Adjustable Dog Seat Belt

“Oh the horror!” I shrieked.

As would any dog owner that uses Face Book and has seen the above picture of a terrifying  front end collision and a dog,  sitting pretty in the back seat of a car, wearing the Adjustable Dog Seat Belt. This combination gives the impression that the dog has escaped becoming a warm blooded torpedo moving at the speed of sound through the car’s windshield.  

“Whoa, I need one of these!”  I and every other dog loving American tells himself.

I was about to take a trip from MN to PA, and was going to be bringing a service dog in training, Eddie, along for the ride. It would be  the first such trip he was going on with me, and   let’s face it, nothing says, ‘take caution’ more than traveling with an animal that will eventually have a value of thirty grand! This is not my dog, so in my mind, extra precaution needed to be taken. 

 I happily placed my order with the company for one belt and received it shortly before my trip. I put it with the items that were to be set up inside the car. You know, the valuable items, water, tea, snacks, blankets, aspirin and all that would be required for a 20 hour drive.

 I also happened to have had an extra seat belt /harness contraption made for dogs which I also packed in the car.  That particular seat belt needed to be hooked to a sturdy clip which was stuck in between the car’s back seat and it was not all that convenient to get your hands in and out of. The adjustable Dog Seat Belt I just ordered, easily hooked directly into the seat belt latch of the car which was so much more convenient.

The big day came when the traveling across the states was to begin.  We drove through MN, and WI, without incident. Then we got to Chicago, IL, land of the $1.50 toll booths seemingly every ten miles!

Hey Chicago, why not just give us a ticket to hand in at the end of our trip to cover all those tolls?  Seriously, I thought the states would have kept up with modern times of  speed and convenience! Think of the money you would save on the salaries of those booth attendants, that, by the way, seem none to happy to be working there in the first place.

Anyway, as we came into the cash line of the first toll booth, our tires struck those little ruts they put in roadways to let drivers know they are veering off the highway.

 Floovb, floovb, vwomp ,vwomp, vwomp.  Only this time it was rut after constant rut to remind you to slow you down as you approached the toll booth. It sounded like we had flattened a tire!

BAM!  Eddie’s face was pretty close to my own as he hurled himself toward the passenger seat trying to escape the noise of the road to the safety of his foster Mom’s lap! 

Thankfully, he was wearing that seat belt I just got in the mail which prevented him from becoming a lap ornament!

What a surprise his actions would be to an unsuspecting driver if he were loose in the car!  

As we traveled through the change hogging state of IL, and all those after it, making many potty stops along the way, that seat belt I was so thankful for at that Chicago toll booth, began to give me cause for concern.

Three different times on our many stops to rest areas, I found that the seat belt was undone and Eddie was basically loose in the seat.  The car was packed to the hilt so he only had the area of one of the back passenger seats to lay in, (2ft by 2 ft) so it would have been hard to tell if he was freely moving around.  The first time I noticed it, I thought maybe I didn’t fasten it correctly before we left, though I was sure that I had pulled on it to check.    After finding this undone the first time, I made sure to check and recheck it after I snapped it back into the latch by pulling it every which way but loose!

Twice after that, the same problem occurred. The only thing I can think of, is that Eddie was sitting or stepping on the release button of the car’s seat belt latch and was thereby releasing the belt.   From that third time on, as we traveled, I constantly climbed between the two front seats to pull on the belt to make sure it was still connected.

Lesson learned. Sometimes, when things seem like a hassle, we avoid them, thus the reason I used this strap, rather than the original dog seat belt which hooked to that little bar between the car's back seat. Sure my fingers would have gotten pinched hooking it up, and maybe even a few cuss words would have spewed forth over the inconvenience, but it would have been worth it knowing that he was restricted in the car.

Overall, I give this product a one paw up. The one paw is for the 'thought' of convenience only. Until this product is improved , I would not recommend it.

And yes, you can bet that I pinched my fingers and spewed a few cuss words before we set off for our trip back to MN as I changed to the original seat belt that clipped between the back seat!

UPDATE

Thanks to my Face Book friend, Anne Visser, for bringing this to my attention.

According to the Center for Pet Safety  crash test, it seems that even my back up safety belt may not have been a safe option either. It seems the only safety harness that passed the muster was the  Sleepypod Clickit Utility

to see the crash safety test results and video click  here

It also seems that crates did not fair well and the pet carriers seemed to be a real joke.

