Separation Anxiety? One Myth Debunked

September 27, 2015 by janet

When we first met Lobo at an adoption event, there was a look of anxiety and confusion in his sweet eyes.

When we adopted Lobo, we were told he had separation anxiety. It was suggested to us that he go to doggie day care every day while we were at work. We started out this way and all was well. Yet something didn’t seem quite right.

We have two other dogs at home. They stay home all day while we are out at work. We knew that Lobo could do the same. So we started to leave him at home for the latter half of the day. We’d pick him up from doggie day care in the early afternoon. Drop him off at home with Fiona and Secret. And head back to work for another four hours.

I was nervous. Lobo seemed to have some aggression issues, which mostly manifested in barking but sometimes rough play.

The separation issues were not with us leaving him at home. The separation anxiety was simply about being left totally alone. When the other two dogs were with him, he was not alone at all. He had a pack of sisters.

Soon we were leaving Lobo home all day with the girls. There was no destruction, no accidents, no injuries. The only thing that happened was when we had a thunderstorm, Lobo moved the couch out from the wall to hide behind it. That fear too has receded with time and patience.

Dogs are pack animals. Huskies are more pack animals than some other breeds, in my experience. Once Lobo had the security of the pack and the comfort of a regular schedule to understand, he was just fine in the house all day while we were out.

Now our final challenge is that when Lobo came to us he was on prozac, a medicine used to treat depression and anxiety in both animals and in people. We were not sure what he was like before the meds, and one of our vets cautioned us to be wary of his “honey moon period” of being good, and not take him off the meds without seeing a behaviorist first.

Although I respect this opinion, Rob and I did not agree with it. We wanted him off the medicine and were certain he did not need it long term. We talked to our usual vet who suggested we bring Lobo’s dose down from 20 mg to 10 mg for a while and then wean him off over a period of two weeks with a pill every other day.

Lobo is now at ease and living a comfortable life with his two sisters.

We are currently in the midst of this process and giving him the lower dose, and all is going very well. Lobo is a little extra, what we call “barky bark”, where he barks at us for seemingly no reason. Yet it lasts for no more than a minute or so, we give him some affection, and he lies down at our feet. Other than that, we are seeing no ill effects.

I do feel that some dogs who are labeled as having separation anxiety, may profit by simply having another dog around with them. I know this doesn’t work in all cases but it may be a simple way to eliminate stress for some pets and their families. Adding another animal to the house may sound like a lot of work, but they keep each other company, tire each other out when they play and can bond like devoted family members. If your poor dog trembles when you leave the house, it may be worth trying!! Consider a foster situation where you have the option to adopt if all goes well – that’s how we wound up with three (amazing) dogs….

Making Vet Visits Fun? Why Not?!

July 12, 2015 by janet

Lobo is nervous at the vet's office. — Lobo is nervous at the vet’s office.

Our Lobo is a bit nervous at the vet. Being a rescue dog with a hazy past, we have a hard time separating fact from fiction with what we have been told about him. What we do know is that not long before we started to foster him, he was taken to the vet because he had injured himself trying to escape the room he was left in overnight alone. His mouth and paws were bloodied (it breaks my heart to think of it) and he had to be muzzled at the vet because he was in such an agitated state. This was before we met Lobo.

Our first visit to the vet with Lobo was just a meet and greet, not an exam. He glued himself to the exit door of the room. He even squeezed between Rob and the back of a tiny chair. He wasn’t aggressive but he wasn’t friendly.

The second visit was for a rabies shot for Lobo. The vet’s office insisted on an examination as well and our usual vet wasn’t in that day. The other vet was fearful because Lobo bared his teeth at her and she had us put a muzzle on him for the exam. I wasn’t happy with this but I guess I can’t blame her for being nervous. He’s a big boy and he can be a bit of a loud mouth.

Fiona smothers her doctor with enthusiastic kisses.

Truly Lobo is “a big mush,” as more than one person has told us about him. Our two girls Fiona and Secret love their vet excessively and we want Lobo to have the same experience. Rob and I have always felt that the vet-pet relationship is so very important because an animal must be comfortable with the doctor and the doctor’s office in order to be well-examined, cared for or diagnosed.

This weekend, Fiona and Secret were scheduled to see the vet for an exam and shots. We wanted Lobo to see how much they love their vet. To bring the experience up another positive, emotional notch, we picked up two Wendy’s hamburgers en route to the appointment. We gave them to the vet to share among the three dogs.

Lobo looks at the doctor adoringly - more hamburger please! — Lobo looks at the doctor adoringly – more hamburger please!

Lobo must have thought he was in heaven! This nice lady with a stethoscope was giving him hamburger and petting him. He looked at the doctor adoringly and ultimately threw himself across her foot as he lay on the floor.

Our hope is that when we go back in a few months for a checkup for Lobo, again with hamburgers in hand, that Lobo will associate the office and the vet herself, with a positive experience, and allow himself to be examined easily. The poor boy’s teeth are a mess from his days and nights left alone and trying to escape, so they will need to be seen to in the near future. All in good time.

