Learning The Hard Way

Being in the veterinary world for over 20 years has shown me how so much has changed for the better.......for better patient care.
Research helps us improve patient care so we become better care givers to our furry, feathery and scaly friends.

Right now it's all about shaping the behavior of a companion. In the old days it was punish them when they did something wrong. Or force them to do something that terrified them (genius of us, huh?)
In turn we created fearful, aggressive and/or anxious animals.

I know a lot of you out there still train the same old way. Well, it's not working. To this day more animals are brought to shelters and euthanized for BEHAVIOR reasons than any other reason. I kid you not! It's not because there aren't enough homes or that they are "just bad". Most of them did not get what they needed at a very young age. The biggest thing was lack of proper socialization.

We are so lucky to have one of only 54 Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorists in our area,
Dr Lisa Radosta, DACVB. She is my hero. She teaches all of us how to look at these magnificent creatures in a new light. I ask that you do the same.


She has some awesome articles that everyone should read. Examples: Why You Shouldn't Use Physical Punishment, Why Dominance Doesn't Work and Top 10 Training Tips.

We now know what doesn't work. Change your way of thinking and do what does work!

Don't learn the hard way like many owners do. Be proactive and give these kids a chance.

Keep Wagging everyone because they will if you just give them the chance to.

You are all they have!

Monique

Keep Wagging success story Part deux

Okay, so I was trying to make a point that I wanted to spread a positive message, to be a part of the solution on some minimalist scale. Well guess what? I've got an awesome story that makes me tear up...and yes, it involves the message of "Keep Wagging".

Several years ago, my husband met a person who was enjoying a quiet morning at Panera with two baby bulldogs. Duke and Daisy. Ron struck up a conversation wanting to see if they knew what they were getting into. The person who had chosen to share his life with the two baby bulls was a Florida State Trooper and he turned out to be a most generous and kind person. Flash forward a bit and he ends up ordering two buddy belts from Noseprints.net. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter he was in a very bad motorcycle accident and was in a coma for days and in the hospital for a good stretch. After not even being sure that he would survive, he pulled through and went through the arduous task of healing. Obviously a very susceptable time frame and where it is easy to be in a not so good place. In one of the more depressing moments, he happened to glance at a card that I include with all my shipments and this is in a nutshell, what it says.
"Whenever an event occurs in your life you basically have two choices on how to react to it. You can look at it in a positive light or you can cst it in the shadows of negativity. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from negativity. So make a positive choice and KEEP WAGGING!"
When he read the card, he realized that was the key to getting through it all. Staying positive. Knowing that yes, you will eventually heal. I cannot tell you how absolutely thrilled I was to learn that the Keep Wagging message had touched someones life! How awesome is that?

Watch the video please.

Keep Wagging success story

When I first created my Keep Wagging line of T-shirts, it was with the best intentions. I wanted to spread a positive thought, to underscore what dogs can teach us about dealing with adversity. Sorry for being long winded but I think this is important. With respect to keeping a great attitude, I was always amazed that when an injured dog came into the hospital, it inevitably would wag when I would walk up to them to evaluate or treat them. And I couldn't help but think that, good lord, here's a dog with a compound fracture and he's frickin' wagging at me? In spite of the negative thing that has just happened, he's taking the positive track. And I realized a couple of things: one that an event in your life has no meaning - it just is, it just exists, it's life. And you put the meaning to it.  In the case of the dog with the fracture, it isn't "this sucks...I just broke my leg" it's most likely "here's a friendly approaching me and I'm glad to see them!" Okay, maybe not so clear cut but you get the point. You can sulk over your misfortune or you can put the positive spin on it. If that is too Polyannish for you, I can't help you.
And here's the kicker. When you frame life in a positive vibe, guess what? That is what you attract! Because I know most of you know someone who is really negative about everything, and they constantly have bad stuff hitting them. Think there's a correlation? Of course there is. Negative energy does no one any good. So stay positive and keep wagging!

A Warm and Fuzzy Story

If you know me, you know that I am quite vocal about adopting an animal in need of a home rather than buying a dog from a unscrupulous breeder (there are many bad ones out there) or worse yet, supporting a puppy mill – you know the stores. They’ll have a “puppy 4 sale” out front and they have a million puppies in little cubes or running around in a little pen. Impulse items that frequently get discarded. So, instead of ranting about the problem areas (we'll save this for a future post), I decided to focus on a positive story. Yes, in keeping with the Keep Wagging philosophy, we’ll focus on a good thing. But first we must look at a recent phenomenom, that of the “foreclosure” pet. A pet left behind when a family could no longer afford to take care of it.

