Buster’s new accessories!

Buster got a new collar and leash! He is microchipped, but I really do rely on his collar for his main source of identification to the average person should (but hopefully never!) he get away from me. He doesn’t typically wear a collar in his everyday life at home (but Kudo, our mastermind escape artist, does even though he’s microchipped). Buster always stays close to me when we’re outside, and I keep an eye on him when he’s in the backyard. But, everytime we go to the park, or for a ride, or to the lake, or anywhere, he always wears a collar (even though I typically use a harness to attach his leash too). I have however been looking for a reflective collar recently. I don’t have a habit of walking him in the pitch black dark, but I do like to go to the park in the evening hours. Plus, now that it’s getting warmer, we will be spending more weekends at the lake, so I wanted to make sure he is as safe as can be there, and the answer to that in my mind is a reflective collar (plus we like to sit outside even after it’s dark when it’s warm enough). But surprisingly, I haven’t been able to find a reflective collar. All of the ones I’ve seen at Petsmart seem very cheap and not well made. Buster typically wears Lupine. I like it. It’s very well made, guaranteed for life even when chewed, and they have some cute patterns.

I got to look through dogIDs.com and pick a collar and leash I wanted. I like trying products and knowing what is best so I can recommend it to friends and family. I decided to try a collar since all I’ve ever used is Lupine, and I’ve been interested in something different and new lately. When I saw they had a reflective collar, I was sold! They have a line called ScruffTag dog collars. I think this is a brilliant idea. It is a belt buckle style collar instead of the typical snap ones I’m used to on Lupine. The ScruffTag part is exactly what it sounds like… there is a built in stainless steel name plate that lays on the back of the dog’s neck (the scruff) when the collar is on. The name plate can be engraved up to 4 lines with 15 characters per line. There are two reasons why I am in love with this idea: 1.) I own 2 dogs that can play rough. Kudo’s tags have fallen off of his collar before (actually 3 times that I can think of). All of the rings that attach the tag to the collar were really sturdy and still in shape too. So, I have no doubt that if a dog is lost and trudging through some wooded areas, there is a huge possibility the tags and tag rings could get snagged on something and come off. 2.) If you find a lost dog, you have to coerce the dog to get close enough to you so you can get down and look at his neck to see what his dangly tags say. What if the dog is skiddish or aggressive? Maybe they’ll be okay to get close enough to you, but once you bend down to look at the tags, they take off. At least with the ScruffTag, you can read it standing up (so you don’t have to make any sudden movements and spook the dog) and from a pretty good distance if you have good eyesight. Plus, having a dog who likes to jump and shake a lot (Kudo) his tags are constantly jingling… especially during the wee hours of the morning. I don’t like tag silencers because 1) the typical shapes they come in don’t fit all of his tags and 2) again… if he ran away, someone would have to get close enough to take the silencer off to read through all the tags. Kudo is the kind of dog to run off and think you’re playing if you try to make movements or go for his collar.

So the green ScruffTag reflective collar is reflective, waterproof, and odor proof. This is perfect for the lake (and everyday as well). This way he will be reflective and a little safer, and he can keep it on when he goes swimming. I decided to have his name (there is controversy over whether or not a dog’s name should be included on his ID tag, but I still prefer to include it), our location (the lake is over the state line, so hopefully if someone were to find him they would be more inclined to call us since he is from a different state), my cell phone number, and my fiance’s cell phone number. You can have up to 4 lines with 15 characters per line engraved. You can also chose the font. I chose Tempus Sans. I’m quite impressed with the engraving. It’s much thicker than the photo on the website (almost like it’s bold), so it’s much easier to read. Even the phone numbers, which are 12 characters, are easy to read and surprisingly large as well.

