Dogs are a very popular companion pet, so it is common that dogs are used in the media, whether they are used in commercials to help push products or even have entire television shows revolve around the dog. Anyone heard of Lassie or Rin Tin Tin? Dogs are a feel good animal, and many people find them to be so stinkin' cute. What great marketing material!
As a child, I remember reading books from the series Clifford, the Big Red Dog. The premise of Clifford was that he was the smallest dog in his litter, but grew to be 25+ feet tall. I remember reading these books as a child thinking about how cool that would be to have a dog that large to climb on. I would dream about all the fun places we could go. Clifford was also turned into a television series.
Another well-known dog in the media is Lassie. Lassie was a popular television series that ran from 1954-1974. The premise of each show centered around Timmy getting into some trouble and the dog running off to warn the family that he needed help. Lassie is one of only a few animals to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although Lassie aired before I was born, I remember watching it in syndication and the show still remains popular to this day.
Rin Tin Tin, K-9 Cop was a television series that ran in the late 80's and early 90's. It followed the crime fighting lives of a Canine Officer and his dog partner, Rudy.
Anyone remember the movie Beethoven from the 1992? The movie plot followed the slobbery life of a St. Bernard wrecking havoc on a house. The family's veterinarian secretly wanted to kill it and tried to stage a fake attack to have the dog euthanized. In the end, the vet was ousted and Beethoven was returned to the family to slobber away.
I'm sure there are many more movies or television shows that highlight dogs, but my point is that it is a popular topic. Not only are they featured in television shows or movies, but companies use them in commercials for marketing purposes and the "cuteness factor". Many celebrities tote their dogs everywhere, tweet about them, and talk about them to media outlets. Dogs are faithful companions, easy marketing tools, and a great discussion topic. I have yet to meet someone that doesn't have a dog story!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Puppy Mills
If you've never heard of puppy mills, prepare to be enlightened. The ASPCA defines a puppy mill as a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs. An overwhelming majority of the dogs sold in pet stores come from puppy mills. Dogs that originate from puppy mills can have a slew of health issues as selective breeding is not used to weed out health problems. Dogs that are kept for breeding are forced to have litter after litter of puppies. One of the signs of over-breeding is swollen teats on the females. Because one male dog can mate with so many females, the young females puppies are invaluable to a puppy mill.
Dogs that are used to breed litter after litter are often kept in inhumane conditions. They are confined to wire crates that are stacked high. The dogs spend years in these crates and are only removed to be killed once they are no longer able to produce litters. They are never taken out to use the bathroom, so they go in their crates and it just falls through the wires. The puppy mills reek of urine and feces. As a result of being confined to their crates, when rescues occur, most dogs have to be carried to the cars and trained over time how to walk on normal ground. Many of these dogs die from exposure to the elements as they are often kept outdoors or stacked high in a cramped, enclosed structure. The Mid-West is the most common place to find these puppy mills and they have rough winters. Not the environment for fluffy little dogs to live in 24/7.
It is important to enlighten people on the issues surrounding puppy mills to prevent them from profiting. Oprah did a great show involving the Humane Society and Lisa Ling to investigate and rescue some of the dogs. I don't think many people realize that puppy mills supply pet stores with their dogs. Talking about this issue and putting stories in the media will help people realize just how disgusting this practice is. There is currently no legislation that makes the practice of puppy mills illegal. Hopefully if the demand for these dogs dwindles, the puppy mills will be forced to shut down operations.
Dogs that are used to breed litter after litter are often kept in inhumane conditions. They are confined to wire crates that are stacked high. The dogs spend years in these crates and are only removed to be killed once they are no longer able to produce litters. They are never taken out to use the bathroom, so they go in their crates and it just falls through the wires. The puppy mills reek of urine and feces. As a result of being confined to their crates, when rescues occur, most dogs have to be carried to the cars and trained over time how to walk on normal ground. Many of these dogs die from exposure to the elements as they are often kept outdoors or stacked high in a cramped, enclosed structure. The Mid-West is the most common place to find these puppy mills and they have rough winters. Not the environment for fluffy little dogs to live in 24/7.