Pet Seats click here
Video click here

2015 crate study click here
Crate video

Supporting A DOG Like Eddie

Supporting A Dog Like Eddie

It has been just over a year since I have posted here about Eddie, a black Labrador Retriever who came to live with me at eight weeks of age. This is when we began our journey together of learning service dog work through the Helping Paws organization.

 Helping Paws places their puppies into the hands of  Volunteer Foster Home  Trainers, who in turn, agree to care for and train the pup for just over a two year period. Of course, this is all under the guidance of the organization and their trainers.  By doing this, it drastically cuts down the cost to those in need of a service dog. Cutting the costs from the double digits of thousands, to just hundreds, which covers costs for needed adaptive equipment.  Since the 1980's, Helping Paws has placed over 200 dogs with recipients.  Some dogs are sent home with Veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and others are sent  home to people with physical disabilities. They recently also implemented a new program placing dogs in care facilities.

When I wrote here regarding Eddie a year ago,  his  repertoire of cues was around 10. Since that time his repertoire has grown to  approximately 52 plus known cues. Eddie has learned cues such as 'snuggle', which  is resting his head on my shoulder, 'light' , in which he turns a  light switch on and off,  'push', in which he closes doors and drawers,  as well as a three step directive of 'get it, bring, give', which is the retrieval, bringing, and placing an item directly into my hand,  including the laundry from the dryer.

Eddie's most liked cues thus far, are,  'get it, bring , give, light, push and snuggle'. His dislikes so far are, under, drop, stay, in which he must go under a table and relax there until the owner is ready to leave an establishment.  He is a retriever after all, and he is always ready and willing to work. Relaxing is not a Retriever's strong  point!

So far, it has been an amazing journey, of course, one that will likely be saddened  when it comes time for Eddie to move to the next chapter of his life.  That being said, I have found that when you volunteer within the Helping Paws Organization, somewhere along the way,  you have symbolically invited an extended family to your Thanksgiving dinner table. A family which consists of trainers, assistant trainers, dog sitters, other foster home trainers, PR people, dog lovers, and past recipients of HP dogs, who are forever grateful for the work you put into one of these dogs, a dog like Eddie.

 Give To The Max day in Minnesota, is a time for all to open their hearts, and wallets, to give what they can to an organization that makes a difference in another's life and within the community.
 
 So, if you are a business looking to make that last tax deduction of the year, a group of students or co-workers taking a collection, or someone that just wants to support a well deserved organization, this is your chance to help!  In the spirit of giving,  please go to this link and make a difference in someone's life!

 To check for fun upcoming events such as the Tail  Waggin' Dinner Auction go to this link

 Below, enjoy this uplifting story of Jake, an up and coming Lawyer and his dog from Helping Paws.

Eddie will surely appreciate every dollar you can spare!    

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of Eddie's journey on his face book page

Another New Low for Pet Stores!

Puppies inside the Van

Does this van look like something you would keep a baby
in during freezing temperatures?  Does it show
any ventilation? 

Vincent LoSacco's Just Pups Store in Paramus NJ 

Ugh, Just when the word is getting out! We have petitions changing laws  and courts are closing some doors, but yet again we have pet stores  stooping to a new low to stock their shelves. 

Sadly, the ones paying  for this is not only the unsuspecting public, but also  many, many animals.

 

The recent article coming from Paramus NJ of a police cruiser checking the back lots and alleyways of shopping malls and shopping centers, that lead to a finding of a Van filled with puppies has put pet stores to a new low. The van, also  filled with feces, urine, ammonia odor, over crowded crates, and no adequate heat source in freezing weather, is not only heart breaking but sickening to me and should be to you!  

Vincent LoSacco, owner of  Just Pups, said in  a public statement he did nothing wrong and he did not break any law,  as  long as the dogs had food, water, and shelter they were adequately cared for , and sadly, in many respects, he is correct. Just check out the FDA guidelines in my blog  Puppy brokers the new stock market 

Morally speaking though, he is a really  BIG JERK!  To think that keeping several puppies in one crate,  with ammonia filled odor from urine , with no adequate ventilation or heat supply, in  an everyday un-insulated van in freezing temperatures makes him an even bigger jerk!

