metro pet mag - march 2010

MARCH 2010 • MetroPetMag.com 3

In Every Issue4 Happy Spring!

Spring is here! I am more than ready - are you?

9 Dog HoroscopesHow well do you really know your dog?

23 Cat HoroscopesHow well do you know your cat?

29 Chip’s Corner Complete this pawzelle and have some fun!

32 Ask the VetHow do I select the correct external parasite control?

33 How Cute is Your Pet?This winners of this month’s contest.

34 UpcomingEventsCheck out these

upcoming events.

Feature Articles6 Myths and Realities: About Pet Rabbits

Before you purchase or adopt a pet rabbit, check out these facts.

10 Dog AgilityReady to try something new?

12 Choosing the Right Lifestyle for YourPuppyFood options — which ones are best for your puppy?

14 Dogs Don’t Speak English!Tips on how to train your dog.

16 Diaries of a Dog and CatExcerpts from a Dog and Cat diary!

18 Four Leaf Clover for Rover Changing behavior is tied to reward and consistency.

20 Communication and PreparationThe keys to your pet’s vacation.

24 Two Cats or One?Do you need one cat or two?

26 Raising PuppiesPuppy training for KSDS — guide dogs, service dogs, social dogs.

30 Over the River and Through the WoodsWhat do you do when Grandma can no longer take care of her pet?

26

10

30March 2010

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4 MetroPet Magazine • MARCH 2010

SPRING IS HERE!While the official calendar may say Spring isn’t here until

March 20, 2010, I say it is here! Even with bitter cold tem-peratures outside and snow on the ground, I can hearbirds singing! If I listen closely, I hear them saying —“Spring is Here!”

We are all ready for Spring this year. After many coldnights, lots of snow and ice, everyone is ready for somenice weather. And, I think the economy is even ready for Spring. It is ready tobreak loose too!

EXCITING EVENTSMarch and April bring some great pet related events. On March 14, the Kansas City Pet

Telethon will be held on TV on channel 38 the Spot. The event will be hosted by Holly Starrand Gary Lezak. Tune in to watch and donate from 6:30-9:30 pm. The major benefactorof this event is the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City. See the ad inside thefront cover for details!

The 2010 Pet Expo will be held at the American Royal Center on April 17 & 18,2010. This year, the expo will feature close to 200 exhibitors, including manylocal businesses which specialize in providing services to pets and local animalrescue organizations. More details will be in the next issue of MetroPet Magazine.

May 8 is the annual Wayside Waifs FurBall Gala or “Caturday Night Fever.” Laterin May will be the Dog Day of Summer at the Wizards — details coming.

EXCITING NEWS!MetroPet is excited to announce that it was a finalist in the Annual Dog Writers

Association of America contest. The Dog Writers Association began in 1935. Thebest known aspect of the DWAA is its annual writing competition, which is meantto encourage quality writing about dogs in all aspects of companionship plus thedog sport.

MetroPet was one of the five finalists in the category Magazine — SpecialInterest Dog or All Animal Magazine.

While it is encouraging to see a well-established, national organization recognizeMetroPet — it really is a huge compliment to the writers who have contributed articles toMetroPet Magazine. We thank you for your time and effort.

HAPPY SPRING!

Barbara Riedel, Editor

P.S. If you are looking for a great resource — groomer,trainer, pet food store, day care/boarding facility,veterinarian, etc. check out the great advertisers inour magazine — you won’t be disappointed!

Publisher’s MessageStaff &

ContactsPublisherBarbara Riedel

[email protected]

Editor/ProductionManagerDan O’Leary

[email protected]

Magazine LayoutROI Marketing

816.942.1600 • [email protected]

Advertising SalesEric Novak

Ad Sales: [email protected]

Contributing AuthorsPat Bates

Becka CremerJenny Dean

Mike DeathePat Hennessy

Dr.Warren Jones, DVMHeddie LegerRobin Rysavy

Cassie SchmidtJayne Sikyta

Dr.Townshend, DVM

PhotographersEric Novak

Dan O’Leary

Contact MetroPetPO Box 480065

Kansas City, MO 64148Phone: 913.548.1433

Ad Sales: 913.579.3815Fax: 816.941.4655

Publishing Policy: Articles printed in the MetroPetMagazine express the opinions of the individual authors and donot necessarily represent the formal position of MetroPetMagazine. Acceptance of advertising does not necessarilyconstitute endorsement by MetroPet Magazine.

Articles: Readers are invited to submit articles for considerationfor publication to [email protected]. All materials aresubject to editorial review.

© 2010 MetroPet Magazine. All rights reserved. Requestreprint permissions at [email protected].

MetroPet Magazine is owned and published by ROI MarketingServices, all rights reserved.

If you and your family are considering addinga pet bunny to your household, be sure youknow the realities, rather than the longstandingmyths, about these misunderstood creatures.

Myth: Rabbits are great, low-maintenancepets that only live a year or two. It’s fine toleave them alone for a day or two when theowner travels.Reality: Although they can be lots of

fun, rabbits are far from low-maintenance.They need a diet that includes a variety of fresh,dark green vegetables and fresh water daily, aswell as timothy hay and timothy pellets. Likeother pets, they need regular exercise, social-ization and clean quarters. Well cared-for,indoor rabbits can live 7-10 years, and somelive into their teens. This is the same life spanas breeds of dogs, and requires the same levelof commitment. Because health problems cancrop up suddenly and become life-threateningquickly, they need daily monitoring.

Our long, cold winter is finally behind us,and as Spring approaches, bunny rabbits andtheir likeneses are everywhere. And what couldbe more appealing than an adorable, soft andfuzzy baby bunny in a pet shop window?

No wonder pet rabbit purchases hit their annu-al peak in the Spring months. Unfortunately, asthose Easter bunnies grow from cute little babiesto active and sometimes temperamental adoles-cents in three to six months, a large percentageof them will end up without homes. Some will betaken to shelters and others will be released out-doors, facing almost certain death from preda-tors, traffic, disease or starvation.

by Robin Rysavy, Chapter Manager & Pat Bates, Volunteer Missouri House Rabbit Society


Before you add a petbunny to your household,

be sure you know therealities, rather than the

longstanding myths,about these

misunderstood creatures.

Myths and Realities:

About Pet Rabbits

Myth: Rabbits are dirty and strong-smelling, so are bestkept in an outdoor hutch.Reality: Rabbits are immaculately clean, often grooming

themselves and each other (like cats), and most will readily usea litter box. Provided they have been spayed/neutered and theirlitter box is changed daily, odor is not a problem. Pet bunnieskept outdoors often are neglected once the novelty wears off, andthese highly social animals are happiest with companions—peo-ple, another bunny, or even a cat or dog (following proper,supervised introductions, of course!)

Myth: A bowl of rabbit chow and some carrots are all a rab-bit needs for food, and theydo not need to be seen bya veterinarian, as dogsand cats do.Reality: The single

most important part of a rab-bit’s diet is good, green grasshay, which should be offeredin large amounts each day;pellets should be given in lim-ited amounts to ward offobesity and relatedhealth problems. Petrabbits that have notbeen spayed orneutered often displayaggressive behavior,even toward theirfavorite people, andfemales will be at greatrisk for uterine cancer. Only veterinarians experienced in rabbitcare should do the surgery. Although rabbits do not need annualvaccinations, as do cats and dogs, their health depends on regu-lar monitoring by both their owners and an experienced rabbitveterinarian performing regular health exams.