It is important to enlighten people on the issues surrounding puppy mills to prevent them from profiting. Oprah did a great show involving the Humane Society and Lisa Ling to investigate and rescue some of the dogs. I don't think many people realize that puppy mills supply pet stores with their dogs. Talking about this issue and putting stories in the media will help people realize just how disgusting this practice is. There is currently no legislation that makes the practice of puppy mills illegal. Hopefully if the demand for these dogs dwindles, the puppy mills will be forced to shut down operations.
Adoption vs. Breeder vs. Pet Store
People have differing opinions on where they should obtain a dog when they make the decision to get one. My choice was pretty clear-cut when I decided I wanted a dog, but this was because of my previous experiences. You see, growing up, we were never allowed to have pets in the house until my Mom surprised us with a dog when I was in high school. I was ecstatic to say the least. Sure enough, the dog Xero ended up being my companion. I fed him, I walked him, and he slept in my room. I loved that dog to death! Unfortunately he became very protective of our family and bit two people. We ended up having to put him to sleep and I was devastated. I thought the world was ending. Xero was adopted from a family that no longer had the time to take care of him and he was approximately 1.5 years old. My family thought that the previous owners abused him, causing him to exhibit aggressive behaviors towards certain types of people. This caused me to be afraid of adopting a dog because they come with learned behaviors. I don't want a repeat of what I went through with Xero. There are negatives and positives to adoption, purchasing from a breeder, or purchasing from a pet store.
When you adopt a dog from a shelter, you can feel good about the fact that you saved that dog's life. Many shelters put dogs to sleep that they are unable to adopt out, or don't have the room to hold. Tampa Humane Society doesn't kill the dogs if they don't have space, rather they just turn dogs away. They will also not accept dogs that they feel they won't be able to adopt out. Adopting a dog gives the pet a good home. There is a bit of a risk involved, though maybe I am just skeptical from my previous experiences. You never know what the dogs previous life was like. It couldn't been used to fight, could have chronic health issues. Another problem is that if they have behavioral problems, adult dogs can be harder to train than puppies because they are set in their ways. If you're looking for a purebred dog, you'll be hard-pressed to find one in a shelter.
Purchasing a dog from a breeder is a good way to go if you want a purebred puppy. This type of purchase requires a lot of research. Not every breeder is a good one. It is important to communicate frequently with the breeder, and if possible, visit the location to ensure the dogs were raised in a healthy environment. Reputable breeders can be found through the American Kennel Club or Continental Kennel Club websites. If you have the ability to register your dog through either of these clubs, this is a benefit as it basically ensures your dog has not been inbred. Most breeders offer a health guarantee in that if the dog has health complications in the first year of it's life, they will cover the medical costs. AKC and CKC registered breeders have the guarantee and give you an fallback if the breeder is not working with you per the guidelines. You have the ability to report them.
The third option is purchasing from a pet store. An overwhelmingly large amount of dogs that are sold in pet stores come from puppy mills. This means that the dogs are kept in confined spaces and used for one purpose and one purpose only - breeding. By purchasing from a pet store, you are essentially supporting puppy mills. I don't recommend this as an option when looking for your new pet.
As you can see, there are multiple ways to obtain a dog. I believe that it is important to do your research and base your decision on that. Adopting a dog is a great way to obtain a dog, it's just not for me. It is important, however, that if you purchase from a breeder, you do your research. Just because it's a breeder doesn't mean it's a good one!
