Calling all Mals!
It's that time of year again -- this year's Mighty Texas Dog Walk is April 11 in beautiful downtown Austin!
All profits go to the Texas Hearing and Service Dogs, a wonderful organisation that trains shelter dogs to assist people with a wide variety of disabilities.
The walk is only 3 miles long, and the "purpose" is to bring the Guinness World Record back to Texas – Beat the Brits! Current record: 10,272 dogs.
The t-shirt designed by Mauro Garza is always gorgeous, a collector's item. This year, the walk will not be competing with other events downtown, and it will have 6 water stops with wading pools, etc.
Info and on-line registration (save $5) http://www.servicedogs.org/dogwalk09/
It's always awesome when a bunch of Mallies walk together!! It's one dog per walker, but if extra walkers can be found, it's very cool to walk Mallies that are up for adoption ... The walk is earlier this year, for extra coolth -- a good thing for Mallies -- as are the wading pools!
Hope to see lots of happy Mallies there! I have a huge driveway that anyone with an RV is welcome to use....
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Milk-Bone features sled dog
Have you seen the new "cover dog" on the Milkbone Bakery Bites Bacon Chip n Cheese flavor cookies? The packaging used to have a cartoon doggie on it, but now there's a mighty handsome sled dog with lovely dark brown eyes!!
Nice to see a happy snow-dog puppy exploited for commercial purposes ... It hasn't quite succeeded in subliminally talking me into buying the treats, but it does make me smile!
Btw, the Milk-Bone site prominently announces that none of its branded products are involved in the salmonella peanut recall -- for the simple reason that even their peanut-butter-flavored treats contain no actual peanuts ... That's nice, but we're not taking any chances -- have thrown out all our peanut-butter treats and don't intend to buy any in the foreseeable future! Yikes!
Good thing the doggies prefer jerky treats anyway ... and the cats prefer fish ...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Useful (?) Mals?
So I'm taking Rowan to the groomer at Petsmart, and he's prancing down the aisle, tossing head and tail, giving everyone the googly eyes, and they're all throwing themselves at him, as usual ... >sigh< ... he is SUCH a glory hog ...
Anyway, one kid stops us and grabs handfuls of Malafluff (there's a reason we go to the groomer ...) and he yells for his brother and mom to come over. At this point we are blocking the entire center lanes of the store ... the brother tools up in a nifty wheelchair, his eyes light up and he too has to get his Rowan lovin's. Who ruthlessly takes advantage of a captive victim and licks the poor kid up the nose, in the ears and basically all over, to his great delight. Meanwhile, the mother is sighing and rolling her eyes while kid #1 is trying to explain to her that they have to get a Mal to take care of the handicapped kid, pull him around when needed, and basically be their best buddy. I'm trying to explain over the din that a Mal is not a Golden Retriever or a Lab and is a true pain in the a** to train, and is not terribly reliable, when the mom amazes me by saying that she's heard of plenty of Mals being trained as assistance dogs (!!), she just doesn't want the shedding in the house ... a small yappy broke up the traffic jam & I didn't get the name of the org. she was talking about!
Now I've heard of Mallie THERAPY dogs, and have talked to a few wheelchair-bound Mal-people who just happen to be Mal-lovers, but don't count on their Mals for formal assistance. But does anyone know who is training Mallies specifically to assist the disabled?
I've always thought it was a great idea, esp. in a family setting where training could be reinforced & there is backup, etc., but Sherry at Texas Hearing & Service Dogs has always said Mals were too difficult ... What a great thing it would be for Mallie rescue!
Needless to say, Rowan enjoyed his bath & comb-out immensely, as he got loved on by all, and I really appreciate having someone else clip those iron claws ...
Anyway, one kid stops us and grabs handfuls of Malafluff (there's a reason we go to the groomer ...) and he yells for his brother and mom to come over. At this point we are blocking the entire center lanes of the store ... the brother tools up in a nifty wheelchair, his eyes light up and he too has to get his Rowan lovin's. Who ruthlessly takes advantage of a captive victim and licks the poor kid up the nose, in the ears and basically all over, to his great delight. Meanwhile, the mother is sighing and rolling her eyes while kid #1 is trying to explain to her that they have to get a Mal to take care of the handicapped kid, pull him around when needed, and basically be their best buddy. I'm trying to explain over the din that a Mal is not a Golden Retriever or a Lab and is a true pain in the a** to train, and is not terribly reliable, when the mom amazes me by saying that she's heard of plenty of Mals being trained as assistance dogs (!!), she just doesn't want the shedding in the house ... a small yappy broke up the traffic jam & I didn't get the name of the org. she was talking about!
Now I've heard of Mallie THERAPY dogs, and have talked to a few wheelchair-bound Mal-people who just happen to be Mal-lovers, but don't count on their Mals for formal assistance. But does anyone know who is training Mallies specifically to assist the disabled?
I've always thought it was a great idea, esp. in a family setting where training could be reinforced & there is backup, etc., but Sherry at Texas Hearing & Service Dogs has always said Mals were too difficult ... What a great thing it would be for Mallie rescue!
Needless to say, Rowan enjoyed his bath & comb-out immensely, as he got loved on by all, and I really appreciate having someone else clip those iron claws ...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Lucky Hat?
Overheard at the bookstore:
"That hat must be unlucky. We never used to have these kinds of problems before you got that hat."
"That hat must be unlucky. We never used to have these kinds of problems before you got that hat."
NEWS: Souring economy puts the bite on pet owners
NEWS: Souring economy puts the bite on pet owners
Demand spikes at pet food banks, discount vets
Some pantries see 50 percent increase in need for free dog, cat food
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
Response to newsvine:
This article made me even more frustrated about the shove-'em-out the door tactics of some shelters/rescues, such as "free kitten month," and the adoption craze in the media.
It's great that the media and celebrities are getting behind the pet adoption movement, but since it isn't very homogenous, the terms can get confused, and a puppy miller or thief can easily pass themselves off as a "shelter" or "adoption center" -- there's a pretty fine line with some of the groups that "adopt" at Petsmart, e.g., already, and Petland's puppies and kittens are straight from the horrors of the mills. How is the consumer to know?
TV shows often say, "this cute puppy/kitten is up for adoption, call now," without further info, giving an unfortunate impression. Potential adopters often don't know what to look for, and buzz words like "rehoming" and "adoption" can easily mask unscrupulous behavior. I know Mike and Juliet (mandjshow.com), for example, mean well when touting adorable pets to adopt/give away FOR FREE!! However, these tactics send exactly the wrong message: pets are cheap, throwaway commodities; if you don't like this one, well, you can always pop down to the shelter for a replacement. ... instead of emphasizing that pets are a lifelong commitment, expensive, unpredictable, and requiring patience and work. The media don't educate the public that a reputable rescue or shelter will meet at least these minimum standards:
1) no "impulse" adoptions on-site or before an in-depth application is processed;
2) no adoptions before home check and vet check, and require a landlord letter;
3) mandatory spay/neuter, vaccinations & registration, microchip in rescue/shelter's name;
4) either adoption counseling, an adoption video, training, certificate for training, or some other retention behavior.
The adoption process should be onerous, invasive, difficult, and expensive -- just like when adopting a child. The level of commitment should be the same.
In Big Dog rescue, our foremost problems at this point are returns, dogs just being set loose, the particularly horrible shape dogs are in when they do come into rescue, and counseling folks who are in the situation of the people in this article, servicepeople being deployed, etc.. Vet bills for big dogs can often be monstrous -- flea and heartworm prevention seem anecdotally to be the first things to be dropped, which lead to much greater expenses and pain later. My neighbors find the cost prohibitive. None of their dogs are vaccinated and few are spayed/neutered, either; it's not that easy to get to a low-cost clinic.
