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.  

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. 

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!

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. 

Service Dogs for Diabetic People

My father's girlfriend has a very well behaved dog that is her constant companion.  I don’t want to use real names, so we’ll call the girlfriend Cindy and the dog Lassie.  I thought it was odd when I first met Cindy that she literally took her dog everywhere.  One night as we were sitting around the dining room table, Cindy mentioned that she usually takes her dog to restaurants.  I asked her how, as this dog was too big to hide in a purse and smuggle in.  Cindy mentioned that Lassie is trained as a service dog because she suffers from Type 1 diabetes.  The dog is able to detect if she is going to go into diabetic shock and alert her in time to administer her medication.

 An expert's blog on the Mayo Clinic website describes some of the tasks that diabetic service dogs are trained to do: Pick up and carry objects such as juice bottles, retrieve a phone, test breath for low blood sugar, and act as a brace to help a person get up after falling.  These tasks can be invaluable to diabetic patients as they may not be aware that their blood sugar is low before it's too late.  If a person is suffering from hypoglycemia, they may be shaking or trembling, feel dizzy or faint, or even have a seizure or go into a coma.  If a diabetic person is  in shock, the dog can get some juice or a phone for the person to call for help.  These tools prove invaluable to a person, especially if they live alone, as Cindy does.

You may wonder if a service dog is allowed to accompany a person into a restaurant or other type of establishment.  According to the U.S. Department of Justice, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owned businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.  This means that businesses must allow service animals to accompany people where customers are typically allowed.  

Nonetheless, Cindy has told me of plenty of times where restaurants have tried to turn her down from entry.  People are hesitant to believe her because she has no visible handicap, and most people think that service dog means they guide the person.  This is far from the truth.  There are many different service dogs in use, and they are usually trained to detect disorders including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, diabetes, depression, autism, and the list goes on.  Guide dogs are different in that they service the visual or hearing impaired.  I think it is important to educate people on the use of guide dogs and service dogs so that those who use them don't fact public discrimination, even if it is against the law.

Allergies. Yep, Dogs Have Them Too!

People have allergies.  Dogs have them, too.  Both myself and my dog, Roxie suffers from the seasonal variety.  When spring is blooming, we're hurting and it's not fun for either of us.  Only last year, I found out that Roxie had allergies.  Her skin had been flaking and on the underside of her belly, she had a wicked looking rash.  Her paws were all red and swollen as well.  I finally took her to the vet when I realized it wasn't going away.  The vet put her on medication that I had to administer twice a day and gave me a special medicated shampoo to wash her in twice a week for a minimum of ten minutes.  Because of this, I did a lot of research into the remedies for dog allergies.  We all know there is no magic cure, so when I found out that Roxie suffered from allergies, I knew this would be a yearly cost and time issue. 

WebMD has a good article summarizing the issue at hand.  They said that while people suffer from upper respiratory issues, dog allergies usually manifest themselves as a skin reaction.  Allergic contact dermatitis is  the medical term for this skin reaction.  It is caused by a chemical or irritant on the skin and can be caused from soaps, synthetic fibers, grass, pollen, insecticides, etc.  My veterinarian recommended the use of Dreft laundry detergent, which is used for baby's clothes as it is very gentle on the skin.  She also suggested that we use unscented baby wipes to wipe the paws and belly of our dog to help remove some of the pollen.  The other recommendations are similar to that of humans.  Vacuum the house frequently, wash bedding and clothing in hot water to remove allergens, etc.

Food Allergies are another common allergy in dogs.  If the dog is allergic to an ingredient in the food, they can suffer from severe itching.  The way to pinpoint the cause of the food allergy is to put the dog on a hypoallergenic test diet, which has a limited number of ingredients.  Simply switching dog food brands proves inadequate to test as dog food contains many ingredients and you will have trouble locating the source of the issue. 