When you adopt a dog from a shelter, you can feel good about the fact that you saved that dog's life. Many shelters put dogs to sleep that they are unable to adopt out, or don't have the room to hold. Tampa Humane Society doesn't kill the dogs if they don't have space, rather they just turn dogs away. They will also not accept dogs that they feel they won't be able to adopt out. Adopting a dog gives the pet a good home. There is a bit of a risk involved, though maybe I am just skeptical from my previous experiences. You never know what the dogs previous life was like. It couldn't been used to fight, could have chronic health issues. Another problem is that if they have behavioral problems, adult dogs can be harder to train than puppies because they are set in their ways. If you're looking for a purebred dog, you'll be hard-pressed to find one in a shelter.
Purchasing a dog from a breeder is a good way to go if you want a purebred puppy. This type of purchase requires a lot of research. Not every breeder is a good one. It is important to communicate frequently with the breeder, and if possible, visit the location to ensure the dogs were raised in a healthy environment. Reputable breeders can be found through the American Kennel Club or Continental Kennel Club websites. If you have the ability to register your dog through either of these clubs, this is a benefit as it basically ensures your dog has not been inbred. Most breeders offer a health guarantee in that if the dog has health complications in the first year of it's life, they will cover the medical costs. AKC and CKC registered breeders have the guarantee and give you an fallback if the breeder is not working with you per the guidelines. You have the ability to report them.
The third option is purchasing from a pet store. An overwhelmingly large amount of dogs that are sold in pet stores come from puppy mills. This means that the dogs are kept in confined spaces and used for one purpose and one purpose only - breeding. By purchasing from a pet store, you are essentially supporting puppy mills. I don't recommend this as an option when looking for your new pet.
As you can see, there are multiple ways to obtain a dog. I believe that it is important to do your research and base your decision on that. Adopting a dog is a great way to obtain a dog, it's just not for me. It is important, however, that if you purchase from a breeder, you do your research. Just because it's a breeder doesn't mean it's a good one!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
People Need to Follow the Rules of Dog Ownership
I had an incident this past week involving my neighbors who did not follow the rules in Hillsborough County. My nuisance neighbors have two medium sized dogs that they let roam outside without using leashes to restrain them. They also tie them up to a tree out back from time to time, which violates Hillsborough County ordinance that dogs have access to fresh water when confined. This also violates the rules of the community as I live in a townhome community that has rules written by the Home Owner's Association for all resident to abide by. They are not allowed to tie their dogs up to a community tree unattended. This neighbor has been cited several times by the HOA and has yet to change their ways. Last week, I was out walking my dogs and turned to walk back toward my house when I saw both of my neighbor's dogs out front unrestrained. Well wouldn't you know they started charging at my dogs. The owners yell to me, "It's okay, they're friendly". I started freaking out because I'm not going to take someone's word that their dogs are friendly. Sure enough, one of the dogs bared his teeth at mine and I was trying to stand in between them and my dogs, using my legs and feet to shoo them away. The neighbors kept trying to use vocal commands but their dogs weren't listening. I was infuriated and was yelling at the neighbors that there is a leash law in Hillsborough County that they need to abide by. I continued to yell at them that I couldn't believe they were allowing their dogs to run loose and that they needed to abide by the laws just as I was doing. All they could say to me was that they couldn't believe I was kicking their dogs. Well, let me make it clear that when their dogs are trying to attack mine, I'm going to try to separate them but I would not want to stick my hands in that mess (not that I couldn't have been injured anyway).
Once I got back into the house, frightened and shaken by what just happened, I called Hillsborough County Animal Control. They sent out an officer to investigate and after hearing my story, they issued a warning letter to the neighbor that they were in violation of County ordinance. The animal control officer told me that the letter had a breakdown of fines that could be applied if they continue to break the laws. Animal Control said I had the option of pressing charges should the issue not get resolved and it would cost the owners $175 per dog for violation of county ordinance and an additional $150 per dog for exhibiting aggressive behavior. I chose not to press charges now as animal control said a violation letter is usually enough to do the trick and get people to change their ways. It angers me that people think they don't have to follow laws and I'm glad that the incident wasn't worse. I'm fortunate enough that my dogs did not suffer any injuries.