Myth: Rabbits, especially dwarf breeds, do not requiremuch living space.Reality: All rabbits have powerful legs designed for run-

ning and jumping. They need living space that allows ample free-dom of movement even when confined, such as in a cage. Therule of thumb for rabbit housing is 4’ by 4’ by 2’. Smaller bun-nies actually need relatively more space, as they tend to be moreactive than the larger breeds.

Myth: Rabbits love to be cuddled, do not scratch andare perfect pets for small children.Reality: Although some pet rabbits become great cud-

dlers, they are prey animals whose instincts tell them to avoidbeing picked up (“Uh-oh, I’m about to be eaten!”). They oftenkick and scratch when picked up incorrectly, and will defendtheir territory if approached too quickly. In general, childrenaged ten and older can learn to be patient and gentle enough forrabbit companions. In truth, adults have the ultimate responsibil-ity for the care of any household pet.



Please, before getting a bunny— or abandoning onevisit www.rabbit.org

READY TO MAKE A DECISION?Once you have decided a

bunny is the right pet foryou, consider contactingthe Missouri House RabbitSociety www.mohrs.orgabout adopting a rabbit inneed of a forever home, oreven becoming a fosterhome to a bunny in need.Our all-volunteer organi-zation of rabbit enthusiastswill be happy to help youfind the perfect companionrabbit.

Please, before getting abunny — or abandoningone — visit www.rabbit.org

Information provided courtesy of the House Rabbit Society, aninternational nonprofit rescue and education group.


Facts:• Domestic rabbits lack the sur-

vival instincts wild rabbits useto fend for themselves.

• Domestic rabbits whenreleased outdoors, becomefood for everything from rac-coons and dogs, to crows andhawks.

• The “lucky” domestic rabbitsreleased outdoors who don’tget eaten or run over by cars,can die from heat or disease.


Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20)The Interpreter. Walks have a tendency to turninto swimming galas as this dog rolls in everypuddle and will run for miles to find a stream.

Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr. 19) Leader of the Pack. The relationship between theAries Dog and their human will largely be one ofcompromise...usually on the part of the owner...butcan be most enjoyable once the owner is “trained.”

Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20) The Strong Silent Type It is not unusual for theTaurus Dog to dig holes and lay away a goodly sup-ply of kibble for a rainy day.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) The Yapper. Much like the “Elephant’s Child,” whoalways wanted to know more, this canine will beinquisitive and enquiring.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)The Home-Lover. In the eyes of this canine, pos-session is nine-tenths of the law. It will literally hangon to anything that it feels is its personal belonging.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)The Boss-Dog. The Leo Dog cannot bear to beignored. The vanity of this canine knows no limit and heor she adores being the center of attraction.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) The Helper. This dog is never happier than when theyare doing something for their owner. However, as acreature of routine and habit, they expect to be fed andwalked at the same time every day.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)The Shop-Steward The Libra Dog will refuse to bebanished to an outside kennel, unless the owner isalso willing to take up residence with it.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)The Paragon. It will be important for any owner ofa Scorpio Dog to remember that, as the human, youwill always be bigger than this canine.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)The Problem Dog. This dog is an independent crea-ture, preferring to make a personal choice regardingwho their living companions will be.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 20)The Social Climber. Problems arise with a CapricornDog if their living standards fail to improve.

Aquarius (Jan. 21 - Feb. 18)The Friend. The most humane of the species,people are most assuredly this dog’s “thing” andthey will get on brilliantly with an owner.

Canine Signs

10 MetroPet Magazine • MARCH 201010 MetroPet Magazine • MARCH 2010

by Cassie Schmidt

Love spending time with your dog?

Enjoy training new skills?

Looking for an exciting and challenging hobby?

If your answer is yes, then take alook at the sport of dog agility!

Dog Agility– The Sport

Cassie Schmidt and her Australian Labradoodle, Roxy, were intro-duced to agility in December 2005. Roxy was the 2009 USDAA SouthCentral Regional 16” Performance Grand Prix Champion and the2009 USDAA National 16” Performance Speedjumping Champion.Along with pairs partners, Patti Brown and Bailey, they were alsofinalists in Versatility Pairs at the 2009 USDAA Championships.

Do you love spending time with your dog? Do you enjoytraining new skills? Would you like an exciting and challenginghobby? If your answer to these questions is yes, then take a lookat the sport of dog agility. Whether you just want to have somefun, or you think you might want to compete some day, agility isan exciting way to challenge yourself and your dog mentally andphysically.

In dog agility, a human handler guides her canine teammatearound a numbered course consisting of jumps, tunnels, weavepoles, a teeter and other obstacles. When competing, handlersdon’t find out the order of the obstacles or the configuration ofthe course until they arrive at the trial. Just prior to running,handlers have about 10 minutes to “walk” the course to deter-

We never looked back. Once we found how fun and challeng-ing agility was, we couldn’t help ourselves! We took lots ofclasses and my husband helped me set up a little agility field inour backyard. Then, after several months of classes and prac-tice, we started competing. I was so nervous! I had never doneanything competitive in my life and here I was in public with my

mine a strategy to guide their dogs throughit as smoothly and quickly as possible whileavoiding faults such knocked bars and off-course obstacles. Then each dog/handlerteam runs the sequence off-leash. An aver-age course consists of 16-20 obstacles andtakes less than a minute to run. The teamthat incurs the least faults with the fastesttime in their class wins.

MY JOURNEYMy personal agility journey began four

years ago when my little labradoodle, Roxy,was about a year old. We had been takingobedience classes since she was just a fewmonths old. After we had basic obedienceskills under control, our instructor suggest-ed we try agility. At the time, I’d never heardof it, but I loved teaching Roxy new skillsand I wanted to continue training.

Ready to Try Something New?

crazy little dog, lots of jumps, weave poles and tunnels, andno leash! But I was absolutely determined that we would dothe best we could. After all, what could be better than partic-ipating in a sport with your best friend as your teammate?

TREMENDOUS BENEFITSBesides just being fun, agility also has tremendous benefits

for both dog and handler, including physical and mental exer-cise. Coordination and memorization are two skills that I’vefound agility has really helped me improve (and who couldn’tuse a little help with those). But in my opinion, the biggestbenefit of agility is how it has strengthened the bond betweenmy dog and me. Both of us have learned the importance oftrust and teamwork on and off the agility field.

Don’t be put off if you think you aren’t physically fit enoughto handle a dog – most handlers don’t, and probably can’t,sprint. However, agility has been known to motivate a fewdetermined handlers to start a fitness program. Personally,participating in agility has transformed my running form frompenguin-like (as described by my dear son), to almosthuman.

For those who choose to go on to compete in agility, thereare even more benefits. Our agility travels have taken Roxyand me all over the country, meeting lots of wonderful newfriends along the way. Agility folk are some of the nicest peo-ple on the planet. Another cool thing about our sport is that itallows a middle-aged woman with no previous athletic expe-rience to be quite competitive against younger, physically-fitopponents. The game is all about how well you’ve trained yourdog and how closely the two of you function as a team.

GETTING STARTEDIf you want to learn more about agility, I recommend attend-

ing a local trial. You’ll see all levels of teams, from first-timersto seasoned competitors. In the Kansas City area, we are verylucky to have World Team members in our midst, so you maytruly see some of the best handlers in the country at a localtrial. You can also do a web search for “dog agility” and findvideos to give you an idea of what the sports is about.