Their sizing is pretty standard and very true to size. I measured Buster’s neck and got 16 inches. I ordered the 16″, and it fits perfectly; I keep it on the middle hole, so he has 2 hole left to make it smaller and 2 holes left to make it larger. The collar also doesn’t shift around his neck at all, even his well-fitted Lupine ones do. So, the ScruffTag actually stays on the back of his neck; it doesn’t shift or move down to the front or anything. It seems to be sturdy and very well-made. It’s not flimsy by any means. I’m not worried about it cracking or breaking or anything like that (even as rough as Buster and Kudo play). Buster already managed to get some dirt on it wearing it the evening that we got it, and it just wiped right off and didn’t leave a mark or scratch or anything. Buster seems comfortable wearing it, and it looks good on him! It is 1″ thick and it looked huge when I got it out of the package, but once I put it on him, it looked perfect. It even fit really well with his wrinkly neck!

dogIDs was awesome enough to send me a 6′  Soft Grip Snap Leash in green because it matched the collar well. I am so glad. This is probably the coolest and best idea for a leash I have ever seen. It is water proof and odor proof as well (these things are very important to me!). The snap where it attaches to the collar is very sturdy. I have never seen or heard of a leash even similar to this before. It feels so cool in your hand that it’s almost hard to describe. It is very soft and very flexible. If you have a dog that pulls, you definitely don’t have to worry about getting any kind of burn on your hand (which has happened to me before) because this is so soft. I will be using this leash from now on.

So I’m very impressed with this set (super fast shipping and great customer service is a plus). I guess I’m so fascinated with it because I’ve never really seen anything other than your typical Lupine or typical collar and leashes they sell at Petsmart. I think I may definitely at least have to buy a ScruffTag collar for the escape artist Husky.

Birthday puppy!

Today is Buster’s 1 year old birthday. It’s hard to imagine that he is already 1 year old, and that I’ve had him a little under year now! Time flies when you’re raising a cute puppy who can even put a smile on your face first thing in the morning (which is hard if you’re not really a morning person :p). This little dog has taught me and helped me a lot in tons of different ways this past year. I think it’s definitely been a year of my life with added smiles and happiness.

So of course, Buster needs a birthday cake! (He will probably be getting special treats and/or toys when I’m able to run to the store tomorrow.) I might even turn this into a whole family celebration and make some brownies for my fiance and I (everyone loves an excuse for brownies, right?). Here is the recipe I used for Buster’s puppycakes. I made the recipe as directed but just poured it into a mini cupcake pan. I figure this way it’s a little bit easier for him to have some throughout the week

Puppycakes

Happy birthday little puppy Here is to many more happy and healthy ones together.

He wants it badly!

Gotta get the crumbs!

Food Recalls

I’m sure you have seen the recent pet food recalls, but in case you haven’t, here you go. Unfortunately, this is all too common. It absolutely sucks wanting to feed your dog a good food, and then bam! Sure, it’s a good food nutritionally, but it just has some salmonella contamination.

We’ve seen about 4 cases in both dogs and cats within the past few months of pancreatitis, and it is a scary (and expensive) thing. Some of it is absolutely related to the food and treats these pets are getting, and that’s so unfortunate.

One of the reasons I choose to feed Buster Orijen is because of their very strong and sound manufacturing ethics. That is the food I feel safest giving him; I can trust their manufacturing and have much more peace of mind and worry much less about it showing up on a recall list.

Food recalls just make me angry. I wish there wasn’t such lower standards for dog food and treats. It just makes no sense to me. Sure, most people may not care or be as crazy as I am about it, but it’s not as if they want to kill their dog with salmonella when they feed them their breakfast and dinner either.

Puppies, and clothes, and products… oh my!

This past weekend (March 15th-March 17th) was a pet expo fairly close to me. I was working late Friday, wedding shopping with my mom on Saturday, so I decided I wanted to go Sunday. I didn’t want to go alone, so my fiance went with me. I really wanted to bring Buster, but I had never been to a pet expo and didn’t know what to expect, so I figure it’d be safest for him to skip it this year. (Looking back though I am sad he missed out on all of that potential training and puppy play time He will definitely go next year!) It was a lot of fun though! There were so many cute puppies and lots of well-trained and well-behaved dogs. There were lots of dogs that you would never see anywhere else too (lots of poodles that had funky colored hair and even crystals somehow glued onto their shorter shaved backs… etc). Surprisingly, there were lots of mastiffs! I was definitely not expecting that. I love mastiffs though, and I would love to own one someday.

Of course there were all sorts of booths set up. Some sold pet products, like brushes, water bottle lids, carpeting, etc. Some sold specialty treats, chews, antlers, etc. There were numerous booths set up with nothing but doggie clothes, collars, and leashes. Then of course there were rescues and veterinary hospitals.

