In my world, everyday is Be Kind to Animals week.  As a pet sitter it’s my job – that’s why I became a pet sitter.  I’ve always had a special relationship with dogs and feel that we need them as much as they need us.

Annie and Tommy

Be Kind to Animals Week was started in 1915 by American Humane to celebrate the relationship we have with our pets and to educated people on how to treat them with kindness and love.  I couldn’t image a world without pets. The joy and love they bring to our lives everyday can’t be measured.  It’s constant and so complete.  You can always count on a dog to lift your spirits and fill your heart with so much love that you think it’s going to burst!

It’s only right that we help other people who may not feel the same way to treat our furry friends with kindness.

As my part for this week, I devoted my ezine to adopting or getting a new dog.  If you want to do your part, here’s what American Humane suggests.  They also instruct you on how to accomplish these suggestions when you click on the learn more button.

Speak out for the animals:  This can be done through legislation, reporting animal abuse (see my prior post about animal abuse) or just speaking out on animal issues that you’re passionate about.  They have an Action Alert if your interested in knowing more about policies and legislation.

Respect wildlife in your own backyard: I know there are lots of pests that eat gardens and plants such as rabbits and deer, but there are humane ways to deter them from your door.  The American Humane has lots of suggestion how to humanely get rid of unwanted animals in your yard.  Or, how about starting a butterfly garden or have bird houses so they have a safe place to live.

Rescue of pet from a shelter: In my opinion, this should always be your first choice when getting a new pet.  Not only are you being kind, but in some cases, you’re saving their life.  All they want is someone to take them home and give them the love they deserve.  It’s a win-win situation. 

Taking care of your pet: Once you get your pet from the shelter, you have to give them the very best.  Number one on that list is nutritional pet food.  This is the foundation of their health and you can avoid costly vet bills if they are getting the proper nutrition.  Get a soft, warm pet bed, brush their teeth on a regular basis, give their coat a good brushing, bathe them, take them on daily walks, provide them with adequate shelter, shade and water, make sure they have their identification including getting them micro chipped and get them the vaccinations they need to keep them healthy and happy.

Most of all love them with all your heart and the love they give back to you is nothing short of miraculous.

Chris L Wagner

Where I live in Northern California, Spring and Summer is synonymous with baby rattlesnakes.  We have many nature trails to walk our dogs in my town and I’ve seen snakes sunning themselves on the trails many times.  Let me tell you, they put the fear of God in you!

Copperhead Snake

This information was obtained in my Dog First Aid booklet from the American Red Cross.  All responsible dog and cat owners should take a class at least every other year.  If you don’t have a Red Cross Chapter near you, you can take classes from independent sources like PetTech.net.  Pet First Aid kits should also be a must in your home.  PetFinder.com has a list to make your own or you can purchase one from Amazon.com are good sources for kits.

Venomous Snakes in the United States – Pit Vipers

Rattlesnakes: Rattlesnakes come in 16 distinct varieties, but they are most identified with a jointed rattle on the tail and a triangular head.  They usually get up to 3-4 feet in length, sometimes longer.  Most are found in the Southwestern US, but some variety can be found in every contiguous state.

Rattlesnake

Copperheads: Copperheads do not have a rattle and are about 4 feet long in adulthood.  They are most characterized by their deep coppery orange color on their heads.  Also known as a Highland Moccasin and found mainly in the Eastern US.

Cottonmouths: Cottonmouths or Water Moccasins are about 4 feet in length with a dark body and the inside of their mouth is bright white.  They are found by rivers, wetlands and lakes usually in South Carolina.

Coral Snakes: Coral Snakes are known for their colorful banding of red, yellow and black and can be found in the Southern and Eastern US.  They grow up to 3 feet in length.  Remember, “if red touches yellow, you’re a dead fellow”  meaning if the red and yellow bands touch on the Coral Snake it’s the real deal and is venomous.

Coral Snake

What to do to avoid a snake bite

Keep your dog on a leash when walking outside or away from your home.

Don’t let them wander off into high brush and grass.

If you’re in a high risk area, bring a walking stick with you to stir up the brush and let the snakes know your coming and wear high boots.

If appropriate, enroll your dog in a Rattlesnake Avoidance Classes that can be taught from local dog trainers.

If you see a snake on your walk, just turn around and go the other way.  That happened to me and I didn’t care how far out of the way it took me.  It scared the life out of me to be honest!

Keep them away from streams and riverbeds.  Snakes like to hide in the tall grasses along the water.

Know where your nearest emergency Vet clinic is in your area.

Get a Snake Vaccine from your local vet if necessary.