Please, if you own a dog or are looking into one, read up on the laws in Hillsborough County. Their website does a nice job of breaking them down. The laws are written for a reason, and when people abide by them, we can live harmoniously.
Once I got back into the house, frightened and shaken by what just happened, I called Hillsborough County Animal Control. They sent out an officer to investigate and after hearing my story, they issued a warning letter to the neighbor that they were in violation of County ordinance. The animal control officer told me that the letter had a breakdown of fines that could be applied if they continue to break the laws. Animal Control said I had the option of pressing charges should the issue not get resolved and it would cost the owners $175 per dog for violation of county ordinance and an additional $150 per dog for exhibiting aggressive behavior. I chose not to press charges now as animal control said a violation letter is usually enough to do the trick and get people to change their ways. It angers me that people think they don't have to follow laws and I'm glad that the incident wasn't worse. I'm fortunate enough that my dogs did not suffer any injuries.
Please, if you own a dog or are looking into one, read up on the laws in Hillsborough County. Their website does a nice job of breaking them down. The laws are written for a reason, and when people abide by them, we can live harmoniously.
Vet Bills can really add up
As I stated in my last post, dogs can cost a lot of money. While the day-to-day expenses can be enough to put you over the edge, major unforeseen expenses can really break the bank! This is something you should plan for in preparation for owning a dog. I have two dogs and fortunately, my male Rambo has never needed more than his routine yearly vaccinations. What Rambo lacks in health issues, Roxie makes up for.
Over the past year and a half, she has cost me more money than I thought possible to spend on a dog. In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that she suffers from allergies. This started last year, much to my chagrin. I noticed a few bumps on her tummy when spring had sprung and though it was just a little reaction that would go away. Fast forward a few weeks and it was worse than ever. I took her to the vet and it turned out that she was suffering from allergies, but because I had let it go untreated for several weeks, she also had a skin infection. The vet prescribed an antibiotic to clear up the infection ($30), a special shampoo to bath her in twice a week ($20), and allergy medicine to be administered twice a day ($30 for 30-day supply). Then there was the cost of examination ($50). So this first visit ended up costing me $130. I had to take her in two weeks later for a follow-up and threw out another $50. Not long after the allergy episode, both dogs were due for their annual visit/vaccination updates. At this time, we purchased a year's supply of flea and tick medication as well as a year's supply of heartworm prevention medication. The annual vet visit cost us just over $500 for everything.
The first half of last year had me spending way more money on my dogs than I thought possible. Well, towards the end of the year, Roxie didn't fail to disappoint. She started having accidents in the house which was uncharacteristic of her (she's been potty-trained for years). At first I thought it was a simple accident until I came home to her sitting in her urine soaked crate. I immediately bathed her and took her to the vet. They had to take a urinalysis and determined that she had a presence of bacteria at which time antibiotics were prescribed. $75 out of my pocket for that! Several weeks later, Roxie started having the same bladder issues. Back to the vet for another check-up. Infection was not cleared up, so she went on another type of antibiotic = $75 again! The vet said if that one didn't clear it up, they would have to do an x-ray. After two weeks on the antibiotic, I took her to the vet for a re-check and the results were clear, though it cost me $50 for the third urinalysis.
Not only have I experienced costly vet issues, my friend Jane just incurred some unexpected vet costs. Her dog had blood in his urine, so her vet put the dog on two rounds of antibiotics to try to clear it up. After no results, they had to perform an x-ray and determined the dog has a rather large stone blocking his kidney. He will have to have surgery to remove the stone at a cost of $900. That doesn't include the prior vet visits, antibiotics, and urinalysis that this dog has already received.
My point of this blog is to show that many of the larger expenses related to dogs pop up unexpectedly. It is important to ensure you have a little money tucked away for emergencies. While you may never experience a problem, you wouldn't want to be left without the means to take care of you beloved pet when they need it the most.