After you’ve done some research, if you’re still interested inknowing more about agility, find a beginning agility class toattend with your dog. Don’t be disappointed if you aren’tdoing weave poles and jumps in the first class though. Themost important skills for a successful agility dog are self-con-trol and handler focus. Teams must have good off-leash con-trol before starting obstacle training. Remember, dog agility isa team sport, and the human should be the captain of theteam, not the dog! If you commit to regular practice and areconsistent in your training, you and your dog just may have awhole new adventure awaiting.

Cassie Schmidt and fellow agility enthusiast, Amanda Mindham, co-ownK-9s in Motion Dog Agility Center in Lee’s Summit. When they aren’t doingagility, Cassie and Roxy also manage the family’s Life is Good® GenuineNeighborhood Shoppes, Jake’s in The Village in Prairie Village and Jake’sSummit in Lee’s Summit. She can be reached at 816-824-5667.


Pet parents take on a tremendous responsibility; the care and well-beingof a very precious bundle of joy. When every effort is made to provide a supe-rior environment and quality of life for the pet, the rewards for the pet and thepet parent are tremendous. Will Rogers once stated “dogs are put on thisearth to please man, and they spend 24 hours a day doing just that.”

Superior nutrition, exercise and regular veterinary check-ups are thekeys to a pet’s long, happy and healthy life.

REGULAR EXAMS AND EXERCISEWe all know that our pets age much faster than we humans and therefore subtle

changes in behavior and/or physical appearance may signal the very beginning of adecline in health. It is essential that pets are scheduled for regular annual exami-nations by the trusted veterinarian. Pets can’t talk and the pet parent may notnotice, or realize, that there are changes occurring in their pet that can only be

detected by atrained expert.Your veterinarianis dedicated toproviding yourpet with the verybest care possibleand it is absolute-ly necessary forhim to regularlyexamine your petin order to main-tain the highestlevel of care thatyour pet deserves.

As with humans,exercise is alsoessential for ahappy and long lifefor pets. Exercisedoesn’t have to bestrenuous in orderto be good.Regular exercise isthe key. Every daywe should set


aside a brief period of time dedicated to providingactivity for our pets. Doing this on a regular basisalso gives our pet something to look forward toeach day. It strengthens the bond between the petand the pet parent, which is a very positive thingfor both.

In today’s society, we are much better educatedabout nutrition. We are demanding not only supe-rior nutrition for ourselves but for our pets as well.Today nutrition means more than just the percentof protein and fat in the diet. We are looking clos-er at the quality and source of fat and protein andwe realize that there are different requirements foreach stage of life our pet goes through.

As with humans, we now know that our pet’snutrition can be enhanced by nutritional supple-ments in the diet. Not all pet food manufacturersprovide supplements and some only provide avery few. There are companies that believe thatin order to create the very best pet food possiblewe must not only include the best quality of pro-tein, fats and carbohydrates, but all of the othernatural ingredients found through modernresearch to be of benefit to your pet.

MATCH THE DIET WITH THE ANIMALIdeal, optimum diets for all stages of life are

essential for a long, happy and healthy existence.It begins with puppyhood and continues wellinto the senior years.

An ideal diet for puppies depends on many fac-tors, not the least of which is whether the pup is alarge/giant breed or a small/mini breed. Thenutritional needs are very different for each.


Choosing theRight Lifestylefor Your Puppy

by Dr Townshend

Smaller breeds, such as the Jack Russell Terrier, YorkshireTerrier, Miniature Pinscher and others that weigh less than 20pounds, require more calories per pound than larger breed pup-pies as they generally are much more active.

Ideal Omega 3 fats such as Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), toenhance brain development and healthy skin and hair, are criti-cal in these active small breeds.

Because they are more active they can be susceptible to lowblood sugar levels if not fed frequent smaller amounts of foodhigh in energy with adequate levels of fiber to help maintain asteady blood sugar level.

Large/giant breed dogs (Great Danes, Saint Bernards, LabradorRetrievers) that weigh more than 50 pounds at adulthood,require a far different diet.

CONTROLLED GROWTH IS ESSENTIALLarge breeds actually need fewer calories per pound than the

small/mini breeds. With a potential growth of up to 100 timestheir birth weight, a large breed puppy’s energy intake must beregulated to ensure consistent, steady growth. If weight gain istoo rapid, the result is stress on the developing bones which canlead to one of several severe developmental bone disorders. Aslightly lean body condition throughout the first 10 to 12 monthsof life helps to maintain proper development and reduce thepotential for problems.

Optimum calcium and phosphorus levels, in the proper ratio toone another, are also critical for proper growth.

As with the small/mini breeds, the large/giant breeds also needoptimum levels of DHA in order to enhance brain developmentand a healthy skin and hair coat.

All puppies need a diet that encourages an active immune sys-tem. The immunity received from the mother’s milk will not lastforever. 80% of the immune system is in the digestive tract.Probiotics or direct fed microbials are an essential part of thedigestive immune system. They need to acquire these “good bac-teria” from the environment. By providing it in the daily diet, theimmune system is enhanced much earlier and helps defend thebody from all the toxins and stresses within the environment

Choosing the right diet for your puppy also depends on the petparent’s nutritional philosophy. If you believe in a natural andholistic way of life for your family, look for foods for your petsthat contain high quality protein, fats and carbohydrates and arenaturally preserved, do not contain soy, wheat or corn and thatdo not use by-products, artificial flavors or colors so your puppygrows and benefits from the same natural nutrition you havechosen for the rest of your family.

Dr. Townshend graduated from the University ofGeorgia School of Veterinary Medicine in 1969. Hehas worked as a veterinarian in many practices and isnow a consultant for a major pet food company. Dr.Townshend is a contributing author for CanineSports Medicine and has received the coveted GoldenStethoscope Award from the Iditarod for contribu-tions above and beyond the call of duty in bringingveterinary care to the dogs of the Iditarod.



Dogs Don’tSpeak English

by Mike Deathe

Markers are nothing more than how we let our dogs knowwhen they have done something right or wrong. Let’s start offwith the positive marker. Most people simply say “good dog”when the dog does something correct. I, on the other hand, usea clicker; a simple noise maker that when you depress a buttonit makes a clear and consistent noise (or mark) the dog canrelate to. There are several reasons for this but the biggest is“DOGS DON’T SPEAK ENGLISH”!

I know there are people out there that will argue this pointwith me, but dogs don’t really understand language the wayhumans do. Yes, they can, over a period of time, learn that Sitmeans put my rump on the ground, but they can also learn thatPineapple Sherbet means put my rump on the ground if I spendthe same amount of time associating the word and the behavior!

MARKING A POSITIVE BEHAVIORI have also noticed that different people use a different tone of

voice when marking a behavior either positive or negative andthis can confuse a dog, since their main way of understandingis tone and body language. The other real reason for my prefer-ence for using a clicker is timing! We as humans very rarelymark a behavior with our voice with the correct timing. We areeither early or late and that can make for a very confused dog.

Let me give you a really oversimplified example that mightshed some light on this. Let’s say we are working with Fido onSit and we say SIT and presto Fido puts his rump on the ground,but we were not quite ready and we say “Good Dog” a little late.