Cottonmouth Snake

Signs and Symptoms – according to The American Red Cross

Bleeding puncture wound

Blood does not clot

Breathing stops

Bruising or sloughing of the skin over the bitten area

Fang marks may or may not be visible, due to the dogs hair

Neurological signs such as twitching and drooling

Pain

Reddening

Signs of Shock

Swelling of the bitten area.  This can be severe and progress for more than a day.

What to do if your dog is bitten

If you can, try to identify the snake type, but be aware that the venom can still be lethal for up to 1 1/2 hours even if the snake has been decapitated.

Perform pet CPR and check the dogs vital signs.  You will learn this in your First Aid for Dogs class.

Keep the dog calm and carry them, if possible, home and to your car.  The toxins spread faster throughout their body when they are moving.

DO NOT try to suck the venom out of the wound.  DO NOT use ice on the area and DO NOT us a tourniquet.

Take your dog immediately to the Vet or Emergency Vet Clinic as time is of the essence.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

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Have you ever noticed when dogs sleep on your bed, they usually lay right between your legs and put you in the most uncomfortable positions?  However, I  have to go on record saying that I love when my boarders sleep in our bed with us.  Of course they can’t all sleep on our bed – that’s why I have my two boys take some of the dogs.  They actually fight over which dog will get to sleep with them.

With that said, not all dogs are good candidates for sleeping on the human bed.

5 good reasons why Fido may not be welcome on the bed:

Excessive licking! I’ve been woken up by the wonderful sound (not) of a dog licking their paws or other areas!  Bigger dogs can even rock the bed back and forth.  Stress, boredom or a medical problem can lead to excessive licking.  Elicit the help of a professional dog behaviorist, vet or trainer that can help you with this problem.  Usually a good nudge will stop them.

My Sitter Wendy in Bed with Some Friends

Small Bladder – Some dogs can’t or won’t hold their bladder the entire night.  This too could be caused by a medical condition such as a Urinary Tract Infection/Bladder Infection. Also, young puppies have a hard time holding their bladder.  Either way, you can get up a couple times a night or a better idea would be to put them in a crate or enclosed in an area with a gate – preferably on tile and maybe with some pee pads.  Of course you’ll need a soft, comfortable dog bed for Fido to sleep on.

Nervous, fidgety or hyper behavior.  Sometimes when we get a new dog boarding with us, they can be nervous, and it’s hard for them to settle down.  They jump on and off the bed and roam aimlessly around the house.  Both of those actions make it hard for me to sleep especially if I don’t know what the dog is up to as they check out the house all night!  They usually calm down the second night, but a crate may be an option in this case also.  If your dog does this every night, he may not be getting enough exercise during the day.  Make sure they go to the dog park or get a nice, long walk everyday.

Old, Injury or weak hindquarters – When my late dog got older, she no longer could jump on the bed with us.  It was a sad transition for us and we really missed her being close.  Dog leg injuries or other medical conditions can also prevent them from jumping up and down on the bed or other furniture.  Please consult your vet in these situations.  Again, make the transition smoother by getting them proper bedding and put it close to you on the floor so they know your not too far away.

A typical night at my sitter Frank's house

Aggression towards you or your bed partner.  I’ve heard many stories about dogs that won’t let your spouse near you and will growl and/or try to bite.  According to Pat Miller, CPDT and training editor of the Whole Dog Journal, “Never punish your dog for growling.  Punishment is likely to make his behavior worse because your aggression will add to his stress”.  This doesn’t mean they are automatically banished from the bed, but you will need to bring in a professional that can help you counter condition this behavior.  Tread carefully on this one – you don’t want to make the situation worse.

So, if you do have kick Fido off the bed, please make sure you get them a good, comfortable dog bed that fits them properly.  If your dog likes to stretch out, buy a little bigger bed than needed.  I know money is tight these days, but this isn’t where your want to scrimp.  If you’ve ever slept on an uncomfortable bed, you know how important it is to sleep in comfort especially for those older or injured dogs.

Now go take a nap!

Chris L Wagner

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

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Almost every day that the dog park is open in my town, I’m there.  I live across the street and the dogs I board love going and have a great time.   Not only is the park good for socializing the dogs, it’s also a social meet up for the pet owners.  I’ve met so many great people and love getting to know them.  I’ve learned about dog breeds that I never knew  existed.

Argos and Bently at the Dog Park

Before the dog park was open, I was in the organization that was responsible for raising funds and actually building the park.  A group of us were the grunts and worked on Saturdays digging and shoveling dirt and helping to pour concrete.  Our little construction group laughed a lot and had  a wonderful time even though we were doing hard manual labor.

One of our task was to develop a list of guidelines for the pet owners to use while they were visiting the park.  Since then, some of them have been observed, and some haven’t.

As some of you know, when dogs get running around, they don’t always see who or what they’re going to run into.  I’ve been knocked off my feet once and hit square in the knee a couple of times.