Over the past year and a half, she has cost me more money than I thought possible to spend on a dog. In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that she suffers from allergies. This started last year, much to my chagrin. I noticed a few bumps on her tummy when spring had sprung and though it was just a little reaction that would go away. Fast forward a few weeks and it was worse than ever. I took her to the vet and it turned out that she was suffering from allergies, but because I had let it go untreated for several weeks, she also had a skin infection. The vet prescribed an antibiotic to clear up the infection ($30), a special shampoo to bath her in twice a week ($20), and allergy medicine to be administered twice a day ($30 for 30-day supply). Then there was the cost of examination ($50). So this first visit ended up costing me $130. I had to take her in two weeks later for a follow-up and threw out another $50. Not long after the allergy episode, both dogs were due for their annual visit/vaccination updates. At this time, we purchased a year's supply of flea and tick medication as well as a year's supply of heartworm prevention medication. The annual vet visit cost us just over $500 for everything.
The first half of last year had me spending way more money on my dogs than I thought possible. Well, towards the end of the year, Roxie didn't fail to disappoint. She started having accidents in the house which was uncharacteristic of her (she's been potty-trained for years). At first I thought it was a simple accident until I came home to her sitting in her urine soaked crate. I immediately bathed her and took her to the vet. They had to take a urinalysis and determined that she had a presence of bacteria at which time antibiotics were prescribed. $75 out of my pocket for that! Several weeks later, Roxie started having the same bladder issues. Back to the vet for another check-up. Infection was not cleared up, so she went on another type of antibiotic = $75 again! The vet said if that one didn't clear it up, they would have to do an x-ray. After two weeks on the antibiotic, I took her to the vet for a re-check and the results were clear, though it cost me $50 for the third urinalysis.
Not only have I experienced costly vet issues, my friend Jane just incurred some unexpected vet costs. Her dog had blood in his urine, so her vet put the dog on two rounds of antibiotics to try to clear it up. After no results, they had to perform an x-ray and determined the dog has a rather large stone blocking his kidney. He will have to have surgery to remove the stone at a cost of $900. That doesn't include the prior vet visits, antibiotics, and urinalysis that this dog has already received.
My point of this blog is to show that many of the larger expenses related to dogs pop up unexpectedly. It is important to ensure you have a little money tucked away for emergencies. While you may never experience a problem, you wouldn't want to be left without the means to take care of you beloved pet when they need it the most.
Dogs Cost a Lot of Money!
Many people don't realize the true cost of owning a dog. When I first though about the cost of a dog, I factored in the cost of purchasing or adopting a pet, plus the cost of food. Did you also consider all the other accessories? For example, every dog has to own a few nice toys which will run you around $10-20 a pop. A fluffy dog bed will cost approximately $50. Then there are food bowls, crates, leashes, and health care items. Dog shampoo, nail clippers, wipes, etc. There are many things you'll find yourself needing for you pet once you get them in your house, but it is worth every penny. It is also important to remember that if you live in an apartment or rent a home, most places require you to put down a pet deposit. While apartment pet deposits can vary, you should expect to spend at least $300 on this. It's not clear to me why it is called a pet deposit, because this fee is usually non-refundable. Apartment complexes will tell you that the fee is mainly for carpet cleaning after you move out. When a puppy first comes home, you will need to take it to the vet for a check-up. At this time, the vet will examine the dog to ensure it's healthy and administer any necessary vaccinations. The first few months of dog ownership will find you back at the vet for routine exams/vaccinations and then will come the time to have them neutered or spayed. The cost of surgery varies by where you live, but it cost me around $200 per dog. Once they are neutered or spayed, you will need to register your dog with your county. Yearly registration cost for a spayed or neutered dog in Hillsborough County costs $20.