Low-cost vax, flea/heartworm & microchip clinics brought right into the poorer neighborhoods, along with education, would be a fantastic use of Pedigree's and the ASPCA's Project Orange money, methinks ... and contribute greatly to retention. Large-scale availability of good pet food at the food banks would be great, too, and nice corporate write-offs... Low-cost training meet-ups in the neighborhoods would also be wonderful. That kind of follow-up and long-term back-up would do so much more to create a truly pet-friendly environment than the current fire-sale attitude, iffy screening procedures and basic lack of commitment that just lead to pets bouncing back into rescue or onto the street, older and less adoptable.
IMHO, of course ...
Demand spikes at pet food banks, discount vets
Some pantries see 50 percent increase in need for free dog, cat food
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
Response to newsvine:
This article made me even more frustrated about the shove-'em-out the door tactics of some shelters/rescues, such as "free kitten month," and the adoption craze in the media.
It's great that the media and celebrities are getting behind the pet adoption movement, but since it isn't very homogenous, the terms can get confused, and a puppy miller or thief can easily pass themselves off as a "shelter" or "adoption center" -- there's a pretty fine line with some of the groups that "adopt" at Petsmart, e.g., already, and Petland's puppies and kittens are straight from the horrors of the mills. How is the consumer to know?
TV shows often say, "this cute puppy/kitten is up for adoption, call now," without further info, giving an unfortunate impression. Potential adopters often don't know what to look for, and buzz words like "rehoming" and "adoption" can easily mask unscrupulous behavior. I know Mike and Juliet (mandjshow.com), for example, mean well when touting adorable pets to adopt/give away FOR FREE!! However, these tactics send exactly the wrong message: pets are cheap, throwaway commodities; if you don't like this one, well, you can always pop down to the shelter for a replacement. ... instead of emphasizing that pets are a lifelong commitment, expensive, unpredictable, and requiring patience and work. The media don't educate the public that a reputable rescue or shelter will meet at least these minimum standards:
1) no "impulse" adoptions on-site or before an in-depth application is processed;
2) no adoptions before home check and vet check, and require a landlord letter;
3) mandatory spay/neuter, vaccinations & registration, microchip in rescue/shelter's name;
4) either adoption counseling, an adoption video, training, certificate for training, or some other retention behavior.
The adoption process should be onerous, invasive, difficult, and expensive -- just like when adopting a child. The level of commitment should be the same.
In Big Dog rescue, our foremost problems at this point are returns, dogs just being set loose, the particularly horrible shape dogs are in when they do come into rescue, and counseling folks who are in the situation of the people in this article, servicepeople being deployed, etc.. Vet bills for big dogs can often be monstrous -- flea and heartworm prevention seem anecdotally to be the first things to be dropped, which lead to much greater expenses and pain later. My neighbors find the cost prohibitive. None of their dogs are vaccinated and few are spayed/neutered, either; it's not that easy to get to a low-cost clinic.
Low-cost vax, flea/heartworm & microchip clinics brought right into the poorer neighborhoods, along with education, would be a fantastic use of Pedigree's and the ASPCA's Project Orange money, methinks ... and contribute greatly to retention. Large-scale availability of good pet food at the food banks would be great, too, and nice corporate write-offs... Low-cost training meet-ups in the neighborhoods would also be wonderful. That kind of follow-up and long-term back-up would do so much more to create a truly pet-friendly environment than the current fire-sale attitude, iffy screening procedures and basic lack of commitment that just lead to pets bouncing back into rescue or onto the street, older and less adoptable.
IMHO, of course ...