Looking at his website of the amount of puppy stores he owns, makes him not only a big jerk but a very scary person to the public and to the puppies he sells.   

From Just Pups web site comes very scary information on the amount of puppies he may have.

 "Make Just Pups in Emerson, Paramus, East Hanover or East Brunswick New Jersey your first stop when considering purchasing a puppy. Between all of our New Jersey puppy stores we serve Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren Counties in New Jersey."

 

I would suspect his is  not the only  pet store that may do this, just the only one that got caught!   

These slimy  places should be put out of business for good and that can only happen,  short of a court order,  when the PUBLIC refuses to shop in such stores!  

If you see a pet store that is selling dogs, short and simple, don't go in! Do Not buy anything from them! Not dog food, pet toys, crates, bowls , ANYTHING!    This is  the only way to close down a business that has such little regard for life.

 A Judge ordered on April 8th  that the Paramus NJ store remain  shut down which of course Mr. LoSacco is fighting. The next court date is May 2. 

Though I hope that all of his stores are closed for good it is not likely nor is it likely that there will be any end to the sale of puppies via puppy mills such as where people like LoSacco gets his puppies from. No reputable breeder would ever sell to a pet store or hire a second or third party to sell  their puppies.

The answer to ending puppy mill sales in pet stores lies with the public. If you don't stop buying dogs, including designer dogs (which hopefully you know are only mutts), you keep people like LoSacco in business to harm more puppy lives in the future and give mill breeders a reason to keep breeding.

Take a moment to look inside that van and picture yourself living there as puppies probably did for years before he was caught.

police report pictures link

Just Pups website Gallery link

police find trailer link

Link store owner response

http://www.zazzle.com/christmas_ornament_labrador_retriever-175251552844030457?

http://www.zazzle.com/christmas_ornament_labrador_retriever-175251552844030457?

Blue Buffalo Recall 11/26/2015

Well folks, before you blame your Great Aunt Betty for that sick feeling after eating her semi appealing Thanksgiving dinner, check out what's in your 'Pet Treat Closet' first! If that  proves to be safe, then you may have a feasible lawsuit against your old Auntie and can take all her possessions before her demise! But if you are that type of person you probably should not own a dog!

Blue Buffalo is recalling individually wrapped Cub Size Wilderness Wild Chews.

UPC :8402243110087  with an expiration date of November 4, 2017 due to salmonella

This is a voluntary recall during a routine testing, salmonella war found in the product.  The product was distributed at or around November 19, 2015 in PetSmart stores.  These stores include the states of:

California- Kansas- Michigan- Minnesota- Montana- Nevada - Oregon- Utah- and Washington

 For more information or to fill out a report regarding any dog food/treat related problems contact the  US Food and Drug Administration.  Link Here

Contact Blue Buffalo  888-641-9736 from 8 AM to 5 PM EST Monday to Friday or  email them at:  Bluebuffalo4260@stericycle.com   

Salmonella causes illness in pets and humans.  It is particularly dangerous for  the elderly  and young children. Wash your hands after touching and treats or foods for your animals.

Salmonella causes flu like symptoms in humans with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody) , abdominal pain and fever.

In pets you will see much of the same. Keep in mind that some of your dogs may be carriers only and not show any symptoms. So if you have more than one dog in your family and one of them is not showing symptoms it does not mean the others do not have salmonella. Contact your Veterinarian for treatment.  

A Dog Like Eddie

 It has been approximately 8 weeks since I have taken that cute, bubbly, puppy known as Eddie, into my fold and he has been a true blessing.  Eddie belongs to the Helping Paws Organization and is from the E litter also known as the Edge litter, of potential assistance dogs.  If you missed my last posting, Helping Paws enlists volunteer puppy raisers to take a pup for two and a half years and bring it to its full potential. In the end, it will hopefully be trained well enough to become someone’s service dog.

In the short weeks that I have had Eddie, he has learned a kit and caboodle of behaviors and cues which are very diverse, and not what one would learn in a six week obedience class.  There was the 'shaping' of different ways to interact with a plastic tub, to his now known repertoire of cues going in the order below:

“Better Go Now” (to go potty on command)

“Release” (being released from a cue)

“Kennel” ( just as it describes)

“Uh Uh” (stop that behavior)

“Off”  (from jumping up on someone or something)   

“Car”  (getting in the car)

“Wait” ( a brief pause)

“Name” ( Eddie)

“Come” ( as it implies)

“Easy” ( taking something from the hand in an easy manner.)   