The point of this entry is not to scare you into dog ownership, but rather to help you realize that there is a lot more that goes into the cost of a dog than just the purchase price and food. Hopefully you'll be lucky enough to maintain a healthy dog as the vet bills can pile up when they have ongoing health problems. In my next blog, I'll explore just that. My female dog, Roxie, has had a series of "issues" over the past year and boy has she cost me a lot of money!
The point of this entry is not to scare you into dog ownership, but rather to help you realize that there is a lot more that goes into the cost of a dog than just the purchase price and food. Hopefully you'll be lucky enough to maintain a healthy dog as the vet bills can pile up when they have ongoing health problems. In my next blog, I'll explore just that. My female dog, Roxie, has had a series of "issues" over the past year and boy has she cost me a lot of money!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Traveling in the Car with Dogs
As if you didn't have enough to worry about when packing your own things for vacation, if you take your dog(s), you can't forget their necessities! Traveling with dogs is like traveling with kids. OK, let's be real here, I have no idea what it's like to travel with kids, but I can imagine it's tough! My husband and I took our dogs on a road trip last year because we were going to be out of town for 5 nights. Not only do we miss our dogs when we travel, but it was more cost effective to take them with us as the hotel only charged $150 pet fee. It costs us $50 per night to board them at a kennel, so it saved a little money. We made sure we had proper safety equipment to restrain them, because they love to sit in our laps and we knew that was very dangerous in a moving vehicle!
I believe that one of the most important things you need to consider when traveling in the car with your dogs is how to secure them. If you were to get in a car accident and your dogs are unsecured, they turn into projectiles. Now I don't know about you, but I don't want my 25lb dog flying at me at 75mph. There are some nice contraptions to keep your dog safe while on the road. Assuming your dog is one the smaller side, one of the cheapest options is a dog crate. You can pick one up at your local Wal-Mart for around $30 if you don't already own one. This keeps the dog secured and you can place it on the floor or in the backseat of your car. Another option that can be reasonably priced is a dog seat belt. It looks like a beefed up version of a dog harness that either attaches to the seat belt in your car or hooks into the car seat latch. This not only holds your dog in place during an accident, but prevents your dog from attempting to climb into your lap or blocking your site. The third option is a car barrier, which corrals them into either the backseat, or trunk area if you have an SUV or station wagon. I think that out of these three option, the car barrier is the least safe. Although it prevents the dog from getting in your way, it allows the most amount of room for movement. This could end up hurting the dog in the event of a collision.
While I know that many people won't listen to this advice, I believe it is important to take to heart. As I said previously, you really don't want your dog to turn into a projectile. Seat belt or restraint safety should be just as important for your furry passengers as it should be for the human ones.
I believe that one of the most important things you need to consider when traveling in the car with your dogs is how to secure them. If you were to get in a car accident and your dogs are unsecured, they turn into projectiles. Now I don't know about you, but I don't want my 25lb dog flying at me at 75mph. There are some nice contraptions to keep your dog safe while on the road. Assuming your dog is one the smaller side, one of the cheapest options is a dog crate. You can pick one up at your local Wal-Mart for around $30 if you don't already own one. This keeps the dog secured and you can place it on the floor or in the backseat of your car. Another option that can be reasonably priced is a dog seat belt. It looks like a beefed up version of a dog harness that either attaches to the seat belt in your car or hooks into the car seat latch. This not only holds your dog in place during an accident, but prevents your dog from attempting to climb into your lap or blocking your site. The third option is a car barrier, which corrals them into either the backseat, or trunk area if you have an SUV or station wagon. I think that out of these three option, the car barrier is the least safe. Although it prevents the dog from getting in your way, it allows the most amount of room for movement. This could end up hurting the dog in the event of a collision.
While I know that many people won't listen to this advice, I believe it is important to take to heart. As I said previously, you really don't want your dog to turn into a projectile. Seat belt or restraint safety should be just as important for your furry passengers as it should be for the human ones.
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