Dante

My husband works with someone who noticed a Rottweiler running around the neighborhood for months – animal care and control could not catch the illusive lad after multiple attempts. So he decided he’d try to befriend the dog by walking his dog, making it sit, and see if the dog would come over. It took weeks but the dog finally came over to say hello. This was followed by a few treats and before you know it, this large intimidating dog turned out to be a large lump of sugar. He didn’t want to leave the home but Dave had just recently adopted a dog and could not afford a new member to the family so he did what most people will do. He brought him to the pound. After doing so, he realized he may have made a mistake. There was a very real possibility that the dog would be euthanized after five days if they could not find a home.  Long story short, a co-worker of Dave has a 14 year old and was possibly looking to bring in a new member, younger, that could possibly play with his Senior.

Dave was able to rescue the 80 lb Rottwieller and he and his coworker met up so the dogs could meet. The dogs hit it off and there hasn’t been a hiccup since – the Rottweiller is extremely well trained and is respectful of the other dog, his territory and his food.

It is so heartwarming to hear this story – a breed that is typically shunned due to fear about their behavior finding his forever home. 

If you're thinking of buying a dog, please consider adopting first. 

We found our bulldog, Bishop on www.petfinder.com. They're waiting for you!

Keep Wagging everyone!

Monique

Keeping your dog fit and flexible

I see a lot of overweight dogs at the hospital. Explaining exercise to owners can be difficult, especially if the owner is overweight themselves.  Exercising your dog is as important as you taking care of yourself by watching your diet and exercising. So the obvious and fun solution is to exercise together!

I grew in New York City and walking my dog wasn't an option. It had to be done, three times per day. We walked the streets of Manhattan and make our way to beautiful Central Park. When I moved to Florida, I noticed that people with back yards didn't seem to take their dogs for a walk. They open the door and the dog goes otside by himself and comes in a few minutes later. Not a high caloric burning sort of workout, right? Feel the burn! Feel the burn! Not.

Pretend you don't have a backyard and take your dog out once or twice per day. Make it part of your routine to take you and your dog for a walk. Yes, that's right...I said take yourself for a walk as well.

The benefits of going for a brisk walk (hell, a leisurely walk will even do) is not only the obvious physical exercise but the often overlooked benefit is that you and the pack are out and about! Dogs are not solitary animals. This is their moment to be with someone from the family/pack. That's all these dogs want... is to be with you. So get some exercise at the same time and enjoy the time together! Your dog will love you even more! Stay safe and healthy and remember to keep wagging!

And don't forget to check out noseprints.net for upcoming holiday specials on our Keep Wagging and Barkology clothing !

Pet Amber Alert

Have you ever had a pet that ran away or even worse, stolen?
Yes, every person who shares their life with a dog or cat probably has this fear. Obviously and sadly enough it happens but the good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your kid and make it easier to find him/her.

The biggest thing is having your kid microchipped. The micropchip is the size of a grain of rice and is injected under your dog or cats skin. They don't have to be sedated and it is painless. I highly recommend that you do so when you invite a four legged in to your home!

If you have any questions, please ask your vet! It could save a lot of grief in the future. Keep smiling, stay positive and Keep Wagging everybody!

Your Dog and the Heat

I live in South Florida where the heat is pretty intense. The hospital where I work received a frantic call from a client of ours that his dog collapsed. We told him to bring him in immediately.
Unfortunately, his dog passed away on the way over.
We learned that he had taken his 3 year old labrador retriever for a walk at noon.....in South Florida.....in July........... What is my point? Well, most people would think a Golden, pretty hearty dog, young, loves water, etc - they're fine outside. Well, they aren't. And this unfortunately  happens more often than you think.
I'm hear to ask all of you to spread the obvious word that dogs should be not be walked during the hottest time of the day, anywhere. Here's another way to think of this - they are wearing a fur coat in the heat! I don't care how efficient their bodies are at cooling off. And it's not just the "squishy face" breeds (bullies, frenchies, pugs, etc) but ALL dogs would quickly find themselves in trouble in this scenario.

If you find yourself in a situation where your dog can't walk any longer, can't stop panting, tongue turning purple, this an emergency. However, you don't want to shock your dog by plunging him in ice water, so offer him/her some water. Not alot because they will end up vomiting. A wet rag on their forehead, getting them out of the sun and heat and wetting the bottom of their paws will all help.
The guilt that this owner is going through right now is something I never want to experience myself and neither do you!

Keep your dogs safe, Keep your dogs cool and always, Keep Wagging™

What did you do with your firework phobia dog last night?

For many of you it was a very long night last night. Dogs and fireworks are generally not a good mix. You have not been looking forward to this night for weeks. You feel hopeless because you know the grief fireworks cause your dog. Panting, pacing, wanting to hide...you know the drill but you also don't know how to avoid this oft repeated scenario.