In those precious couple of seconds Fido has not only sat, buthe has chewed a flea, seen a purple butterfly and smelled thepoop in the neighbor’s backyard! Now in Fido’s world, he has tofigure out which of these four behaviors got him the good dog.Yes, he will figure it out in time, but why not use a positivemarker that can pinpoint the exact time the correct behaviorhappened, and take all the human inflections out of the picture?

ENTER THE CLICKER!The idea is that at the exact moment Fido’s rump hits the ground we click and then reinforce with a

reward, maybe a nice liver treat! Wow, would Pavlov and Skinner be proud of you. Yes, you already knewthis from your high school or college Psychology 101 class; do you remember operant and classical con-ditioning?

NEGATIVE MARKERS?Now what about the negative marker? Well from

my vantage point as a trainer, I am shocked thatmost dogs don’t think their name is “NO, NO BADDOG” Because that is what most owners say whentheir dog has done something inappropriate orincorrect. Once again I will repeat, “DOGSDON’T SPEAK ENGLISH”, so yelling, pleading,explaining or discussing will not make a dogunderstand what in the world you want. Let’s sayyou want to be concise and clear and decide touse just the word NO to mark a bad behavior foryour dog?

Well you are back to being human and forget-ting to think like a dog! Does it mean NO orKNOW? If you live in a household like mine,where there are 6 and 10 year old boys runningaround, how many times is that word used daily?Next thing you know you dog will have a nervoustwitch and hide in the corner because he has noidea who is getting the mark. This also brings upthe idea of learned indifference.

Let me give you an example. I am a Dad to theafore mentioned boys, and I hear the word Dad4,362 times a day. You honestly think I don’ttune out that word from time to time? “Dad,Dad, Dad, DAD!!!!!!!! Huh…were you talking tome?” Sound familiar? The moral of thisstory…don’t be that dog owner saying a com-mand over and over and over. The real messagehere, communicate with your dog like a dog notanother person! So, what do I use as a negativemark? Just a simple sound, one syllableAAAGGGH! (Not sure of the spelling) but it issounds like the word egg with out the hard G atthe end, very guttural.

Keep in mind that the negative mark is lessabout the dog doing something wrong and waymore about getting the dog to stop the inappro-priate behavior long enough for me to direct thedog to an appropriate behavior, so that I canthen reward the good!

Mike Deathe “retired” to become a stay-at-home Dad.After a while, Mike took a part-time job at a national petsupply chain, and before he knew it, he became a dogtrainer. In 2009, he and his wife, Kate, founded Muttz-R-Us, a t-shirt company with a philanthropic motto of“Adopt a Pet, Save A Life.” Visit him atwww.muttzrus.com.



Diary of a Dog

Excerpts from a Dog'sDiary......

8:00 am Dog fo od! My favorite thing!

9:30 am A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am Got rubbed and petted! My favorite

thing!

12:00 pm Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm Milk Bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm Wow! Watched TV with the

people! My favorite thing!

11:00 pm Sle eping on the bed! My

favorite thing!


Day 983 of My Captivity My captors continue to taunt me with

bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lav-

ishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates

and I are fed hash or some sort of dry

nugget's. Although I make my contempt for

the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless

must eat something in order to keep up my

strength.

The only thing that

keeps me going is my

dream of escape. In

an attempt to disgust

them, I once again

vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated

a mouse and dropped

its headless body at

their feet. I had

hoped this would

strike fear into their

hearts, since it clear-

ly demonstrates

what I am capable

of. However, they

merely made conde-

scending comments about what a ‘good little

hunter’ I am.

There was some sort of assembly of their

accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary

confinement for the duration of the event.

However, I could hear the noises and smell

the food. I overheard that my confinement

was due to the power of ‘allergies.’ I must

learn what this means and how to use it to

my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt

to assassinate one of my tormentors by

weaving around his feet as he was walking.

I must try this again tomorrow — but at the

top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners

here are flunkies and snitches... the dog

receives special privileges. He is regularly

released — and seems to be more than willing

to return. He is obviously retarded..

Diary of a Cat

Photo by Tim Yeaglin, YeaglinPhotography, Copyright 2009


March may bring tomind the luck of the Irish,but is your dog a lucky dog?You may think that a roof overhis head and food in his bellymakes him a lucky dog (and thatwould make him more fortunatethan those on the streets orchained up outside), but our petsneed more than the basics, espe-cially if you want to encouragegood behavior and harmony inyour home.

If your dog has a behaviorissue that you would like tochange, then you need todecide what you would likeyour dog to do instead.You can’t train away fromwhat you don’t want, but you can train toward what you do want. Itis useful to choose a behavior that is incompatible with the behav-ior you are trying to eliminate. For example, if your dog likes tojump on people, then you could teach her to sit when peopleapproach. If her rear end is on the ground then it can’t be in theair. If your dog likes to run to the door and bark when the doorbellrings, then you could teach her to go to a rug and wait until youopen the door. If she is lying on a rug, then she can’t be runningtoward the door. If your dog does some excessive licking, then youmight redirect that energy to have him chew on a bully stick. If youcan offer rewarding alternatives to an undesired behavior you caneasily turn it around.

CHANGING BEHAVIORThe keys to changing behavior are to provide a high enough value

reward and to be consistent. If you spent $800 on a gym member-ship and your goal was to lose weight or tone up, you wouldn’tachieve that goal if you didn’t go and work out. However, if you gottired of it and the money spent on the membership wasn’t enoughof a motivator, then you might not continue. If you didn’t continue

then you might find yourselffalling into old habits and not

meeting your goal. The samerule applies when working

with your dog. If you are notconsistent in training your dog,

then you will get inconsistent results(i.e. inconsistent behavior). It is impor-tant that all family members use the

same training methods, or again you will getinconsistent results.

It is also important to use positive reinforce-ment when you train. When you are training a new behavior or

activity, you should make it fun. That will keep your dogmotivated and encouraged to perform the behav-

ior or activity. We all learn better in theabsence of fear or pain. Imagine if youwere trying to learn to play the pianoand every time you hit the wrong key

someone smacked you on the head. Youwould quickly become nervous and agitated

that you were going to make a mistake and eventually youwould become discouraged altogether and want to give up.Not only do you want to make training fun, but you want tooffer your dog a high value reward. If you are tying to teachsomething new and are using every day treats, then he won’tbe as motivated to learn as he would be with something fancylike hot dog, chicken or liver. It is best to keep some specialtreats on hand that you only use for training. When you pullout those special treats you will have your dog’s full attentionfor the training session.

MANAGE YOUR PETOne of the other ways you can improve your dog’s behavior

is to provide good management. Many behavior issues can becorrected with a bit of observation and management. If your

by Pat Hennessy

Four Leaf Cloverfor Rover


dog is constantly getting in the trash, then make sure he doesn’t haveaccess to the trash when you are not there to supervise. It could mean sim-ply putting the trash can in a closet or the garage. It could also mean con-taining your dog to a smaller portion of the house(e.g. blocking off the upstairs or putting a gateacross the kitchen/utility room). It is also impor-tant to make sure that your dog has enough envi-ronment enrichment to keep him occupied. Thatwould mean having enough toys/chews for enter-tainment and maybe playing a TV or radio forsome background noise). You will want to change out the toys periodical-ly so he doesn’t get bored. Dogs that get bored can get into trouble, jump-ing up or chewing on things that are not appropriate, knocking thingsover, barking, etc. Environment enrichment goes for cats, birds, and otheranimals as well. If you were told to stay in one area for several hours withnothing to do, you would get frustrated. Think about the times you havebeen stuck in bed when you are sick and you can’t wait to feel better andget up out of bed and start doing something.

EXERCISE IS ESSENTIALAnother essential aspect to balance and harmony for our animal com-

panions is exercise. It is important that our dogs get enough exercise toburn off energy and to channel that energy in an appropriate way. Herdingand retrieving breeds need to work and have activities that use those skills.Terriers need to chase (and sometimes dig). Hounds need to track andhowl. Our dogs need to express themselves in ways that make sense forthem. Cats need exercise as well (with plenty of options if they are indoor

only); and our avian friends areno exception (for the exercise orenvironment enrichment rules).Having exercise time and an out-

let for your species and breed’s dynamics is a mainingredient to the recipe for a happy home and a goodrelationship with your pet.

Your dog doesn’t have to be a wolfhound or a setter tohave the luck of the Irish. So this St. Patrick’s Day whenyou are wearing green, consider using some green tobuy a toy or special treat to show your furry or featheredcompanions how lucky you are to share your life withthem.

Pat Hennessy is the founder of N2paws,LLC, an organization that provides a holisticapproach to companion animal carethrough behavior education, energy work,and positive training methods. Pat is aTTouch Practitioner Level 2, CPDT andmember of the IAABC, IAATH and AWA. Youmay contact N2Paws via email [email protected], phone 816-522-7005, or visit the website www.n2paws.com

If you were told to stay inone area for several hours

with nothing to do, youwould get frustrated.

You provide your pet with the best care when you arearound. Doesn’t your pet deserve the best when you are away?Choosing a caregiver for your pet is one of your most impor-tant decisions as a pet owner. Whether you choose to have apet-sitter come into your home or take your pet to a kennel,communication is the key to optimal pet care.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONThe best communication, to protect you and the caregiver, is

written communication. Some things that are helpful for thecaregiver to know include:

STAYING AT HOME

• If the pet has been ill, gotten into the garbage, or eaten adifferent food. He/she can watch for vomiting or diarrhea.

• If there are food restrictions due to allergies or healthissues.

• If pets in multiple pet households have difficulty “playingnice” or if your pet doesn’t do play well with others.

• If the pet had a recent injury that might result in limping,tenderness, or other physical conditions.

• If there should be exercise restrictions for any reason.• If the pet does not like to be touched in certain areas and

reacts badly when touched in that area.• Where to find a coat or sweater for bad weather if the pet

needs it.• If the pet has any fears or phobias.Knowing these up-front can reduce or prevent concerned

telephone calls when you are away from home.

Communication andPreparation Are Key

to Your Pet’s Vacation

What home owning pet ownersneed to keep in mind is that

your home is your pets’ home.

by Jayne A. Sikyta


THE BOARDING OPTION

If you choose to board your pet, make sure you know whatis and is not included in the cost of the service and any addi-tional charges that you may incur. Walks/runs and playtimemay be an extra charge. Feeding your pets the food they areused to may cost extra. It is also important to know the ken-nel’s policy on pick-up times. If you are unable to get yourpet by a specified time, that may cause a delay in getting yourpet home and an additional charge for your pet’s care. Onceyou know what time you plan to return, special arrangementsmay be made to pick-up your pet, depending on the kennel.

HIRING A PET SITTERIf you have chosen to hire a pet-sitter, either someone who

makes periodic visits to care for your pets or someone thatstays with your pets while you are away, there are additionalitems you need to take care of before leaving.

Special instructions for the care of your home: • Set thermostats or air conditioning units/fans at temper-

atures that will be comfortable for your pets. Leave oper-ating instructions for adjustments.

• If you have a security system, notify the company thatthere will be a pet-sitter coming to your home. Providethe pet-sitter with a code to arm and disarm the system aswell as a password in case the alarm goes off.

• Leave a flashlight out in case of power outage. Let the pet-sitter know where the circuit breaker/fuse box is.

• Inform neighbors who may be looking out for your prop-erty that a pet-sitter will be making visits or staying atyour home.

• Let the pet-sitter know if anyone else has your permissionto enter the home while you are away.

EXTRA SUPPLIESSpecial supplies for the care of your pets:• Stock up on enough paper towels, pet food, kitty litter,

medication, and other supplies to last your entire trip.Consider leaving extra supplies in case you are delayed.

• Clean the litter boxes and fill with fresh litter before leaving.• If food and treats are kept in a container other than the

one you purchased them in, let the pet-sitter know ofyour preference in brand, flavor, and where you buy thesupplies, in case he/she needs to purchase more.

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION• Update your personal information regularly, e.g., phone

numbers, vet information, groomer, etc., so the pet-sitterhas current information.

• Provide your veterinarian and/or groomer with informa-tion about your pet-sitter. An authorization card shouldbe kept in your file, informing them of the pet-sitter’sauthority to seek care for your pet while you are away.

• Leave your emergency contact numbers for the pet-sitter.Remember, sometimes cell phones don’t work when out



• Let the pet-sitter know of someone whomay take custody of your pet if yourreturn is delayed indefinitely.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE• Count heads to make sure no pet has

been shut in a room or closet, or leftoutside by accident. Count heads in thecar to make sure no children are leftbehind. Pet-sitters charge extra for thecare of children!

• Take the pet-sitter’s phone number soyou can contact him/her in case yourreturn is delayed, or in case you want tocall him/her to check on your pet.

Information is the most important tool youhave in making sure your pet is well caredfor when you are not there. Communicatingwith those on your pet-care team can makevacation for both you and your pet enjoy-able.

Jayne A. Sikyta is the owner of Fidos & Felines,LLC, a pet-sitting company serving Lee’s Summit,MO and the surrounding community. Jayne andLarry, her husband, have been providing superior petcare for over five years.

of the country, so the contact information for whereyou are staying is very important.

• Leave contact numbers for a friend or relative that canmake decisions in case of an emergency with eitheryour house or your pet.


Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20)The Ship’s Cat. This feline is extraordinarily sensi-tive to those with whom he or she lives, sharing theirinnermost problems.

Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr. 19) The Stray Cat. When this cat decides to hangaround, the owner will find shredded curtains,snagged clothing and upholstery, and dents in thecushions

Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20) The Earth Mother. Laid-back, calm, tolerant andnear impossible to ruffle, this feline could bedescribed by some as boring and dogmatic.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Problems often surface whenthis cat is expected to do something that they do notwant to do... like staying in at night..

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)The Crazy Cat. the Cancer Cat can be a lovingcreature to anyone who is around long enough andup late enough to get to see him or her on occasion.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)The Top Cat. A born entertainer, the Leo Cat willcharm company, wrapping around a favored person’sleg before leaping into their arms without warning.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) The Kitten Cat. This feline is fanatical about keepingclean and may spend more time preening than anyother cat in the Zodiac.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)The Copy-Cat. With a Libra Cat in an owner’s lap,there will be little or nothing an owner can get awaywith and privacy will be a thing of the past.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)The Cat’s Pajamas. This feline is deeply intuitive ofothers where feelings are concerned, possessing thegift of empathy, and the ability to read emotions.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)The Stable Cat. This feline be a mixture of fact andfantasy, unable to tell the difference between the two.He or she may be a cat today and a horse tomorrow!

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 20)The Cat Burglar. The Capricorn Cat is frequentlyfrightened by things that do not normally bother othercats...shadows on the wall, the dark or high places...

Aquarius (Jan. 21 - Feb. 18)The Hip Cat. The tendency to be aloof is a qualityoften associated with the Sign of Aquarius. Anyowner should make the most of it when the AquariusCat comes down to play and amuse.

Feline Signs

Whether you are a first time pet owner or if youhave had multiple pets over the years, decidingwhether or not to get two cats or to just have one issometimes a question on many pet owners’ minds.

MANY FACTORSOf course there are many factors involved when

you are making this decision. The absolute first thing to mull over when consid-

ering adopting any cat is whether or not you arefinancially stable and ready for a cat for the next 16years or more. The average life span of an indoorcat is 16 years, so you have to do your best to proj-ect whether or not you will be able to take care ofthat cat for the next 16 years. If not,you might want to look into an oldercat or possibly not adopting a cat atall.

Once you have determined if thatyou can afford the time commitmentin having a cat, then you need to takeinto account the financial responsibili-ties of a cat. That includes vet visits,possible emergency room visits, food,litter, toys and so on.

When you consider having two catsinstead of one, then you have to takeall the expenses and multiply them bytwo. You also need to take intoaccount your own life. Are you mar-ried? Have children? Have other pets?Do you already have a resident kitty?All these factors should be consideredbefore getting another cat or your firsttwo cats.

For example, if you think your cur-rent resident cat is content alone,then you might want to wait untilthat cat passes before you get two new kitties. At thesame time, if that cat is an older cat, then getting two kit-tens that can play with each other and will not bug yourolder kitty, would be the best idea. Of course, you will


want to keep in mind the cost of akitty as they get older as well as thecost of vaccines and what not oftwo kittens when you first get them.

If after considering all theresponsibilities in owning a cat ormultiple cats, you are still alrightwith adopting two cats, then youhave made the right choice.

Having two cats instead of justone cat is not only advantageous tothe cats but also the cat owner.Here are a few reasons why:

• Friends and Playmates • Companions• Sharing• Entertainment during

long working hours

FRIENDS AND PLAYMATESIf you get two cats as kittens, no doubt they will be each other’s play-

mates, allowing you to have more time to get things done and be enter-tained by their playing. Also, as they will probably be chasing eachother around, you will have a better chance of sleeping through thenight, as they will be worn out and will sleep longer.

COMPANIONSYou may have seen a photo or a video of cats grooming eachother or sleeping together. The truth is cats enjoy other cats’company (there are always exceptions) and also their owners’company. Although they are sometimes tagged as “loners”, cats

really do enjoy the company of another cat, especially if they werelittermates.

SHARINGIf you are planning on getting a dog or another cat in the long run,

starting out with multiple cats is always a wise idea because, just likechildren, they get used to sharing when there are two cats. For example,

Two Cats or One?by Jenny Dean

The average life span of anindoor cat is16 years...


as an owner, you usually love on one cat and the other onemay be looking on. Therefore, they get used to sharing yourattention and will not be as upset when you have another kittyin your home.

ENTERTAINMENT DURING LONG WORKING HOURSIf you are a workaholic or simply enjoy working long hours,

then you will definitely want to consider getting two catsbecause they will be able to entertain each other and also pro-vide the social interaction they need in order not to be boredor feel alone.

If you do have a resident kitty and are considering getting akitten or another cat, be sure to talk with your vet about ways tointroduce them. Cats are very particular and can be quiteoffended if they are introduced to a new kitty abruptly or over-all too quickly. It will benefit you and your cat in the long run,if you make the introduction process a slow and patient one. Nodoubt, your vet will have ideas on how to make the transitionfrom a one cat household to a two cat household much morepleasant for you and for your kitty.

All in all, whether you have ten cats, twocats or just one, every single one of them isan awarding and life enriching experience.

Jenny Dean is a writer for Floppycats.com, awebsite all about Ragdoll cats — specifics abouttheir breed, other cats and much more!

BELLA 39818475

CHEWS SHOESREPEAT OFFENDER


by Becka Cremer

“I couldn’t do that. I love my dog toomuch.”

“Isn’t that hard? Giving your dog away?”Until this past January, I could brush off

the questions and comments about mypuppy’s future. I had packaged retortsready. “I don’t love my dog at all,” I’d tellpeople, deadpan. “It’s easy! I never likedher anyway.”

It was easy to joke about the day Trego,my first puppy, would be called back toformal training at KSDS, Inc., because it always seemed so far away. This pastDecember, though, I received The Letter.

Capital T.Capital L.

This letter told me that on January 15, 2010, I would have toreturn to Washington, Kan., and hand over the puppy that hadlived with me for the past 15 months.

RaisingPuppies

AFTER THE LETTER

HEALTH TESTINGFirst, the puppies are sent to Kansas State

University where their eyes and hips are test-ed to make sure they don’t have any prob-lems that will keep them from having a longcareer.

CAREER COUNSELINGThe trainers at KSDS watch the puppies

closely. They decide which track the dog willtake — service dog, guide dog or social dog— based on what tasks the dog is good atperforming and what it seems to enjoy doing,Debbie Tegethoff, puppy raiser coordinatorat KSDS, says.

ADVANCED TRAINING AND PARTNER

SELECTIONAfter six to nine months of advanced train-

ing, each dog is paired with a person whoseneeds, personality and lifestyle are appropri-ate to the dog’s skills and personality.

TEAM TRAININGThen, the dogs and their partners go

through team training, which lasts betweenone and three weeks, depending on what typeof service the dog will be doing. The dogsand their partners are taught to work togeth-er before the dogs graduate.

GRADUATIONAt graduation, the puppy raisers present

the dogs to their partners and the KSDS com-munity celebrates the teams’ success.

I have traveled to 15 states with Trego. We’vetraveled by airplane, car and train. This is a pic-ture of Trego in Sacramento, California.

Trego loves working. She prefers to be out andabout and wearing her vest to staying at home(even if there are other dogs to play with).


VOLUNTEER PUPPY RAISERSI am one of about 100 active volunteer puppy raisers for KSDS,

Inc., a non-profit organization that breeds and trains goldenretrievers and Labrador retrievers as service dogs for people withdisabilities. Someday my puppies (I’m on my second) will join themore than 400 working dogs placed by KSDS since 1991. They willwork as guide dogs, assistance dogs or social dogs. But before that,they have to grow up. My job as a puppy raiser is to keep my pup-pies-in-training safe and happy and to teach them how to behave inpublic until they are ready for formal training.

That’s why Trego went everywhere with me — to the movies,the mall and even out to eat. She needed to be exposed to asmany different situations as possible, so that when she workswith someone who is blind or in a wheelchair, she’ll be comfort-able doing her job in public. So when I got ready to leave thehouse each day, I strapped Trego into her puppy-in-training vestand clipped a leash onto her collar. Then I’d grab my doggiediaper bag and check my pockets: Dog food. Puppy ID. Poopbag. Soon, I’ll complete this checklist with Beale, my secondpuppy-in-training. She will be allowed out in public after shehas all of her puppy vaccinations.

During our trips out, we puppy raisers must constantly correctour puppies. We ask them to walk nicely on a leash, to ignorebits of food and pieces of trash on the ground and, most impor-tantly, to pay attention to us. We work on basic obedience — sit,stay, heel, etc. — but with the added distractions of new people,


smells and sounds. It would be impossible to teach these thingsat home, because our surroundings are too controlled; thesepuppies need to know how to pay attention in any environment.

Like me, Larry Braddy plans his day around his puppy. Hetakes Cadillac places that will help the puppy learn, such asrestaurants, shopping centers and the bank.

“We all get ‘the look,’” says Braddy, president of the KSDSpuppy raiser advisory board. “Like, ‘What’s that dog doinghere?’” These dogs are not pets, Braddy says. They are workingdogs that need to be allowed to do their job, whether they’re ata restaurant or a bus stop.

“They’re not here because we’re Paris Hilton showing off ourfuzzy dog,” he says.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAMPeople have a lot of reservations about any dog being any-

where, and Trego and I rarely went anywhere without beingstopped every few feet. Some people just wanted to tell me howcute she was — and she was cute — but others wanted anexplanation. “Where can I get a vest like that?” people asked. I’d

explain what we were doing and to reassure people that, yes, it’slegal to allow puppies-in-training in public places. And I’d makesure to tell them that no, they can’t just buy a vest for their dog.

Fielding these questions gave me a chance to explain theimportance of allowing puppies-in-training in public places andto explain Trego’s future as a working dog. I’d tell people aboutthe day we’d receive The Letter.

“It’s going to be easy. I don’t like her that much.” I knew I was joking, but I didn’t know exactly how wrong I

was. I had considered how much I had made a difference inTrego’s life by being her puppy raiser, but it wasn’t until I leftTrego at KSDS that I thought about how much she had changedmine. When I thought I was teaching Trego how to be a gooddog, she was teaching me how to care more about another crea-ture than I did about myself.

Now, she’s teaching me how to let go. So, yes, it was hard to give up my puppy. But I remind myself every

day of how much Trego loved going out in public. She wanted towork, and I didn’t need her help as much as she needed to helpsomeone. Besides, I don’t have that much time to think about whatTrego’s up to. I’m too busy potty training Bealeand falling in love all over again.

Rebecca Cremer is a writer and designer who just fin-ished raising her first puppy for KSDS, Inc. She chroniclesher successes and failures with her second KSDS puppy-in-training at failuresofapuppyraiser.com. For moreinformation about KSDS, Inc., visit www.ksds.org.

These dogs are not pets, Braddy says. They areworking dogs that need to be allowed to do theirjob, whether they’re at a restaurant or a bus stop.


Across:2 Bird that uses its beak as a

hammer to find insects5 Wild bird that mimics the

sounds of other birds6 Birds of prey are called

________8 Breed of dog used for

hunting birds9 Birds are ______ blooded10 A group of geese is called a12 What a bird does with its

wings13 How birds travel15 Male Goose18 The study of birds20 A birds mouth is called a

________21 Birds have how many legs22 Where bird lay eggs

by Heddie Leger

Chip’s Corner

Pawzzle

Down:1 One food source for birds3 A bird that can talk4 Many birds eat these7 What a bird uses to fly10 Baby Goose11 The national symbol is this bird

of prey14 A water bird that does not fly16 Bird that flys and swims17 The direction birds fly in the

winter19 One type of bird of prey is a

____________20 A bird in the hand is worth two

in the _________

Did You Know?Wayside Waifs just unleashed its new dog adoption center!

The brand new kennels and indoor living suites will provide a more relaxed andenriching environment for homeless dogs during their stay at Wayside Waifs.

The renovation project also includes the addition of three large living suites,which will offer communal canine housing for up to five animals at a time. The pub-lic will get to watch the animals play with each other and experience a more home-like environment.

The kennel renovation project was funded entirely by Wayside’s generous donorsand has been in the works for several years. Wayside Waifs has donated the usedgalvanized steel kennels to other area shelters. Check it out at waysidewaifs.org.

Many of us remember that song and story. It brings back warmmemories. “Over the river and through the woods, ToGrandmother's house we go.....” but, what happenswhen grandmother can no longer live in herhome?

WHAT ABOUT THE PET?Every day in every city across the coun-

try an elderly person is admitted to thehospital or nursing home for eithertemporary or permanent care. Once theimmediate need has been addressedthe owner’s mind turns to thebeloved pet that has been a con-stant companion every day of theyear. There is very little informa-tion available to address theowner’s need to care for their petduring this time. Often the pet isleft for days until someone has thetime to either find a temporary hous-ing situation or place the dog in the localshelter. This dilemma creates untold stress notonly for the patient, but also for the pet left behindwondering where the owner has gone and if or when they willreturn. The animal is helpless to fend for itself in this situation.

One such individual that was recently affected by this situationis Jennifer Tiffany of Lee’s Summit and her family. Jennifer states,“during the last two years of my grandmother’s life; my motherhad become the primary caretaker for my grandmother and herthree dogs. My grandmother did not really even have to ask. Sheknew how much we loved her dogs and that we would take care


of them. On her deathbed, we reassured her that we would takecare of her dogs. We are a very close-knit family and we loved

the dogs as if they were our own. I already had two dogsand my mother had one, but the decision to take care of

grandmother’s dogs was simple. A promisekept. There was no way we would allow them togo to a shelter or be separated. My grandmoth-er’s dogs are older-ranging in age from 8 to 12.

A PROMISE KEPTWorking with Furry KidsRefuge rescue group constant-

ly reminds me that pets canoutlive their owners andolder pets can often be diffi-cult to find new homes for.We just could not do that to

grandmother’s three dogs. Iagreed to take one of the dogs

while my mother kept the othertwo. We wanted my grandmother’s

passing to have the least negative effectpossible on the dogs, so my mother agreed

to keep all the dogs while I pay “dog support” for the one-provid-ing all her expenses. A promise kept.”

The key is planning ahead to avert a panic filled situation.Family members should discuss what will happen to the pets oftheir elderly parents before an emergency occurs. While thereare many rescues and shelters that will take animals of all sorts,the companion of an elderly person presents a unique challenge

by Heddie Leger

Over The River and Through the Woods

WHERE TO TURN?With an increasing aging population there is also an increase in this age group having pets as companions to decrease loneliness

and increase health both physical and emotional. This positive situation unless monitored on a regular basis can quickly turn intoa serious dilemma for both the elderly person’s family and the pet. There are few resources to guide families through these situa-tions, however, the tide is beginning to turn.

Should you find yourself in such a similar situation you can find helpful information at: http://assisted-living.aplacefor-mom.com/articles/pet-separation/ or www.petsfortheelderly.org/index.html

Another resource is Between Pets and People (Alan Beck, Sc.D. and Aaron Katcher, M.D., G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York)

…to Grandmother’sHouse We Go…

due to the fact they have been in constant direct interaction with ahuman being. These dogs often suffer severe health issues, anxi-ety, eating disorders and a variety of behavior disorders that causethem to be more difficult to adopt or rehome.

One such dog was Hero, a 130 pound lumbering Rottweiler whohad been his owner’s constant companion. Hero’s first owner, awoman in her 70’s, loved him dearly. He gave her a reason to live,but ultimately her body was taken by cancer. Then, Hero wasamong the millions of homeless dogs searching for a family.

Large, black older dogs, especially a Rottweiler, are very difficultto place. Many are euthanized, never finding forever homes. Herocame to visit us, lay down in the middle of the living room andstaked his claim. His big, deep, dark, brown eyes won our heartsinstantly. He has that affect on everyone. Even those who fear dogsare won over by the eyes that reflect his heart and inner spirit.