When training for general obedience, my normal course would go like this. Teach the dog its name, eye contact (watch me), sit, down, heel, wait, stay, leave it, and come.  Generally one to two commands would be taught a week. We would normally say the dog’s name, lure the dog into a position if needed, give the command, and then click and treat. We also would not start training a dog in public until all puppy shots were done, thus making the dog near or over the 3 month mark. In many instances, people do not take their dogs for training until they are older and more problematic.  

Having gotten Eddie at the age of 7 weeks old, and starting training with him that very week, he has already learned more than what many older dogs would learn in a six to eight week obedience course.

 Through my training with Eddie you will notice that his name was not actually put to a formal cue until pretty far down the list.  We have not, up to this point, done any luring with special treats, rather we wait patiently for the puppy to figure out a behavior we want to see, then click and treat that behavior using his normal daily dose of dog food.  We don’t actually introduce the cue until about a week later, or longer, with the exception of ‘Better go now’, which we use right away, both on leash and off. 

I hate to brag, but Eddie is one very smart little puppy, more than likely due to excellent breeding stock. As I went through his list of 75 cues that he would eventually have to do, I noticed that he is already doing things on that list that I have not asked of him.  For instance, there will come a time when I have to put to cue “go to your bed.”  Since day one, Eddie has been coming into the house and going directly to one of the dog beds in the kitchen, regardless if there is already a dog lying on that bed! He will go to the bed, sit down, sometimes sitting on Brody’s head, and look at me and wait.  I have never asked him to do this, but though I cannot yet put a cue to it, I want to build on that behavior and reward him for it each time.  Sitting was another cue Eddie had been performing from the day I brought him home. He will follow me from room to room and sit in front of me, then look up at me as if to say, “Here I am!”   This is a desired behavior; however that cue has not yet been introduced either.

I am finding it fascinating that though this way of training, to me, seems backwards,  it works just as well, if not better. If the dog is doing the desired behavior on its own and being rewarded for it, we know the dog will repeat that desired behavior for the reward,  and then, we add the cue to it later. In the end, the dog has learned or taught itself a desired behavior for life.  On the other hand in normal obedience training, we put the command to the dog, then lure him into place, and then we are finding at times that we need to repeat our commands more or give more prompts/treats to get the desired behavior. 

At this point, I have to say that I am thrilled to be learning a new way of doing things, and I can see why it takes so long to ready a dog for life long skills to aid a human.  I can also see why normal obedience classes would not work this way for a trainer. The cost would be phenomenal due to the time it takes  and there would be no clientele who could afford it! 

Of course shaping and cues are not the only things going on for Eddie during the week. There is socialization to a variety of people, places, other dogs, sounds, textures, and more. We go through stores with Eddie sitting on his bed in a shopping cart so he can see and hear all that go on. One of his favorite places is Home Depot, where he get lots of loving, and his second would be Target, where on a nice day, he can sit outside the store and greet people, as well as practice his skill of walking nicely beside a cart.
  One day while sitting outside of Target, I  asked an elderly lady  if we could follow her to her car so Eddie could practice walking beside a cart. She was very happy to help us in our mission and we chatted as we walked. It turned out to be a bit longer than we expected as she forgot where she parked her car! Ah, the little smiles in life!

We also go to the lakes so he can experience the texture of the sand, the docks, and the water, as well as see the geese and sea gulls up close and personal.  

 At this point in his life, Eddie seems to like all people he has come in contact with and has only been frightened by a couple of items. One being a bunch of small flags on the church lawn, that seemingly touched him like a bunch of fingers coming up from the ground in a bad Halloween movie, and the other frightening thing was the hollow sounding water drains that run through the sidewalks of town.

How you can help from afar!

This Thursday, November 17, in MN is Give to the Max Day. It is a day for all to come out and support organizations that make the communities stronger.  Eddie and the E litter will be on display to the community showing what they have learned so far.  I am sure there are many wonderful organizations out there but I am partial to this one!