Here is some advise for the next time:

If your veterinarian prescribed Acepromazine, find a new doctor for your dog. Acepromazine has been used for storms and fireworks (among other things) for years but what we now know is that it is not an anti-anxiety drug. Acepromazine is a tranquilizer which means it is keeping your dog from reacting....in other words, he is still terrified, he just can't tell you. Not the best way to treat this.
While under the effect of Acepromazine,your dog may be quiet and calm but inside he/she's fear and anxiety is not only still present but may be even worse due to the fact that Acepromazine creates a disconnect with reality and it prevents the dog from understanding his environment in a logical manner. This entire experience couldn't get any worse for this poor animal.
Veterinarian's (with the guidance of Veterinary behaviorists) now prefer the use of drugs in the Valium and Xanax family. These drugs actually reduce anxiety and fear. They kick in quickly (within 30 minutes to 2 hours after giving it to your pet. Your dog will be sedated, his/her muscles are relaxed and their fear and anxiety is greatly reduced or eliminated.

Something else to think about is trying to desensitize your pet. This can be tricky but very affective so I recommend finding a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. You can find one on the American College of Veterinary Behaviorist's website.

You can also talk to your general practitioner veterinarian or behaviorist about anxiety body wraps. A body wrap looks like a shirt for your dog but it is very snug. It applies pressure on acupressure points that can relieve stress and end/lessen fears and anxieties in dogs. Thundershirt is one brand. Another is Anxiety Wrap.

Whatever you decide to do, do something. Don't go through another day/night like yesterday. Get proactive and help your dog for the next day he/she has a high anxiety day!


Keep your dogs safe and happy and always Keep Wagging!

Monique

What is Petco and the other box stores doing wrong?

I just got back from Petco where I purchased cat litter and I have to share my encounter with you.

I was waiting on line at the check out counter when I overheard a staff member showing a customer Advantage II which is a flea control product.

The customer didn't understand the difference between Advantage and Advantage II. I winced when I heard the staff member inform the customer that she didn't know the difference (an F grade on training and educating your staff for Petco) either. The employee also stated that she didn't know why Petco didn't carry Advantage any longer and the only other product that the customer could buy was Frontline Plus if she didn't feel comfortable buying the Advantage II. At this point I'm near apoplectic....my pet peeve is misinformation being spread around. The only thing worse is when individuals aren't trained properly with critical information.

My blood was boiling at that point so I jumped in and educated (hopefully) not only the customer but the staff member that Advantage is no longer made and the difference between Advantage and Advantage II was that there is an insect growth regulator (IGR) in Advantage II.
The customer was interested in learning more and I answered a few questions for her (yes, doing the employees job). Meanwhile, the staff member simply walked away not terribly concerned that she didn't know much about her store and it's products.

You might be saying to yourself "Monique...chill out. Not a big deal."
Well it is a big deal and for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, Petco drops the ball big time. If you are in the pet industry, you damn well better guarantee that your employees can answer questions regarding any of your products, particularly when your pets safety is at risk. I don't care if these are high school kids working part time, you need to properly train them. Petco is not doing anyone any good by having employees going through the motions.


Secondly, this is a perfect example as to why you should buy directly from a veterinarian. And not just any veterinarian, because not all vets are created equal. Find an AAHA certified hospital. Their standards are higher than most. Only 15% of hospitals are certified and it is voluntary (which should tell you something).

Yes, and I've heard it a million times before. "Vets are so expensive..." Well, yeah, because you're getting someone who understands the products and your pet, not a "well, maybe you can try this one..." response. You get what you pay for. Factor in that some over the counter meds can be lethal if given improperly and you'll understand why this lights my hair on fire.

We see it at the hospital. Someone bought a product at a big box store and didn't realize they bought a product intended for a dog rather than a cat and the next thing they know, their cat is critically ill because a sales person didn't inquire who is the intended recipient of the product. Or here's another example we've seen. Someone will buy (again one of the big box stores) a dog product that is toxic to a cat (in other words, there are products that shouldn't be used in mixed pet households). And predictably their cat grooms their dog and becomes violently ill due to ingesting said product.

I wish I could say this is infrequent but it is not. We see and hear it all too frequently.

Again, let me reiterate where Petco is dropping the ball. They aren't educating their staff so they can educate their customers. And that begins the cycle of misinformation. That customer will then tell a friend "Oh...just go to Petco and save....blah blah blah" Customers assume that the employees at big box stores have been trained, know what they are talking about and are passionate about the four legged ones. I have yet to meet one of these models. Petco needs to get serious about caring for our furkids just as much as we do. If not, they are simply another greedy corporation interested only in their bottom line.

And lest you think that I'm flogging Petco out of some personal bias, I am not. We hear the horror stories regarding similar scenarios from online stores, Pet Smart, Petmeds, Pet Supermarket, etc....
Stay informed everyone and Keep Wagging!

We all CAN get along

We can learn so much from our 4 legged friends if we simply open ourselves to the lessons that they show us everyday. In this case, a beautiful little bulldog is interested in the cows and the cows are equally curious. I'm not saying that all animals get along all the time - in fact, they frequently kill each other but that is beside the point. I'm saying that when you see this you realize that even though everyone has differences, its possible to get along. I'm not going to use the word "tolerance" because that implies there is something flawed about someone - its just a matter of accepting each other for who and what we are. Even if it doesn't fit our idea of what normal is.

Enjoy and Keep Wagging everyone!

Monique