We are going about this gradually to give Lobo the best chance for stress-free healthcare. I’ll keep you posted on our progress! This vet-apprehension is a new experience for us. If you have any comments or suggestions, I would really love to hear them!!

The Key to Canine Health: Know Thy Dog

July 11, 2015 by janet

Our girl Sabrina was an amazing husky. She traveled with us all over the US. My husband was racing a BMX bike so in the summer, spring and fall, we were outdoors at races in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Massachusetts etc. We would set up our canopy, bring lots of water, ice and a battery operated fan for Sabrina to help her stay cool.

I also had a business selling Irish books and would set up shop at Irish festivals across the east coast. Sabrina would come along of course -she was quite a draw at the booth, with those blue eyes! And the Irish wolfhounds which invariably came to the festivals got along with her fine, even though she looked like a wolf as most huskies do!

We knew our girl very well. One thing she loved above all else was popcorn. When we drove long distances in the car, we would throw popcorn to her in the back seat to catch. At home we shared popcorn all the time. So when she turned up her nose at popcorn one night, we knew that something was seriously wrong.

Sabrina was lying in her crate and would not come out. We placed a trail of popcorn from within the crate, to the foot of the couch where we were sitting, worriedly watching her every move. Or lack of a move. She would not budge from her little cave.

I looked at Rob and he looked at me. He picked up the phone and called our vet – we’re coming in now! No desire for popcorn – something is definitely amiss. Luckily we have an excellent, twenty-four hour veterinary hospital only ten minutes away and we drove down there at 11 o’clock at night with Sabrina.

After a few hours with the emergency vet and techs, we discovered that Sabrina had a grapefruit-sized growth on her spleen. They scheduled surgery for the next morning to remove it. Once they removed it, we had to wait anxiously for several days for the test results to come back to see if the growth was cancerous. Thank God, it was not.

Had we waited, that growth on Sabrina’s spleen would have burst, and Sabrina would be dead. She was twelve at the time and lived to bless us with four more wonderful years of love and affection.

What saved Sabrina were a few things. First, our luck to have a good vet nearby. Second, the vet on duty (who became our doctor until this day – the dogs worship her!) had excellent diagnostic skills and pinpointed the problem immediately. We credited her with saving Sabrina’s life and rightly so.

Most of all what saved Sabrina was our being observant and noticing her change in behavior, recognizing it as significant, and acting on it. Dogs cannot speak. We need to hear what they are saying by what they do and what they don’t do, what they are doing or not doing that is different from the norm for them.

I know a trip to the vet can be scary for some dogs and expensive for humans. The only way to know if a change in behavior requires medical attention, is to have a of expert eyes take a look at your sweet canine.

Sabrina lived to happily continue traveling with us for four more years, and to be the flower dog at our wedding. I am still learning to speak my fur babies’ language. I am so very grateful that Sabrina taught me the valuable lesson that actions (or lack of) do indeed speak louder than words.

Exploring the Henry Hudson Trail with the Woofuses

June 13, 2015 by janet

This past Sunday was a glorious spring day, sunny yet cool enough for a sweatshirt. We decided to take the three Woofuses for a walk on the Henry Hudson Trail. This trail wends its way along the bay shores of New Jersey, from Aberdeen to Highlands. Part of it is especially beautiful, between Atlantic Highlands and Highlands, and this was our planned trek for the day. This section sports views of the New York City skyline across the bay, abundant bird life and lapping waves just feet from the trail.

We got the harnesses on all three dogs and piled into the jeep. Lobo goes first, in the back seat. Then we open the “back back” and Fiona and Secret jump in. We’ve found this to be a comfortable set up, although often Secret jumps forward to join Lobo and then paw us in the front seats. She’s a problem child!

We drove all of five minutes to Atlantic Highlands and parked in the harbor lot. I was sporting my purple backpack with folding water bowl, water, treats and poop bags. This pet mom is always prepared!

The trail itself was badly damaged several years ago by “superstorm” Sandy, which devastated many area homes. The storm also tossed the boats in the picturesque Atlantic Highlands marina around like toys and heaped them up haphazardly in this very same parking lot. Now the marina is neat and orderly again and the trail is mostly back to normal. There is a sign warning of rough trail conditions but it really is over exaggerated now. A lot of work has been done and it is a pleasure to traverse the path.

The trail was busy with people, dogs, cyclists and walkers. We met a lot of dog enthusiasts and at least two other huskies! A whole troupe of cyclists stopped to pet and meet the dogs. The bay breezes were gentle and cool. The skies were blue and clear. The water was gently lapping at the rocks as we made our way along the trail.

It really was heavenly. There is plenty for both dogs and people to explore and look at, including a host of birds – seagulls, ducks, geese, hawks and even a single swan. Fiona loves to climb on things so you will see many pictures of her on the rocks looking out to sea.