If you have an extra ten bucks to spare, it will go a long way in helping another human to gain a piece of their life that was taken from them through special circumstances or illness. Actually you will be helping more than just one person; a dog such as Eddie can help the whole family in many ways. A dog like Eddie can give a war veteran with PTSD   the strength to take his kids to a park, or to school.  A dog like Eddie can help a person dependent upon a wheelchair and family, to become independent in other ways thereby freeing up some family duties.

10 bucks people!  Compare it. If you drink two cups of Starbucks coffee a day, you will spend 126.00 a month, or 1,533.00 in a year, and 45, 99.00 over 30 years!  

Now, doesn’t ten dollars seem like a real bargain?   Help me to help them!

Click this link to take you to the donation page.  LINK  Type in Helping Paws and the amount you wish to donate.

Click here to see Eddie learning the retrieval of every day household products 

UPDATE: Eddie has come a long way since the above clip when he was just a pup, He can now  retrieve items and place them in my hand, close doors and drawers, turn on lights and remove clothes from the dryer. click here is a short clip of this . 

Click here to see the recipients of the dogs, ~aka thepeople your $10.00 will help

Follow Eddie on Face Book! 

Helping Paws~ The Recipients~

Eddie  7 weeks old

The Veterans 

            As I turned the street’s corner, I saw a man and women walking two  beautiful Golden Retriever puppies near the tree shaded building.  I parked my car on the road’s side, grabbed my camera case and car keys, and exited the car.

            Immediately I took the camera from its cradle inside the case, put it to my eye, and started shooting pictures. I then took out the mini video camera from my back pocket in order to capture all the movement as well. After all, this is what I came to see!

            A few more dogs and handlers arrived and made their way into the building, the building where the Helping Paws Organization does their training. I shut the camera down and followed them inside. Standing inside a huge open room was a tall young woman with long curly black hair. She was dressed in Capri’s, flip flops, and a sleeveless blouse to combat the summer’s heat.

            “Jo?” I asked.

            “Yes.” She replied.

            “Hi, I’m Sally.” I said. “I’ve been the one emailing you about coming to see how this process works.”  

            “Oh, Yes!” Jo replied. “Glad you could make it.”

            “Thank you.” I said. “I have been very interested since I saw the news clip.”

            The news clip had been about the organization needing volunteer puppy trainers to help with their next litter of pups. What is a volunteer puppy Trainer?  They are people that Helping Paws uses to raise and train their service dogs for the first two and a half years of the dog’s life, under the guidance of their professional instructors.

            As Jo and I spoke, more dogs and handlers arrived and each went to a different place in the room.  I glanced around and noticed the different items used to train the dogs. There was medical equipment, different types of doors with pull handles, a handicapped door button that one would see in public buildings, a working light switch, a sliding glass door, and stands for the dogs to jump up on. Each person was working their dog on a piece of this equipment. I saw one man working his dog to open the sliding glass door and a woman having her dog turn a small light switch on and off, as the light bulb blinked in conjunction with every movement of the dog’s nose. Another was working her dog to pull a regular house door open, and yet another lady was working her dog to get up and down off of the stand. There was so much to watch, that I was not sure where to look first!

            “As you can see,” Jo said, “each dog is working on a different skill set. They will make their way around the room to practice on each piece of equipment.”

            “Wow!” I said. “I am not sure what I expected, but this is very impressive!”

 

            After about fifteen minutes Jo addressed the group. “It’s so nice outside, why don’t we go out and play a game with the dogs?”

            She then grabbed a couple of tubs with various objects in them, brought them outside and emptied them onto the ground. She had the trainer’s trade dogs and form teams. Each team of dog's and handler's had to select one item on the ground and use a command to have the dog pick it up, and then drop it back into the tub. Whichever team filled the tub first, won.  The dogs were at various stages of learning, so some got it right away and some needed a bit more practice. But all gave it a valiant effort!

            Once the game was finished, Jo had had everyone go inside and grab a wheelchair and once again all headed to the beautiful weather outside. I observed dogs walking at the side of the trainer’s wheelchair, dogs that were instructed to wait at a door, dogs that were instructed to push the automatic door button, and dogs that were instructed to hop over the trainer’s legs to get in the right position to push the automatic button, then hop back into a left heel position to the wheelchair.