Well, since Buster didn’t go, that obviously meant I had to bring fun things back for him!

He needed a dog bed. Kudo has a dog bed in our living room that is big enough for the both of them to sit on together. Of course Buster has his crate, but he usually doesn’t go in that while we’re all just at home hanging out. So, the only logical thing was that Buster needed his own dog bed next to Kudo’s in our living room. I have been looking at beds since before Christmas time for him. I like the memory foam ones, but I didn’t know if Buster would. Then there are your normal flat dog beds, but I had never found any that seemed comfy enough (obviously my dog only gets the best). Then there are your donut shaped dog beds; I couldn’t decide between that or a flat memory foam, so I had just never purchased one for him since it wasn’t a dire emergency.

Well of course, there were several different dog beds there. Once again, I couldn’t decide between a memory foam or the donut bed. My fiance convinced me that Buster would prefer to snuggle in the donut bed and rest his head on the edge, so we got one.

Then we moved on to the treats and all sorts of bones and chews. As far as the chew and bone category goes, I have only ever given Buster buffalo bully sticks (buffalo because I suspect he may have a beef allergy). I like the bully sticks, and Buster goes crazy for them. I like that they are hard (but not nearly as hard as a bone so less of a chance to break a tooth) but get very soft and are completely digestible; they fact that they have some quality nutrition in them is an added bonus! But lately, Buster has been chewing the bully sticks way faster than he used to when he was a puppy. He also chews them so voraciously, that sometimes it gets concerning. So I’ve been investigating other chews. I bought a 6 pack of buffalo raw marrow bones, but I haven’t given them to him yet. I was also eyeing a rib bone and a knuckle bone, but both were beef. The knuckle bone was also about 3 times the size of his head, so that was a no-go. So the booths at the pet expo had tons of various types of bones (but these are easy for me to get at my local pet food store) and antlers. I don’t think I like antlers for Buster though because of the hardness, and I honestly don’t think he would really enjoy them. But then I ran across a package that said “himalayan chew.” I remembered I had run across those words somewhere on the internet, but that was it. I hadn’t researched them. I didn’t even know what they were. So, the man running the booth explained them to me. It sounded pretty good, so I decided to give it a try. Good thing I did! Buster LOVED it. He also chewed it so much more slowly and more gently than he does with the bully sticks, so that made me feel even safer with these chews. They also break down into tiny itty bitty pieces that are perfectly safe, digestible, and healthy for him to swallow. When the dog finally breaks it down into a small piece that you are afraid they might swallow whole, you can microwave it; it puffs up and becomes a tasty cookie-like treat. How awesome is that? So you don’t even have to waste any of it! (I am used to throwing out the last 3-4 inches or so of a bully stick for Buster’s safety.) They also last way longer than the bully sticks. I will be asking my local pet food store if they can order some for me, or I guess I will have to order them online, but these are a major hit.

Buster chewing on his Himalayan chew on his new bed.

Then of course I decided that Buster needed at least one new toy. For being a little dog with a smushed-in face, he sure can chew! He has chewed up about 3-4 of his favorite toys so badly in the past couple months that I’ve had to throw him away, so I wanted to get something a little more durable. So we got this (but in a solid bright green):

I mean really… does Buster look like he needs a toy that is specifically designed for destructive chewers and needs to be classified on the higher end of a “Tuff scale?” I think not, but he is! I guess it must be in the English Bulldog in him; I know they are very strong and persistent chewers.

Buster loves this toy though! He barely put it down all night. It is exceptionally well-made. The black stitching is very, very thick and well stitched. There is white stitching throughout the rest of the alien part that you can’t really even see; that is how well-made it is (this is important for dogs who like to pick out the stitching, like Buster). The rest of the toy is very thick and hard; it’s hard to describe. It is still a plush toy though. You know those really hard mattresses (not the plushy, soft, fluffy pillow top types), they feel hard to the touch but still have a little give when you push your hand in them? This toy’s thickness and hardness reminds me of that. Awesome, for a crazy chewer. Buster carried this around all night Sunday scratching his head and trying to chew his teeth out, and it still looked brand new 5 hours later! Now that has NEVER happened to a toy he has had. The label said there was a squeaker sewn in very deeply so they dog can’t just chew it out, but my fiance, myself, and Buster have yet to make it squeak. Can you get an idea of how thick it is now? I don’t recall seeing these at Petsmart or Petco, but it is worth every penny even if you have to order it online. Seriously, this thing is awesome.