From a convenience perspective, there are public bathrooms at both ends of this section of trail, a water fountain on the Highlands side, doggie waste bag dispensers in case you forgot your own, and strategically placed garbage cans along the way. Both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands sport small, free public beaches. The trail is about half in shade and half in sun, so plan accordingly with sun block for yourself and water for the woofuses.

Both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands sport many fine restaurants, although we haven’t checked them yet for outdoor seating for dogs – there is always the option of take out, eaten while relaxing on the beaches or in the Harbor. We’ve spotted seafood, bbq, Cuban, Mexican, and our favorite Thai restaurant which is Kunya Siam (they do gluten free options for me!).

As an added enticement, the Seastreak Ferry to New York City which leaves from both Atlantic Highlands and Highlands, is dog friendly – we see dogs getting on an off all the time! Wouldn’t that be fun?! We hope you check out the Henry Hudson Trail; it really has a lot to offer in the way of outdoor fun.

6 Easy Ways to Help Your Dog Lose Weight

May 23, 2015 by janet

I hear many people joke about their fat dogs. My grandmother had fat, sausage shaped beagles that she fed from her plate at dinner. Sorry grandma, but I just don’t think it’s a laughing matter to have an overweight canine.

The truth is, if your dog is packing on extra pounds, you could be taking years off his or her life. Every pet parent knows that the only thing we don’t like about our dogs, is their shorter- than-human life spans. Being obese or “a bit pudgy,” puts extra strain on the heart and lungs, the joints, every part of a dog’s body.

Your vet says your dog needs to lose some pounds. How do you help your pet shed the weight? Just as with humans, the answer is healthy eating habits and regular exercise. Ultimately your dog will eat what you give or what you allow them to have. They will also follow your lead when it comes to exercise, because they want to be with you, and perhaps they enjoy the great outdoors, too!

I have good news! You as the pet parent have the power to make positive change in your dog’s life. You can resolve this health crisis for your dog by following just a few easy tips:

1. Reduce your dog’s food portions. You dish it out every day. Dish out a little less.

I have a simple rule with simple math. All you need is a standard set of kitchen measuring cups or a graduated dog food scoop:

If you go to the vet and your 40 lb dog is 10 lbs overweight, you need to cut food intake by 25%. It may sound like a lot but I don’t think your dog will notice the difference – mine didn’t. Stay with me. If you are feeding this dog 2 cups of food split up into two meals of a cup each, you simply change each meal to ¾ of a cup rather than 1 cup of food. That doesn’t seem so bad, does it? You can also reduce intake gradually to ease the adjustment, say an 1/8 of a cup in this situation. Measuring is the key to success, no matter how small the reduction.

2. Know the correct amount to feed your dog for your dog’s optimum weight.

Finding out the correct food amount to maintain a healthy, vet-recommended weight for your dog is not as easy as it seems. I haven’t found the guidelines on bags of dog food very helpful to me; use them as a guideline or starting point only, don’t take them as gospel. Weigh your dog at regular intervals to see how you are doing. Adjust food amounts down or up accordingly until you have the right amount. I feed significantly less than the recommended amount for our dog’s food, but their weight is just right for them.

3. Take your dog for walks, to the dog park or schedule regular doggie play dates with other dogs. If your dog loves to fetch, throw that ball or frisbee for your furry friend to get him running.

If you ramp up your dog’s exercise regimen, you may not need to reduce the food as much. More exercise is good for you and your dog – it’s a win-win situation! If you have a tiny dog, please resist the temptation to carry him everywhere. Dogs need the mental stimulation of the smells and sights they experience from walking on their own four paws, plus they need the exercise!

4. Change to low calorie or smaller treats.

We give our large dogs very small treats so we can give them more often and not worry about the calories. I love giving treats – that adoring look in my dog’s eyes is so addictive! I can give snacks freely when they are very small ones.

5. Try pet safe, healthy treats like raw carrots, blueberries or even apple slices with peanut butter (not too much peanut butter – it packs on extra calories).

6. Weigh your dog every week or two to gauge your results until you have a formula you are comfortable with for your dog. Adjust food intake and exercise according to your dog’s progress.

How the heck do you weigh your dog? If your dog is small enough to pick up, this is easily done at home. Get on your bathroom scale and find out your weight. Then weigh yourself while holding your dog. Subtract your weight from the weight of yourself with the dog, and the difference is your dog’s weight. If you cannot weigh your dog at home, drop by your vet’s office. They usually don’t mind you borrowing their scale for a healthy weigh in!

Remember if you ever get frustrated during the doggie weight loss process, that achieving a healthy weight for your dog is just one way you can ensure a long and happy life for your beloved canine. You’ll see beautiful results in a healthier, younger-looking dog, with greater energy and mobility. Once you get the right regimen of food and exercise in place for your dog’s unique needs, it’s easy to maintain this healthy lifestyle.

Learn to ignore those adorable, come hither looks which say “feed me more”. Spoil your dog rotten with love, pets, walks and low calorie treats, not table scraps or extra kibble!