            This is something I want to learn more about! I thought. I really appreciated Jo allowing me to come down and see what ‘puppy raising’ was all about.

            Months went by and life got busy for me. Peter and I had just adopted a young Newfoundland rescue, who we named Skylar.  Skylar was the third large dog to occupy our already crowded space in this small home. She also needed a lot of training, but settled in nicely with our other two dogs, Brody, a Newfoundland/Golden mix, and Emma, my old Newfoundland girl that I had since her birth.

            Jo notified me shortly after my adoption of Skylar, that there would be a litter due in the Helping Paws organization and asked if I was still interested in being a puppy raiser.

            I gave it a lot of thought, and in fact I had been giving it a lot of thought since that day  I first visited them. However, Skylar, at the time, was still very much a puppy and a very large puppy at five months old, and still needed direction. To take on another pup at this time would probably not be wise.  Also, in the back of my mind was that heavily weighted question. 
"If I were to become a puppy raiser, I would be its foster and trainer for approximately two and a half to three years and then I would have to give it up. Could I do that?"

One Year Later

            A year flew by since I considered becoming a puppy raiser. One day an email came to my inbox inviting me to join Helping Paws at their upcoming open house to meet the dogs and some of the recipients.   Skylar’s training was going fantastic, and in that year sadly, I had lost my old girl Emma. The house was now down to just two dogs.

            “Hey Pete?” I yelled from the basement. “Do you want to take a ride to Hopkins?”

            “What?” Peter asked. “What’s in Hopkins?”

            “Helping Paws.” I replied. “You know that place that trains the service dogs? They are having an open house. You can see the facility and how they do things.”

            “Sure!” Pete replied. “Why not?” 

            And so we went. We met and talked with many puppy raisers as well as talked to the recipients of dogs past.  The rest, as they say, is history!  

            That ‘thought’, the one that weighed so heavily in my mind, of giving the dog up,  had been played out over and over again in my mind for a year, and was still lurking in the background.
       With that thought however, also came the thought of my mom, who was stricken with polio in her twenties and raised a family of six.  How awesome would it have been if she could have had such a dog to help her?  Of course, that thought was a bit selfish on my part as my childhood Saturday mornings came to mind. Had she had an assistance dog to aid her, the dog could have walked with her and the bundles of laundry to the laundromat, spent the day with her washing and drying those bundles, and it would have left my Saturdays free!   Pathetic I know!

            Weighing it all out, in the end I thought, how selfish of me!  Yes, I will cry for weeks once the dog is gone. Let’s face it, you can’t go through that much bonding time and not have it effect you.  But, my few weeks of crying, is not enough of a reason to not do it. My heart may feel empty for a while, but another’s heart will be filled for a lifetime.

            And so, I began the journey three weeks ago, with a little black Labrador Retriever from the Max and Myrtle litter, also known as the “E” litter, who Peter and I  have named Eddie.

   

            These last  threes weeks have been a lot of exploring, shaping, and getting to know each other, and yes, there is already that bond, and I see it each time I take him into public to socialize him around people. He is pleasant in his greetings with all, but his eye contact always comes back to me.  This is the making, I believe, of a great service dog.

            Just a few nights ago, Peter and I had the pleasure to attend the graduation of twenty Helping Paws service dogs. It was a handing over of the leash, from the puppy raiser family, to a matched recipient and a new journey for the dog.

            The new owners of these beloved dogs had the opportunity to share their feelings with the crowd. I had the pleasure to once again take pictures and video, and would like to share their thoughts with you via a video in the link below. The video has been shortened for time, but all the sentiments from the recipients were the same. Sentiments of thanks and gratitude to all who took part in such a precious gift which would give them back a part of their life.

At the time of the graduation, the recipients had been working with their dog for three weeks, getting to know each other and cramming in all the learning that the puppy raisers had done over the years.  When you think about it, that’s a lot of homework!

Helping Paws is a non profit organization that runs on the generosity of others. If you would like to get involved or make a donation please go to their link.  The cost to the recipients is minimal due to the volunteers and public’s general outreach and donations. Please, go to the link and see how you can help.

 Helping paws link:    http://www.helpingpaws.org/  

          The Graduation 2015    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58uJCoyut_g

My first visit with Helping Paws https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6f9SaE5XXs

Eddie  9 weeks old 

K-9 Kraving Dog Food Recall

K-9  Kraving dog food has issued a recall due to possible Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, a double whammy if you will!