Buster loves his new bed and toy!

Then I noticed they had bumpers, and I had been thinking about getting one for Buster for awhile. Most are plastic though and can contain some nasty chemicals. This one is made from all natural water buffalo.

So, all in all, it was a pretty fun and productive day. I enjoyed going, and I think next year I definitely want to go again and bring Buster. It makes me wish there were more events like this for pets and pet owners more often than once a year. As far as I know, there’s not really much, at least in my area. It’s hard enough finding a training group to become a part of (which I hope I find soon). If you have the chance to go to a nearby pet expo, I say go for it!

Buggy Protection

Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other bugs… this is something that no one likes, including our dogs. This is something that Buster and I have been struggling with lately. I unfortunately live in an area where there is a high occurrence of Lyme disease. Since we do go on walks and hikes frequently, I want Buster to be as protected as possible. He does have the Lyme vaccine (and one of the better ones out there with protection against additional strains), but I don’t want to rely on just that. Plus, I want him to have the flea and mosquito protection too. So, we have been using Vectra 3D since he was about 8 weeks old.

Vectra 3D is a newer product that you can only get from a vet hospital (not somewhere like Petco). Its claim to fame is that it doesn’t work the same as Frontline or K9 Advantix 2. Frontline and K9 Advantix 2 are systemic, so they work by being absorbed into the oil gland system and then wicked out by the hair follicles. Vectra 3D uses a bio-adhesive compound to make it spread out and sit on the skin almost like a glue; it’s supposed to be better for dogs with skin problems since it isn’t absorbed. It works though, and it works exceptionally well. Buster has never had a flea or tick on him in his life. When we moved into our house, Kudo immediately ended up with a flea infestation. We had to spray everything inside and everything outside and clean, clean, clean. We’ve put the Vectra on him since, and the problem was gone in about 4 months (usually it takes 7-8 months).

Buster had been “okay” with it, but lately his problems are getting worse. So, I’ve been researching and contemplating if we need to do something different. In the beginning, he would run around like crazy doing the alligator death roll on everything – the couch, the dog bed, my bed, the floor – trying to “scratch” it and get it off. Then he’d itch the next day or two. I distracted him with bully sticks and a stuffed Kong, but that only helped for so long. I could tolerate that kind of reaction to it though at first (I mean, I imagine it doesn’t feel good to have a gooey thing put on your back; I don’t even like the way sunscreen feels on my own skin!).

But now, not only is he doing the alligator death roll for 3 HOURS+ after I apply it, he is itching and scratching like crazy for 3-4 days afterward. We will be sitting together watching TV, and out of the blue, all of his skin will twitch (you know how your skin twitches if someone lightly runs their finger down your back or across your knee?), and he will look at his back with sad eyes and itch it for a minute. It’s to the point where I will apply the Vectra, wait a day or two (just for it to dry), and give him a bath (I use a soap-free shampoo, so it does not strip the product off). The stuff I use to bathe him with is very moisturizing, so I assume that’s what is helping.

So now we are at a crossroad, and I don’t know what to do. I have been looking into other flea/tick preventatives, but there is just so much information to take into account in researching those.

I really don’t like the idea of putting chemicals on him, but I also really don’t like the idea of him getting Lyme disease or bitten by a mosquito and potentially ending up with heartworms (he is on a heartworm medication every month, but I like the added protection of a flea/tick that repels mosquitoes as well), so the chemicals seem like the lesser evil. I have briefly read up on some more holistic thoughts about flea/tick prevention and even using essential oils, but fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are so serious that I don’t know that I want to take a chance on something that isn’t studied, branded, and labeled to repel and kill fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.

So, my current thought (this could change in 30 minutes when I do some more research) is to keep using a standard flea/tick prevention but to stay away from a topical treatment and use an oral pill. This would probably be Comfortis. Trifexis is a good product, but Buster is on Heartgard Plus for heartworms and internal parasite deworming and handles it well; I don’t want to risk the side effects of Trifexis right now (but yes… everything, even the Comfortis, has potential side effects). But (always a but, right? nothing is perfect), Comfortis only protects against fleas; it doesn’t do ticks or even mosquitoes. Although, most owners do report tick protection (repelling ticks and also killing ticks once they’ve latched on) with Comfortis and Trifexis, but of course, neither of them are labeled or guaranteed for that; I do see how and trust how they would at least have minimal tick protection though. I was thinking about pairing the Comfortis with a tick collar, but then, that’s still adding more chemicals.
Well, ironically today at work, our Bayer rep called to discuss a new product. The office manager was busy, so I decided I’d talk to her. She called to talk about their new flea/tick collar called Seresto. It does have a new chemical in it, which makes me a little leery and wanting to read up on some studies, but overall, it seems like a cool product. It works differently though. It acts like a topical spreading the chemicals on the dog’s body from the tick collar, so I don’t know if Buster would have the same alligator death roll reaction or not. But, it does have some sort of sensor (we are supposed to get some information via mail at work with more details about the product) to recognize when the pet needs further protection or that the pet is completely protected and doesn’t distribute any more chemicals, so that is cool. It’s also waterpoof and can even be used safely with any topical flea/tick without worrying about any sort of overdosing. It is recommended to wear it monthly for 8 months (the heaviest tick months in the year) for the best protection. I asked her a question she had never gotten before. I asked her what if you had a client (and in this case, I was talking about myself specifically) who doesn’t like keep unnecessary chemicals on her dog constantly but wants them to be protected, so they want to put the flea/tick collar on a couple days before the dog may go to a lake or river where he would have the most exposure to fleas/ticks but doesn’t want to keep it on the pet at home the rest of the time, is that okay? She said she’d have to find the answer and call me back. So, she did. She said they do recommend the pet to wear it for 24-48 hours for optimum protection. After that, the owner could take it off and the dog would still be protected (since it does still work similarly to a topical), but of course that would be off-label and something they can’t guarantee. Well, that works enough for me. So now maybe this is something I am interested in.

What do you use for your pet? Do both of you like it?

No one likes to talk about Weight

It seems that I’ve been seeing and hearing a lot lately about overweight pets. I assume that is because it’s winter, so people are out less with their pets, so that makes sense. But that doesn’t make it okay. Dogs don’t have the ability like most people do to look in the mirror and see the extra pounds pack on, so we have to keep an eye on that for them. Just like for people, a dog’s weight determines a lot. An overweight dog is much more prone to arthritis, heart disease, broken legs, neck and back pain, hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, and the list goes on and on.

Most dogs love food (minus the occasional picky eater). Most dogs are very food motivated. If you put food down, most dogs will gobble it all up and not leave any behind. That doesn’t mean you should just throw down however much food you want or think your pet needs. On the back of the bag of dog food you feed, whatever food it may be, there is a suggested feeding guide. That is exactly what it is called… a suggested feeding guide. It is a start and a guideline but not the end all be all. If your dog is a working dog who is very active, feed a little more. If your dog is a couch potato, feed a little less. It may take a little bit of time to find the ideal amount that makes your pet the ideal weight. If your dog is overweight, you typically start feeding them the suggest feeding amount for the weight that he should be. You also have to keep those treats in mind. It’s not effective to cut back on food but hand out treats every other minute. In fact, I’d venture to say most overweight dogs I know are probably mostly overweight due to the treats and snacks and extras – not just their normal breakfast and dinner amount.

If you are trying to cut back on the amount of food you feed your dog, but he is still acting hungry after eating at mealtimes, try adding in some plain, cooked, non-seasoned green beans and carrots. Most likely, your dog will love them, and they are healthy additives to provide some nutrition and make your dog feel fuller.

Do not feed your dog table scraps. I cannot tell you how many clients come in with overweight dogs and are ashamed to put their dog on the scale, but then they laugh it off. “Well, she’s a picky eater! But she just loves pancakes and syrup! It’s so hard not to give her those fries and potato chips when she’s sitting beside you begging. Usually when I drop food in the kitchen, I just expect her to come through and clean it up” is what they usually say – or something to that effect. I usually just groan and shake my head. Not only are those dogs becoming overweight because of those incidences, those foods have no nutrition. And to top it off, those foods are putting your dog at risk for pancreatitis and diabetes.