Hero went on to impact thousands of people through his partic-ipation at Veterans homes, “BowWowin” for Books, CareAlternatives Hospice and many other programs. Hero’s completestory can be read at www.thepawzone.com

ASSISTING IN RECOVERYBelow is an example of how pets can assist the elderly in their

journey with healthcare providers. It would behoove us to comeup with creative ways to keep the elderly closely linked with theirown pets or in this case any pet that is available. Animals and theelderly can be mutually beneficial to one another.

“A frail, elderly man was brought to the nursing home from thelocal hospital. He had been discovered in aseverely malnourished and confused state ina rural farmhouse, living alone in filth. Oncehis condition stabilized, he was brought inrestraints to the nursing home, since herefused to eat but each day, he worked to freehimself from the restraints and remove thefeeding tube. The staff found the Center'sthree kittens in bed with him. When the catswere removed, he became agitated. A rewardsystem was devised whereby the cats wouldbe returned to him if he ate. He gained fortypounds, and interacted with other residents.The cats were the bridge that brought himback to reality. The director of nursing statedthat, otherwise, she believes he would havedied.”

Heddie and Hero reside inLiberty, Missouri. SinceHero came into her lifeHeddie has spoken to thou-sands of people regardingthe importance of responsi-ble pet ownership, spayneuter, anti-bully and liter-acy using positive motivational messages. She andHero have developed programs across the state. Shecan be reached at thepawzone.com or at 816-820-5829


Q. How do I select the correct exter-nal parasite control?

A. It’s that time of year again when we areclimbing out of the trenches of winter snowand ice and into the warm soothing monthsof summer. With that warmth, come thosepesky little fleas and ticks to ravage our pets andhomes. Fleas can be a great nuisance with our pets con-stantly scratching and licking keeping us up all night. Theresultant dermatitis and a trip to the vet not only costs us money,but it’s not pleasant for our four legged friends. Ticks on the otherhand carry potentially fatal zoonotic diseases. We are surroundedby advertisements and propaganda trying to convince us whichflea and/or flea and tick control is the best one for our pet andwhere we can get it for the least amount of money. Making thedecision on which product is right for your pet takes answeringseveral questions.

QUESTION 1 What is the level of risk for my pet?

If your pet never leaves the inside of the house and you don’t havecontact with other animals or pets in the yards that surround yoursyour pet is at low risk for fleas and ticks. If you and your pet go hik-ing every weekend or to the lake to run around your pet is at the high-est risk. There are many levels in between including dog parks andboarding and grooming and possible contact while in those facilities.

QUESTION 2 Fleas, ticks, or both?

If you live in an area that doesn’t have a lot of trees or overgrowth,a lot of wild animals, and you’re not visiting these areas with your pet,tick control may not be necessary.


QUESTION 3 Preference to Topical or Oral Products

There are also multi-functional products that control intes-tinal parasites and heartworm disease. Your preferred veteri-nary will carry a variety of products for several reasons. Thesereasons include personal experience (use on both personaland client pets) effectiveness, ease of use, and comfort levelwith the product. Most of us won’t recommend a product foryour pet that we wouldn’t use personally.

I will take this opportunity to mention over the counterproducts that can be found at the local “mega-stores.”Purchasing these products will save you money in the shortrun. But when exposure occurs you will find yourself needinghelp in trying to control the outbreak and your veterinarian isyou best resource. This means you will be spending moremoney on more products not only for your pets but their envi-ronment. Rest assured these products are of the highest qual-ity and genuine. Counterfeit products do exist so buyer-bewarewhen shopping on the Internet.

THE PRODUCTSThere are two common commercially available oral products

for flea control, Capstar and Comfortis. Capstar will kill anyfleas on the dog or cat in thirty minutes, but has no residualactivity. Comfortis does the same, but continues to kill any fleathat gets on the dog within four hours for 32 days. Comfortis isnot approved for use in cats. Both are very safe and highly effec-tive. There are two benefits of note for oral products, first, nomess to get on the furniture or the kids to contact when pettingand second it can’t be washed off. Topical products includeFrontline, Advantage, Advantix, Vectra, Vectra 3D, and Promeris.Opinions will vary from veterinarian to veterinarian which ispreferred. Products that add the benefit of heartworm controlare Sentinel, Revolution and Advantage Multi, using these prod-ucts ties you to year round use.

Remember when you purchase these products, you’re not justbuying product you are buying advice, experience, and a guaran-tee that you are purchasing the highest quality products available.

Warren B. Jones DVM is a 1999 graduate of theUniversity of Missouri College of VeterinaryMedicine. He lives in Lee’s Summit with his wifeJulie, four children, and a myriad of four leggedfamily members. After practicing in Lee’sSummit and Blue Springs for the last 10 years, heopened Strothertowne Pet Hospital in 2009 with afocus on high quality care on an individual basis and client communica-tion. He can be reached at 816-524-7200.

by Warren B. Jones DVM

Ask the Vet

Is Your Pet theCutest in KC?

Snap a photo of your pet and submit it at metropetmag.com.

Domino (dog) Trooper Jr (cat) —Two very spoiled house pets. Man’s bestfriend as long it’s OK with the cat.

Submitted by Dolores Wilson

Winston — Winston is a stubborn, fun-loving 9 month old English bulldog. He hasreally enjoyed all the snow. However he didnot like to go off the deck to use the bath-room, what is better than pure, white snow!

Submitted by Morgan and Noah

Kelsey — Kelsey was the 2008 Johnson coun-ty arthritis representative. Her passion is sportsand swimming, and she loves to dive in the riverfor rocks. She has a vocabulary of 100 pluswords, and is ready to please and all times!

Submitted by Mendy SmithMARCH 2010 • MetroPetMag.com 33


January/FebruaryPawzelle Answers

UpcomingEvents

Chipotle Night for HSGKC 50% of all proceeds go to HSGKC Tues, March 9 • 5-8 pmDetails: HSGKC.org for flier

KC Pet Telethon for HSGKCSit. Stay. Watch. Adopt. Sun, March 14, 6:30-9:30 pmDetails: KcPetTelethon.org

The Reality Magic Benefit for KSDSA Magical Night For Your Family Sun, March 21 • 3 pm • Folly TheaterDetails: ksds.org

Pet Photos with the Easter BunnySat & Sun, March 27 & 28 • 11am - 4pmat the Independence PetSmartBenefits: Animals Best Friends Details: animalsbestfriends.org

Big Dog Agility FundraiserSun, March 28 • 1 - 3 pm • atBenefits: Mastiff Hope Pet Rescue Details: tailsrwaggin.com

Northland Animal Welfare SocietyGeneral Volunteer meetingFriday, March 5 • 6 pm • at Paul & Jack’sDetails: pcnaws.org

Friends of Parkville Animal ShelterPasta Dinner, Friday, March 5 • 6 - 8 pmat the Weatherby Lake Club HouseDetails: parkvilleshelter.com

St. Pets FundraiserSun, March 13 • 7 - 10 pm • Boulevard BreweryBenefits: No More Homeless Pets Details: nmhpkc.org

metro pet mag - march 2010

Documents

dog horoscopeshow

dog agilityready

dog writers association

dog day of summer

pet expo

spring isnt

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