I’ve come up with my own do’s and don’ts when visiting your local dog park

Do take off your dog’s pinch/prong collar.  You know the one’s that work really well, but look like a Medieval torture device.  The dogs rough house a lot and they could catch a nail or tooth on them.

Don’t let your child make dirt angels at the park.  I actually saw a little boy lay down in the middle of the park and starting waving his arms and legs to make angels.  Do you know how many times the dogs go potty on the ground?  The mother was standing right by him and didn’t say anything.  The dog park is a cesspool of germs.

Dylan keeping Zoey Company at the park

Do take your dog (after they’ve had all their shots).  It’s a wonderful way to socialize them early, besides puppies have a lot of energy and they can get out their energy by playing much better than by just walking.

Don’t bring a stroller into the park.  If you absolutely have to, stay close to the fence so the dogs won’t knock it down.  The same goes with small children, please don’t let them wander in the middle of the dog park.  Some dogs can be unpredictable around children, and you just never know.

Do keep your leash with you at all times in case you have to pull your dog away from fight or some other unwanted behavior.

Don’t bring food into the park.  I know that some pet parents need to entice their dogs with treats and that’s OK, but a full fledge picnic at the tables is a no-no.  The other day I saw a little girl with a zip lock bag full of kibble.  It’s a good way to get knocked over or have to deal with food aggressive dogs.

Don’t bring your dog to the dog park if they have aggressive behavior.  Your not doing anyone any favors and you’re just looking for vet bills.  If your dog is exhibiting bad behavior, please leave the park.

Do make sure your dog is fully vaccinated before going to the park.  They play and exchange saliva all the time.  I’ve been slimed many, many times!

Do expect your dog to get pounced on when they first arrive.  The dogs love new meat and have to give them the dog park initiation.  They’ll sniff and bark and see what your dog is made out of.  It usually doesn’t last very long and soon another dog will come in and lose interest in your dog

Do have your dogs licenses and all other tags on him.  Animal control sometimes comes by our park to inspect the dogs.

If you follow these rules, a good time is had by all!   If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

Now go out and have a good time at the dog park.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

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Elizabeth, I’d like to thank you so much for letting us interview you today.  I’m very excited to hear about your company and the tips you can provide us for making our yard more pet friendly.

Elizabeth: Thank you!  I’m so honored you asked me!

Chris: I wanted to interview you because pet friendly landscaping is very close to my heart.  I love to garden but also board dogs in my home.  Needless to say, they have wreaked  havoc in my back yard, and  I’ve invested a lot of money into barriers to keep them out of my plants.

Chris: Were you always a landscaper with pets in mind or did that come about later?  What inspired you? Tell us about your company.

Remove sod to create doggie runway

Elizabeth: I’ve always been a plant and dog nerd.  When I was working for other landscape companies, I was heartbroken when clients would complain about their dog.  They always said something like, “I love my yard but just look at what my dog did!” There was no concern as  to why their dog was “destroying” their yard, they were just very angry with their dog.

When I started my company in 1998, I wanted to prove to people that dogs and plants can share a yard.  Their “destructive” behavior is simply their instincts.  They get triggered by certain elements in their yard and act like dogs.  They’ll bark at squirrels, go to the bathroom, etc. so I figured out what type of material to use so they weren’t killing everything.

I’ve always consulted with my vet about solutions since I have had no other resources to rely on – it’s been a lot of trial and error in the past 12 years but that’s what makes it successful.  We’ve figured out concepts that nobody else tried.

Chris: What a great idea to consult with your vet!  I have to tell you that I have literally almost been in tears after a dog has crushed my plants.  We put a lot of work into our gardens and to see all that hard work go to waste, is heartbreaking.   What can we do to keep our flower beds looking nice and keep the dogs out?

Red Flagstone in green grass for dogs to run across sod for squirrel Patrol

Elizabeth: One word of advice is never plant along the fence.  This includes grass.  No plant can withstand urine or heavy foot traffic.  Dogs actually make a yard more interesting since we incorporate walkways and/or organic shapes based on their habits.  We create runways along the fence with 1.5” Round River Rock (Stones).  If your dog eats rock (many of them do) we use pavers and pea gravel  or crushed granite (that can pass through their  stomachs). The bed line is about 3’-5’ wide – we never plant 3’ feet from the fence since that will be their runway to do their squirrel patrol, bark at a neighbor’s dog, bark at passer-byers, etc.  By the way, three foot wide walkways are a perfect size  dogs and humans to use.  We respect their habits.

We add thorny/textured plants, like junipers, roses, pyracantha, barberry to deter dogs from entering gardens. We also use large cobble or chunky rocks that are awkward for dogs to walk on.  The material we choose depends on the size, age and total of dogs in a backyard.

Creating retaining walls  for gardens also prevents dogs from trampling through beds.