Pancreatitis is inflammation and swelling of the pancreas. Dogs with Cushing’s, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism are at an increased risk of pancreatitis, but feeding table scraps and fatty foods can cause an acute attack. The dog has abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, and can go into shock. It generally requires several days of hospitalization, lots of fluids, electrolytes, and antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infections. In some cases, dogs may need surgery to drain the infected pancreas. It can even be fatal unfortunately. We’ve treated several dogs at work for pancreatitis, and it sucks for everyone: us, the dog, and the owners.

So, feeding your dog that potato chip day after day because of his cute little begging face is not worth even the slightest risk of that is it? No, it is not.

The body condition score is what most veterinarians use to determine whether your pet is underweight, at an ideal weight, or overweight.

The main idea here is that you want to see a slight tuck by the abdomen.

But of course, keep in mind that every dog is an individual. Not every chihuahua is at their healthiest weight at 9lbs, just like not every lab is at their best weight at 65lbs.

Their own special room with a view

I often refer to crates as the dog’s special room with a view (as do many others who promote proper crate training). If the dog is properly crate trained, I can only imagine that’s how they feel about it. What dog wouldn’t love their own special comfy bed where they can go when they are tired or just want to get away from something? But why do many other people not feel this way? I’d venture to say that at least half of our clients at work look at you as if you have two heads when it comes to crate training. “Oh my! That is so cruel! Why would I ever want to shut my dog in a cage?” is the usual response.

I think the absolute number one reason I am a fan of crate training is because what happens if your dog has a medical condition and must be crated to even have hopes of recovering fully? I can’t tell you how many clients come in and their dogs have broken limbs or debilitating neck or back pain, and these dogs absolutely need to be crated if they want to recover. But unfortunately, 90% of those dogs aren’t crate trained. So, here the owners are trying to crate train their dog with broken limbs or horrible neck pain; now that has got to suck, for both the owner and dog. It’s easier to prevent all of that added stress by just crate training your dog from the beginning.

I also think about it from a traveling and safety perspective. When my fiance and I go with our dogs to the lake, usually his parents are there with their 3 dogs as well.  One of those dogs is a 8 month old 60lb or so yellow lab who doesn’t understand how huge he is and is very energetic. I’m pretty sure if Buster could speak (in English words),  he would thank me over and over for crate training him. He can go into his crate and be away from everyone and everything and have a little down time when things are getting to be too much. It is his special place and no one else is allowed inside it. It’s also for his safety. What happens if we want to go out to dinner or need to go to the grocery store while we’re there? I know Buster is 100% safe inside his crate; there is no risk of him finding something to get into and eat. Dogs tend to get more anxious when they’re in a new environment and all of a sudden left alone. Dogs that typically don’t eat things or scratch at door frames are more likely to do it in this scenario.

Crate training is also one of the best tools for potty training, especially if you have a stubborn dog.

I still crate Buster whenever my fiance and I aren’t home. He is a well-trained dog, but he is still an inquisitive puppy who likes to sniff around and sometimes pick up things and chew on them (that he shouldn’t).

Some crating do’s and don’ts:
Do not use the crate as punishment, ever. Never put him in there after yelling or scolding or after he’s done something wrong.
Do not let him out once he starts whining.
Do not ever keep your dog in his crate for a super long amount of time (like 12 hours +).
If they’re an aggressive chewer, don’t put blankets and toys in there.

Do use it as a method to help potty training, especially if you are having problems.
Do give him treats or food when they go in
Do put the crate in a family room area, not off by themself in a separate room

7 week old Buster asleep in his crate at my work. Looks like pure torture doesn’t it?

Buster is very well-crate trained at this point, since we started when he was about 7 weeks old. I always put a blanket or towel over the top of the crate so it drapes over the sides and back of it. I don’t think Buster really cares or notices, but I feel like that makes it a little cozier, so I do it. I also still give him a Kong stuffed with a little bit of canned food every time he goes in his crate.

I really think crate training is probably one of the best things you could do for your dog. It’s always easier to start when they are a tiny pup, but it is never to late to train them to love their own special room.

The Humane Society of the United State’s tips for crate training