Allergies represent one of the many health issues dogs can suffer, and in my own experience, it is costly and time-consuming.  It is important to be pro-active about the health of your dog as it can prevent complications.  Allergic reactions of the skin can turn into infections if left untreated.  Allergies in dogs can make them feel just as miserable as people, so it is important to seek treatment if you notice skin problems on your dog. 

Michael Vick’s Choices Disgusted Me, But I Believe in Second Chances

In my last post about Pit Bulls, I briefly mentioned Michael Vick.  I wanted to discuss the controversy more as I followed this story from day one.  I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of the dog fighting ring he ran and if you haven’t heard the story, I’m not sure how you’re reading this blog because you probably don’t have internet access.

Michael Vick was a successful football player for the Atlanta Falcons, who had a big slip-up in 2007 when authorities searched his property in Virginia, the site of Bad Newz Kennels, where Vick and friends operated a dog fighting ring.  Authorities found sheds in the woods painted black, from top to bottom, wire cages and dog houses, car axles where dogs were chained, and training equipment such as treadmills and spring bars.  The spring bars have rubber rings that the dogs hung from to strengthen their jaws.  The living conditions for the dogs were inhumane.  Authorities also uncovered rape stands to strap females into for breeding, syringes, and a fighting pit in one of the sheds.  The dogs were subject to test fights, where they would put the dogs in the fighting pit for a short time to see if they were conditioned to fight.  If the dogs did not show interest, they were killed by electrocution, drowning, gunshot, etc.  Approximately 50 dogs were seized during the raid and Michael Vick was indicted and sentenced to 23 months in prison for running a dog fighting operation.

When I heard this story in the news, I was shocked and disgusted.  I cried when I heard the details of horror uncovered by the authorities.  I followed the story closely and was happy that Michael Vick was sentenced to prison time because it seems that a lot of high-profile people get off easy.  I watched a show called DogTown on National Geographic that gave me comfort as it showed the rehabilitation of the surviving Pit Bulls from Bad Newz Kennels.  After Michael Vick got out of jail, many people were rooting for him to fail miserably.  While I admit that I initially felt that way, my attitude has changed.  I believe in second chances and that people can learn from their mistakes.  I’m sure while Michael Vick was in the middle of the dog fighting operation, he was hardened.  Through this whole experience, he has had time to reflect on what he did and why it was wrong.  There was a huge public outcry in the wake of this story, and I hope that he listened to it, learned from it, and is taking the steps to make himself a more productive member of society.  So far, the rehabilitation of his public image is going well.  I hope that people took it as a teachable moment, not only to learn about why his actions were wrong, but to learn a little bit more about Pit Bulls and the culture surrounding them.

Controversy surrounding Pit Bulls

It is widely known that Pit Bulls are considered a dangerous, aggressive breed of dog.  They are banned in a majority of apartment complexes and homeowners can have difficulty obtaining homeowners insurance if they disclose the ownership of a Pit Bull.  If they don’t disclose it, however, if they were to make an insurance claim or the insurance company found out, they would be dropped quicker than you could say ‘Pit Bull’.  Many dog parks and public parks have also placed a ban on these dogs.  For as much as they are shunned, it seems like I hear stories in the news all the time about another attack and they are as popular as ever.  What makes these dogs so dangerous?  Well, many people breed Pit Bulls to be fighting dogs.  Although dog fighting is illegal *cough, cough Michael Vick*, it is still a pretty common activity.  Any Google search you perform will find you multitudes of stories of Pit Bulls mauling kids to death and discoveries of dog fighting rings.  The search will also uncover stories from the other point of view, that Pit Bulls just have a bad rap. 

I’m not sure where I stand on the issue, but I think any breed of dog can be a dangerous dog if the owners do not train it properly.  In my experience, the two Pit Bulls that I’ve ever been in close contact with were very loving. The only reason I felt safe (and I use that term loosely) is because the owners are close friends in both instances and we knew how they handled their dogs.  The first Pit Bull, Otis, was a very sweet dog who loved my little Roxie.  He let Roxie jump all over him and pined for her attention whenever they were around.  The owners got Otis as a puppy at 8 weeks old and had properly trained him.  The second dog I know, Maui, was a rescue.  The owners got her when she was a little over a year old.  I’ve been around her and she is a sweet, giant lap dog.  In this instance, I am hesitant to bring my dogs around Maui, because she has been known to show aggression towards other dogs.  Although I feel comfortable around these two Pit Bulls, I would not feel comfortable around others.  Pits are known to snap in an instant and are very strong dogs.  I hear stories often of Pit Bulls escaping out of their back yard and sinking their teeth into an innocent victim walking down the street.  Once these dogs are in attack mode, there is no way to get them to back down other than to shoot them.

While I’m hesitant to label all Pit Bulls as aggressive, I do understand the general public opinion that they are.  Too often we hear of violent attacks from this breed of dog.  The only thing I caution is that any dog can be aggressive, so you shouldn’t assume a dog is nice based on the breed stereotype.  The opinion of Pit Bulls will not change as long as they are used as fighting dogs and the discontinuation of encouraged aggressive behavior happens.  Until then, keep a cautious eye out when you’re roaming the neighborhood.   

Why I Chose Boston Terriers

I have a great passion for dogs, and really any pet that brings people happiness.  I have two Boston Terriers, Rambo and Roxie.  They are such a joy and have great personalities.  While I never grew up having dogs, I loved the idea of them and the second I moved out on my own, I got Rambo.  Nine months after that, I got Roxie and it’s been so much fun.  

People ask me why I chose Boston Terriers, and I tell them that I actually spent a good amount of time researching breeds to come to the conclusion.  I didn't want to end up with something that I didn't have the time or money to take care of, nor did I want to have a dog that I wouldn't be able to keep long-term.  Owning a dogs is a commitment. One of the main factors in my decision was temperament.  Boston Terriers are intelligent dogs that are easy to train.  They are very loyal to their owners, and as long as the owner is assertive, they will listen very well.  Another appealing factor was the minimal grooming required.  Many people don't realize the true cost of a dog (to be addressed in another post) and grooming can get costly.  Boston Terriers have a short coat with minimal shedding.  The only grooming they really need is bathing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning.  All of these I can do at home with minimal effort.  Boston Terriers are between 10-25 pounds and require only moderate amounts of exercise.  When I first got my dogs, I was living in an apartment so this was a good choice.  These dogs are very good with children as well.  Although I don't have any kids at the moment, I know that the dogs will still be here when I start a family and that is important to be able to keep the dogs around.  Boston Terriers have a life expectancy of 15 years or more!

If you're thinking about getting a dog, Dog Breed Info was a great website that helped me in my search.  They have every breed available that I could think up and have information regarding size, temperament, health problems, grooming, origin, life expectancy, etc.   

Why Am I Writing This?

I love dogs and so do many other people.  I think it is important to have the companionship and loyalty that dogs offer to people, but they are so much more than that.  Dogs are very intelligent animals that can be used for a multitude of things.  They can be trained to sniff out bombs, drugs, and help with border patrol.  They can be trained as service dogs to help those with chronic illnesses or assist disabled people to live better lives.  Dogs are a huge part of pop culture.  Is there anyone who hasn’t heard of the television show Lassie?  There are always countless stories in the news about dogs and lots of commercials feature dogs for the cuteness factor.  Most news stories are not happy or cute, discussing dog attacks or dog fighting rings but there are some feel-good stories about courageous things that dogs have done or great stories of service dogs helping out with the war.  In this blog, I hope to touch on many aspects of dogs.  I will discuss some of the controversies of dog breeds and illegal dog fighting, I’ll touch on the media aspect of dogs, the cost of caring for them, health issues, and anything other issues I find along the way.  Although I am a dog lover, I understand that there are people that don’t enjoy dogs.  I hope to make this blog more than just a love-fest of my own pets, but an informative and interesting read for people of with varying opinions.