Monday, June 09, 2008
Heartworm infestations
N. writes: >My only concern is that ... heartworm
infestation of a dog sounds like an almost impossibly unlikely event
even during periods of sustained warm temps.<
Reply:
Well, down here in Texas, whenever a dog comes into rescue, the first thing we test for is heartworms -- you can just about assume that a dog that's been out and about, no matter the weather, is going to be infested, some of them just horribly. Way too few people know or care about protecting their dogs (and outdoor cats). Even when we get a good freeze, you can bet that, when the next warm day comes around, we'll be plagued by skeeters again. There are just too many hidey-holes for them to be killed off. The times I've spent in upstate NY, I didn't notice any marked lack of skeeters either, despite the harsh winters ... Heartworm treatment often just has to be part of the foster/rescue process, and one of the reasons we work so hard to raise money ... believe me, prevention is a lot cheaper, and a LOT less hard on the dog!
My depreciated $.02 ...
infestation of a dog sounds like an almost impossibly unlikely event
even during periods of sustained warm temps.<
Reply:
Well, down here in Texas, whenever a dog comes into rescue, the first thing we test for is heartworms -- you can just about assume that a dog that's been out and about, no matter the weather, is going to be infested, some of them just horribly. Way too few people know or care about protecting their dogs (and outdoor cats). Even when we get a good freeze, you can bet that, when the next warm day comes around, we'll be plagued by skeeters again. There are just too many hidey-holes for them to be killed off. The times I've spent in upstate NY, I didn't notice any marked lack of skeeters either, despite the harsh winters ... Heartworm treatment often just has to be part of the foster/rescue process, and one of the reasons we work so hard to raise money ... believe me, prevention is a lot cheaper, and a LOT less hard on the dog!
My depreciated $.02 ...
This Economy & Pets: Demand spikes at pet food banks, discount vets
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifFrom http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
Demand spikes at pet food banks, discount vets
Some pantries see 50 percent increase in need for free dog, cat food
The Associated Press updated 3:18 p.m. CT, Mon., June. 2, 2008
FRANKLIN, Mass. - Diana Bardsley wiped tears from her eyes as she recalled taking food off her plate to feed her beloved spaniel Hunter and two Siamese cats.
Her greatest fear: that she could be forced to surrender the animals as she struggled to stretch her food stamps and Social Security income to meet the escalating cost of living.
Some hope was restored after she visited a local food pantry, which has started offering free pet food to help owners keep their animals out of shelters.
"I know a lot of people will probably say, 'Well, if you don't have enough money to be able to feed your animals, that you shouldn't have pets,''' said Bardsley, 53, of Franklin, as Hunter played in the living room with three of her grandchildren.
But, "Just because financially you may go downhill a little or a lot, doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up the part of your family that you love,'' she said.
For some pet owners, though, there is little choice.
The rising costs of fuel, food and housing — and the rising tide of foreclosures — have generated a surge in requests for pet food from traditional food pantries and prompted some pet owners to give up their animals. Others are trying to save money by forgoing veterinary care.
>snip< -- read complete article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2008 MSNBC.com
Demand spikes at pet food banks, discount vets
Some pantries see 50 percent increase in need for free dog, cat food
The Associated Press updated 3:18 p.m. CT, Mon., June. 2, 2008
FRANKLIN, Mass. - Diana Bardsley wiped tears from her eyes as she recalled taking food off her plate to feed her beloved spaniel Hunter and two Siamese cats.
Her greatest fear: that she could be forced to surrender the animals as she struggled to stretch her food stamps and Social Security income to meet the escalating cost of living.
Some hope was restored after she visited a local food pantry, which has started offering free pet food to help owners keep their animals out of shelters.
"I know a lot of people will probably say, 'Well, if you don't have enough money to be able to feed your animals, that you shouldn't have pets,''' said Bardsley, 53, of Franklin, as Hunter played in the living room with three of her grandchildren.
But, "Just because financially you may go downhill a little or a lot, doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up the part of your family that you love,'' she said.
For some pet owners, though, there is little choice.
The rising costs of fuel, food and housing — and the rising tide of foreclosures — have generated a surge in requests for pet food from traditional food pantries and prompted some pet owners to give up their animals. Others are trying to save money by forgoing veterinary care.
>snip< -- read complete article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24936402/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2008 MSNBC.com
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