Chris: You are so right, I had to put up a metal barrier so the dogs don’t go to my back fence and bark at my neighbor’s dog.   I know that poisonous plants are a big concern for our pets.  Can you please tell us which plants are most harmful to pets?

Elizabeth: Lilies!!!!!  All lilies! They are especially harmful to cats but they cause kidney failure very quickly in dogs too.  Every time I’ve been a vendor, I’ve had someone come to my booth and tell me to get the word out about lilies.  They’ve either lost a dog or their dog has kidney issues because he ate a lily.  I will install them in front yards only.

Other plants include:  foxglove (heart problems), bulbs of iris, tulips, daffodils, holly berries, ivy, lupine, apple seeds, tomato plants/fruit, etc.  There are so many – I’ve listed them on my website and I’m writing a third book about toxic plants with my veterinarian.

On the other side of that coin, we do NOT install ornamental grasses in backyards – they’re not toxic but dogs eat them and it’s not fair to  the plant since they can never grow.

Chris: Unless your completely organic, from time to time , we might have to use pesticides in our gardens.  I sometimes use soap and water to get the aphids off in the Spring.  What are your thoughts on that and what would you recommend as alternatives to commercial pesticides?

Elizabeth: Vinegar is an herbicide.  It kills everything so only use it on the weed or plant you’re trying to kill.  It must be used when it’s warm – above 70 degrees and it’ll take about a week to do its magic.

Composting is a good soil amendment.  Or  peat and manure – such as cow and peat, sheep and peat work to amend garden beds.

In some situations chemicals need to be used.  I don’t have a chemical license because we do not do maintenance so I always contact my arborist who knows all of my clients own pets so he uses chemicals that won’t hurt them or educates them about the life span of the chemical.

I always tell clients if they’re going to use a chemical – read the label and call poison control -  1-800-222-1222 – it’s free and they’ll help.  The ASPCA always has a poison control but it costs money – have your ccard ready when you call them – (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

Chris: Is it true that putting tomato juice or ketchup in your dogs food can get rid of the urine burns on your lawn?  If not, what can we do about it?

Elizabeth: I’ve consulted with numerous vets about this and they tell me they are all myths.   I’ve never heard of a good solution.  So, we work with the dog’s habits.

If the dog is going to the bathroom in the same area (they are very habitual) then we pull out the sod and install rock (if their dog does not eat rock) and let them use it as the bathroom area.

Male dogs are always lifting their leg on plants and people continue to replace the plant.  Rather than replacing the plant, I incorporate statues into the garden where he’s  lifting his leg.  This is a technique I call “the fire hydrant” solution.   Statues can be planters, bird baths, sundials, boulders, etc.

If dogs are going to the bathroom randomly around the yard, I ask the dog owner to relocate his or her feces to one area and when they start using that area, praise them only when  they’re finished going to the bathroom – not during.  Then they’ll realize that is the bathroom area.  Again, I would not install any plants in the bathroom area, only rock or wood (if they eat rock) but the wood mulch can trigger them to eat it or dig at it – plus it needs to be replenished every other year or so.  The plus side to wood mulch is it neutralizes the odor.

If wood and rock mulch are not an option, we’ll use pavers or concrete as a bathroom area.  Dogs continue using the area regardless of our changing the texture of it.  I’ve only had one dog not use the area once we changed it – he was a Border Collie.  For some reason, he did not want to continue using the are a but that’s the only one I knew about.

Chris: Thank you for all the great advice and  it’s been great chatting with you.  As your final question, can you please give us your best tips for a “Paw Friendly” yard and where people can find you.

Elizabeth: Dogs’ habits add interest to a yard.  Never get mad or angry at them – there are so many cost effective solutions for their habits.

One important element that needs to be considered is edging.  Edging is used whenever there is a transition in a yard.  Say your yard is shaped like a “box of sod” and you want to create runways along your fence for your dog.  You would have to remove the sod and install edging so the sod does not migrate into the new bed and the new bed’s mulch, say rock, does not migrate into the sod.  Steel edging is the dangerous edger because it comes with a safety cap that always weathers and leave s the top exposed.  Edging is like a knife and will severely slice paws.  Some dogs have a permanent limp from their injury.  Many dog owners do not know why their healthy dog went outside but came back with a cut paw –it’s always the edging.

The safest edging is:  roll top, various plastic edgings, brick, pavers, timbers, etc.  They are pet friendly and some are very attractive.

I have a fan page on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Golden-CO/Pawfriendly-Landscapes/223141086885 and my website is www.pawfriendlylandscapes.com

Chris: Thank you so much for sharing all your wonderful information with us and I hope everyone will join you on your Facebook fan page to learn more.

No go out and pull some weeds!

Chris L Wagner

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog.