Holiday Gifts to Pet Lovers on your list

Do you have a pet lover on your holiday list this year? Here are a few ideas for holiday gifts.

Pet Themed Book:
My dog Tulip, by J.R Ackerly. Classic story of universal devotion
Oogy, The dog only a family could love, by Larry Levin. An inspiring story of a dog survivor.
Huck, The remarkable true story of how one lost puppy taught a family- and a whole town- about hope and happy endings, By Janet Elder

Personalized Pet Postage Stamps: Create custom USPS postage with a photo of your friends pet. www.zazzle.com

Animal Charities of America Gift Certificate:
Let the recipient choose from nearly 70 animal organization to donate to.

LED lighted leash and collar set. Available from Hardware Sales

Gift Certificate for dog walking or pet care

Happy HOWLidays

Dogs coming for a Visit over the holiday

Hey Tails,
Family is coming over to visit this holiday and bringing their new dog. You know Bonkers is great with other dogs, but can get so crazy when they come to the house! What to do to make it go as smooth as possible?

Karen and Bonkers, Ferndale

Hey Karen, Thanks for your question. Here are a few tips to make your holiday a good one! First, make sure the other dog coming a a happy, healthy social dog. If that dog has issues, suggest they talk to a reward based trainer before they visit to set that dog up to succeed too. Assuming they incoming dog is acceptable, we suggest the dogs meet on neutral ground. Ideally somewhere close, a school yard, a tennis court (good fenced option) Have dogs on leash and do a few quick walk by greetings. Starting with at least 15 feet apart. Make sure you have high value treats to reward your dog for relaxed body posture. If he is too agitated, simply turn and walk away. Re approach when he is relaxed. Do this several times. When he is relaxed begin to walk the younger of the two dogs, behind the other dog and slowly decrease the distance as you walk. When the dogs are within 3 feet of each other AND both relaxed body language, take them back to the play area for some off leash romping. Remember to PRAISE them both for good body signals. After a few minutes, leash them back up and walk home together. Having the dogs walk back to the house will ease the entry. Having a new dog walk into the home to greet your dog is a sure fire way to create anxiety for both dogs. Set them up to succeed and you will have a good holiday too! Call us if you have any questions.

American Disabilities Act Tightening the Leash!

We get the call, about 3 times a month... " where can I get one of those vests so my dog can be my service dog"

Sadly there are local dog trainers that abuse the 1990 ADA by assisting dog owners who abuse the system set for for properly trained service dogs- telling them they can train their own dog to be a service dog in a matter of 2 months or even asking them to simply get a vest and put it on their dog.

A "service dog" is individually trained to perform tasks that mitigate the disability of his owner. Training typically takes 18 to 24 months and is not suited for all dogs. Because of this advanced training, a service dog is considered medical equipment and is permitted to accompany a disabled owner to public places where dogs are not usually permitted.

Animals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits or promote emotional well being are NOT service animals. This refers to the dog owner who simply feels calmer, happier, less stressed and so on with his/her pet dog present and is therefore calling is an emotional support dog. All of us who love dogs would have a "service dog" if this was the standard.

For a dog to be an "emotional support or psychiatric dog" in the service sense, the dog needs to undergo the SAME type of training as above as well as the owner must have a written prescription for a doctor stating that the dog is necessary.

Although one cannot ask a disabled person what their disability is, you can ask them what the dog was trained to do specifically for them (open doors, pick up items on the floor, alert to phone ringing etc). They also need to be able to show that the dog can perform that task on cue.

The U.S.Department of Justice is cracking down and are enforcing the Amendments Act to the ADA. No longer can people throw a vest on their dog and take advantage of the system set up to help individuals with true disabilities

If you are in need of a service dog, contact the ONLY trained individual in Whatcom County to assist you: Denise Costanten of Brigadoon Youth and Service Dogs: 733-5388

Dogs vs Cats

A TAW client asked me today if we could help her dog get used to cats. Her dog chases all neighborhood felines.

You see, we foster kittens here at TAW and she was hoping by exposing her dog to the kittens it would help her dog not be such a brat to neighborhood cats. Good idea... but not much of a chance.

Yes, we can help dogs get more used to the kittens here and in turn it can help dogs do better with house cats, but when we are taking about cats in the neighborhood we are now talking about prey drive.

Prey drive is the desire for a dog to chase and hunt. It is in all dogs, to some degree, more in some- less in other breeds. Terriers have a high prey drive, as they were bred to hunt and kill small vermin. What we have to understand is the dog does not have to catch the prey in order to be rewarded. The chase its self can be all it takes. Your dog does not need to have ever caught a squirrel to know its fun to chase them...

Dogs with a high prey drive can, in my opinion, never be taught to not WANT to chase... but we can put their focus on something else. Agility, Frisbee, Tracking ECT.

Remember, we cannot pick and choose the traits we love about our breeds. The same tenacity a terrier has to bark and chase is the same thing you love when it comes to theri attitude about loyalty to you.

Check us out on FACEBOOK

Just a quick note to ask you to friend us on facebook. We post daily photos and videos of the dogs at day care, in classes and all things TAILS!

Allie, needs her forever home

Hi everyone. My name is Allie, I am a 2 yr old Australian Shepherd/Golden Retriever Mix. I have had a pretty tumultuous life and as a result I have some habits that I need a lot of work on, but I appreciate you reading about me and considering that we might be a good match for each other

I have been in 5 different homes in the past year. I was originally a homeless dog, living on the streets and brought in to the shelter. I got adopted but returned after a few months. Back to the shelter I went, then on to a foster home. Logistics had me have to go to another foster home... so I am sure you can see, I don't have a real sense of where to call home. I have been showing reactive behavior to other dogs, as a result- especially other females. Although this is not an acceptable behavior, its all too common with shelter dogs with my experiences. You see, dogs like me react (bark, lunge, act a bit scary) when we feel the people in our lives don't have our "back" being in so many homes over the past year, I never know if I am coming or going and I have learned that this behavior works for me...

The foster home I was in before, worked really hard with me and I was getting so good on my behavior that it was close to resolved, but when I had to go into another foster home, it all started up again... and here I am. I am in training classes, and doing well in the class and adore my foster home ( I have a foster brother who I LOVE!)

I am very loving when I know you will treat me right. Treats help me realize that a lot quicker!

Humans who know me describe me as a loving, loyal, charismatic, beautiful dog. I am crate trained, potty trained and walks well on my leash (I use a gentle leader due to my reactive tendency) I am not destructive in the house, and settle well. I am VERY active and love to run and play. I love Stuffed Kong’s, Plushy toys, running on trails and wrestling with dorky boy dogs. I am quiet, but a good alert dog and I need lots of exercise and stimulation. I know my basic commands and enjoy clicker training. I have spent some time with cats and showed very little interest in them.

My adoption requirements are as follows:

Physically active but overall, calm home
No young children
Equally sized male dog playmate is welcome (But I can be an only dog)
Experienced dog home
Someone willing to continue work on my reactive tendencies

To learn more about Allie, conact www.whatcomhumane.org

Puppy and classes

Hi Tails,
I'm confused... my vet says my pup can't be around other dogs and puppies until she is fully vaccinated, which is when she is about 16 weeks old. But you have classes starting at 9 weeks of age. What gives?

Vicky and Scooter-Pie, Bellingham

Dear Vicky and Scooter-Pie,
First let me say your veterinarian is absolutely, 100% correct. You cannot subject your puppy to other pups and dogs in which you do not know their health history, it’s just not safe! Too many canine diseases can live outside the body and your pup can be exposed to them simply by going for a walk in which a sick dog walked there the week before... However... your question needs more of an explanation.

Puppies are constantly going thru developmental stages; their brains are capable or learning and absorbing information at certain times that they cannot learn later in life. So we are faced with a dilemma. How do we socialize a puppy when that puppy can't be around other pups? The answer lies in socialization classes.
Our puppy pre school and kindergarten classes are open to all pups over 9 weeks of age. Those pups have to have been seen by a veterinarian and have started on their vaccines (DHPP and Bordetella). Its true you cannot take your pup on a walk or to the park, or anywhere that a dog you don't know their health history could of been before you. But our classes are healthy pups, in which we know their health history. We are faced with two risks:

1) risk of disease. Certainly these pups in classes are not finished with their vaccines so there is still a level of risk of exposure to other pups.

2) Risk of lack of socialization. This risk, in our opinion, is a far greater one.

Waiting until your pup is completely finished with vaccines until they begin to learn socialization is a huge missed opportunity. At the very least plan on a TON of catch up on your part. And know that some pups never fully recover the missed opportunities for socialization. I have been teaching classes for over 22 years and not once have we ever had an issue of disease contamination in one of our puppy classes. But I cannot count the number of calls we get about a 6 months old under socialized pup who is having major issues with not only socialization, but manners and bite inhibition.

So, in short... get puppy into an off leash socialization class- with a training center recommended by your vet, one who knows the health risks, one who is trained properly in animal husbandry and has a safe clean facility in which only vaccinated pups can come! You need to trust the training center that they are making sure everyone is up to date on vaccines, and not simply taking people word for it. Make sure the training center is clean and sanitized after classes.

Drop in on those classes, see how the class is run. Trust your gut!

Remember what we alwasy say: "Good Puppies don't happen by accident"

Circus Animals. Tortured to Entertain You

Yes, even in a city as progressive as Bellingham an animal circus still came to town. The Shrine Circus was at SportsPlex Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We were there all 3 days protesting them. We stood on the sidewalk and peacefully held our signs depicting how animals are tortured in a circus. Most people hung there head as they passed by, holding their child's hand. Some asked questions, some took literature, some walked in saw the animals in chains and turned away and left. A tiger sat in the parking lot, drugged, rubbing its head along the bars of the metal cage.

Please take a moment to write a letter to our Mayor Dan Pike about how we encourage and support animal free circus in Bellingham.

Doggie Socials easter party

Hope you can join us for our annual small dog easter party on Sunday April 4th from 10am to 12 noon

Enjoy our regular Doggie Social Event, easter egg hunt and special bunny cookies!

Normal requirements and fees apply. For more information, check us out at www.tails-a-wagging.com

Fabulous Fidos

I can't wait to tell you about a new class we are offering FABULOUS FIDOS!

This class is an intermediate level class that focuses on different aspects of the relationship between guardian and the companion dog. In it we build on basic obedience skills, adding more advanced skills such as attention, team work focused on heeling and Rally Obedience type exercises, impulse control exercises including recall past difficult distractions and stay with multiple distractions, skills building trust and relationship such as games, tricks and agility skills and some basic off leash distance work incorporating trust, relationship, attention, obedience and play.

This is also a great class for mildly reactive dogs, with permission from instructor.

Hope to see you there!

Canine Papilloma Virus

When ever dogs play with each other (dog parks, day care, play dates ect) there is always the risk of transmission of disease. Just like kids playing at school, they can pass things like colds and flu... With dogs we concern ourselves with other things.

Primarily:

Internal Parasites (worms)

External Parasites (fleas)

Viruses

Here at Tails-A-Wagging we counter balance the risk of disease by having an extreme cleaning regimen, as well as a physical environment that limits the ability to spread disease (rubber floor/walls) Everything the dogs come in contact with is cleaned every day. The floors, the playroom walls, the yard, toys, toothbrushes, beds ect. We also require all dogs who attend day care to be current on DHPP, Bordetella and Rabies, and show proof of a negative fecal test every 6 months.

We will spend some time over the next month talking about certain canine disease and concerns, but for today lets talk about CPV.

Canine Papilloma Virus is a viral wart that can be transmitted from one dog to another with normal play.

Certain viruses are able to cause the growth of small round skin tumors commonly referred to as warts. It is important to realize that viral warts are a specific condition and that a growth on the dog’s skin may or may not represent a viral wart.
Human warts are round, somewhat flat, and relatively smooth. Viral warts in dogs tend to possess frond-like structures creating more of a sea anemone or cauliflower-like appearance, though they can be smooth as well. The classical canine viral wart patient is a young dog with warts in or around the mouth or eyes. In such cases where warts have a classic appearance in a classic patient, diagnosis may be obvious but in older patients with warts in locations other than the face, other types of growths become more likely. Because growths can appear harmless but behave malignantly, removal and biopsy are often recommended.

Viral papillomas are round but often have a rough, almost jagged surface reminiscent of a sea anemone or a cauliflower. They occur usually on the lips and muzzle of a young dog (usually less than 2 years of age). Less commonly, papillomas can occur on the eyelids and even the surface of the eye or between the toes. Usually they occur in groups rather than as solitary growths.

HOW IS THIS VIRUS TRANSMITTED?
The infection is transmitted via direct contact with the papillomas on an infected dog or with the virus in the pet’s environment. The incubation period is 2-3 months. This virus can only be spread among dogs. It is not contagious to other pets or to humans. To become infected, the dog generally needs an immature immune system, thus this infection is primarily one of young dogs and puppies. Beyond this, transmission details are sketchy. It is not known whether the infected dog must actually show visible lesions to be contagious, nor how long after regression of lesions contagion is still of concern.

ARE VIRAL PAPILLOMAS DANGEROUS?
Not really. They should go away on their own as the dog’s immune system matures and generates a response against the papillomavirus. There have been two cases published where viral papillomas progressed to malignancy but this is extremely rare and by no means the usual course of the infection. Typically, it takes 1-5 months for papillomas to regress with oral growths tending to regress sooner than those around the eyes.

TREATMENT
In most cases, treatment is unnecessary; one simply allows the papillomas to go away on their own. Tumors can be surgically removed or frozen off cryogenically. Sometimes crushing several growths seems to stimulate the host’s immune system to assist in the tumor regression process. Some veterinarians have also showed using the antibiotic Azithromycin effective.
Boosting your dogs’ immune system is also the best chance of the warts going away. Antioxidant supplements and added Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are a good addition to your dogs diet.

Since the papillomas is considered contagious to other dogs, if we find a lesion we suspect might be canine papilloma virus your dog will be removed from the play group and sent home. Your veterinarian needs to determine if it is indeed CPV. If you dog is diagnosed with CPV you cannot bring your dog to day care, and you need to let us know to cancel your dogs scheduled days. Your dog needs to be lesion free for 10 days in order to return to day care.

New Dog Toys.. WE LOVE

I have to tell you about my new favorite dog toys. ok, not only MY favorite, but my dogs favorite. We love the Dog Magic, the dog Spinny and the Dog Tornado.

Basically they are dog puzzles. As many of your know, all of my dogs eat form some kind of puzzle toy at every meal. Usually its a kong, but we also use, Talk to me Treat balls, Bob's A lot and Orbee balls. THEN... I found these! So easy to use, easy to clean and keeps my dogs thinking.

It was very interesting the first time I gave them the puzzle. Each dog tackled the problem differently. Pudge is all about muscle... getting to the food with brute force. Percy, systematically took his time and bit by bit he figured it out. Meg, got mad at it and barked, but eventually took her time and got thru it. Morocco... he ate a bit then kept coming to find me to assist him. What a baby... Sorry, Morocco. Its all for you. No cheating. It took him the longest.

I like using these to give my dogs options for activities. When our dogs have their own jobs, I can leave them and they look at me and say "see ya, I have my work to do" and they have no anxiety about me leaving.

Check them out... all are at PetStop in Sehome Village 738-3663

Does your Dog Have A Great Life?

What makes a dog happy and content? How do you know your dog LOVES his life?

Best way to know is to understand that dogs, as social-thinking animals, need to be kept active with both mind and body. They need stimulation of new situations, adventures, social interactions and activities.

Here is an example of a dogs perfect day:

Wake Up

Have Breakfast, enjoy scavenging his entire meal from a few activity feeders that dispense food a bit at a time. A fun tip is to hide these in the house! Meal time is no longer 30 seconds of scarfing his food, now its 30 to 60 minutes of pure bliss! Using his natural scavenging instincts.

Go for a walk with the family. New Routes are particularly enjoyable. Practice sits an downs at each stop.

Play with food stuffed toys whiles family is away during the day. Try a "bucket" filled with a few stuffed Kong's, a bully stick layered with several plush toys. This is a fun game in of itself... going thru all the items in the bucket (bucket is a new, clean container that has never been used for cleaning products)

Pre arranged play date, afternoon of doggie day care or trip to an acceptable dog park for some much needed social time. Dog need friends too! Someone they can have predictable interactions with. Dog parks can be tricky- as you never know who is going to be there (good or bad) so plan ahead, let other well manners pooch parents know when and where to meet up.

Enjoy another walk or maybe some back yard play time with the family. Spending at least 15 minutes practicing training or learning some new tricks.

Dinner: Enjoy scavenging meal from a different activity feeder.

Off to bed in a big, soft bed, especially for him.

Does that seem like your dogs typical day? It should be... bored dogs are frustrated dogs and we know that energy HAS TO come out some how. Are you planning how that energy is released thru planned activities or seeing the negative side effects with reactive barking, destruction of house items, digging and all around bad manners.

Take some time to think about what your dog wants the most. Fun ways to keep his mind and body entertained