weeks ago, I talked a bit about my clients life with her cockatoo, Buddy. I touched briefly on the way that Buddy will interact with me, and the world that exists outside of her cage. She is receptive to all sorts of stimuli including the activity of other birds that she observes out the large window in her view - and the tonal variations in my voice, body language and movement, and she'll respond in kind. Interestingly enough, she responds to music too. Buddy's owner, Marlene will leave a radio set on a timer to come on at various times of day in her absence. During the last block of time that I cared for her, some music started to play in a segment of a news story on NPR. Buddy immediately took notice, perked up and cocked her head to the side. The spontaneous music seemed to elicit exaggaterated movement on her part and when I started to bop around and dance a little, Buddy began to get more excited, vocalize and do the same. She seems to recognize and associate...

We all have stories of how our pets came to be in our midst. Participate by taking the poll. Be sure to share your stories in the comments section! poll by twiigs.com

Since our Gretchen was approaching the big "10" last year, I really started to think seriously about the way her body metabolizes chemicals and drugs at this age. Actually, I've always had concerns with regard to what is used in, on and around my pets . Especially with the frequency of use with lawn care products and cleaning supplies, I've opted to go the natural route whenever I can. In my knowledge of herbs and naturally based components, I know that there things that help to address fleas , and have employed products and homemade formulations through the years. (I should note that just because something is natural, it does not always mean that it is safe to use on every species of animal. As an example, tea tree oil is an effective all purpose ingredient, but it should never be used on cats. Due to its phenolic activity, it is toxic to them.) Neem oil works well in addressing fleas, and is safe. It's especially great for chemically sensitive pets. However t...

In my conversation with local cockatoo owner and grass roots exotic bird care expert , Marlene Butkiewicz, she offered so much insight beyond basic care. Because the Goffins Cockatoo , and other birds are so social, they really need to not only interact with you, but to bond and establish trust. This doesn't just make for a happy, psychologically sound bird, but it helps you to better care for them . Marlene could not stress enough the importance of interacting regularly with them - but also physically handling them. This does a few things: it gets them comfortable with you - touch is such a crucial stimulus that boosts physical and mental wellness. Handling the birds, especially from a young age allows you to trim the beak and nails in with better ease. You can examine the bird visually, better in this way, too. Being close to your bird allows you to look for feathers that appear to have less than optimal integrity and a white powdery residue. Getting a look at their skin as ...

It's been a very fulfilling time! With Memorial Day weekend approaching, I have opportunities to see clients that I typically only see when their owners go out of town. As a result, I'm busy with holiday sittings, daily dog walking and even a new puppy on my roster who I'm completely amazed by. Her growth, playfulness and overall joy are great to see each weekday when stopping in to see her for puppy visits that include potty breaks, walks and puppy playtime to help her hone in on her instinctive skills and build her brain and body. More neat stuff! Since the beginning of the week, I have been interviewed by the following radio shows, Dwyer and Michaels (Davenport,IA), CJAD 's Tim Parent (Quebec), and the Ed Wenck Show on WIBC (Indianapolis) - across North America to discuss my recent piece " The bucket list for pets " on AnnArbor.com . The feedback has been phemonenal and this whole thing has opened up a lot of discussion with regard to our relationship...

My partner Chris Glahn and I have traveled to Key West a handful of times together. It's a fun island community, prideing itself on the mantra: " One Human Family ". Anyone that has gone there will attest to that, and the goodwill is extended to people's pets, too. Dogs can go most anywhere their human counterparts do, and we've never had a problem. Dogs in Key West behave differently. They are laid back, mannerful and joyful to be around. Most don't even walk on a leash. One of my favorite memories is seeing a huge chocolate lab whiz by, sitting on the platform of their owners' moped - a typical mode of transportation there. Despite the fact that we leave our pooches behind when we go, the dog friendly atmosphere is one of the reasons that we love it there. Read here why that could change, permanantly. If only former mayor, Capt. Tony were still here. Lorrie Shaw is a professional dog walker and pet sitter living in Dexter Twp, MI with her family tha...