The recall pertains to  their Chicken Patties Dog food shipped around the July 13- 17 dates. 

Salmonella and  listeria Monocytogenes can  affect animals and and humans.

 Make sure to wash your hands after handling the food any dog food or treats. Wipe down counters  or other items that have been exposed to this product.

Salmonella symptoms for dogs:    Vomiting , diarrhea (sometimes bloody), lack of appetite, abdominal pain, fever. You may have dogs in the home that are only carriers, so if one dog is not showing signs of illness this does not mean the other dogs are not affected. Read more here

Salmonella in humans can cause vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, flu like symptoms. 

This is especially dangerous to the very young and the elderly as well as frail immune symptoms.

Listeria Monocytogenes in dogs can vary from no symptoms to mild flu like symptoms. Fever , weakness, vomiting muscle aches , lack of coordination. Link here

Listeria Monocytogenes in humans : fever, chills  muscle aches,nausea , diarrhea, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance

Link here 

Link here to recall

Dingo Twist treats Recalled due to AMANTADINE!

Hey Folks!

I have been a bit off my game on the upkeep of the blog an dog food recalls because I am currently raising a puppy to become an assistance dog. So Much of my time is spent  with the pup and my other two hounds that get jealous of the attention and so I must shower myself on them just as much!  If I don't lose weight by the end of this adventure there is something seriously wrong!  

So down to business:

The recall  involves Dingo Chip Twists "Chicken in the middle" 6 per bag.  The treats come from china (no surprise there) but is put out by United Pet Group Inc, in Cincinnati OH.

  more information here: 

 Product was distributed to  CA, IA, IL, MN ,NY ,OH, OK ,PA ,TX ,VA ,WA, and WI

What is Amantadine?

 This is a drug that is for human formulation and is an antiviral which blocks actions of viruses in the body. This is not a drug approved for animal food. 

It is used to prevent viruses like influenza and is used to treat Parkinson's disease.

It has been known for some adverse side effects in people to the central nervous system. Effects are  anxiety, agitation, insomnia. It can affect  an existing seizure disorder. 

In Dogs you may  nausea. vomiting ,loss of appetite ,Flatulence. diarrhea and agitation  most likely in the first few days of exposure.

You can read more here

Here's the thing folks! DON'T BUY ANY DOG PRODUCTS MADE IN CHINA!

More Listeria Bacteria Found ~Vital Essentials

More listeria found in dog food. This time it is  the Carnivore meat company of Green Bay Wisconsin which is voluntarily recalling Vital Essentials raw frozen food.

Recalled products are 

Vital Essential Frozen Beef Tripe Patties and  Vital Essentials Frozen Been Tripe Nibblets 

Lot number 10930  and Lot 10719 

If you missed  my last posting on how Listeria affects you and your pet please read below.

What does this mean to you?

Listeria can be deadly to  humans with weakened immune systems , ages 65 or over, pregnant women and the unborn fetuses, and young children.

Symptoms are fever and muscle aches, and diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Someone diagnosed with this has an invasive infection and it can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract,

Other symptoms would be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

 Pregnant women may experience  fever , fatigue and aches. This can lead to  miscarriage , stillbirth and premature delivery. The newborn can suffer a life threatening infection.

Here you can read what causes  Listeriosis http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/listeriosis-topic-overview  

What does it mean for your dog?

You may see neurological signs: circling, depression and hemiparesis (paralysis). Unfortunately clinical signs are see when testing infected tissue after death. There were  signs or lesions in the  lungs, liver , spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands and lymph nodes.

Stop Sale! Stella & Chewy's

Stella and Chewy's has been issued a STOP SALE order by the  Maryland department of Agriculture. Stella  and Chewy's Freeze dried chicken patties dog food are contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes

Lot number : 11-15  with expiration date of 4/23/16

What does this mean to you?

Listeria can be deadly to  humans with weakened immune systems , ages 65 or over, pregnant women and the unborn fetuses, and young children.

Symptoms are fever and muscle aches, and diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Someone diagnosed with this has an invasive infection and it can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract,

Other symptoms would be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

 Pregnant women may experience  fever , fatigue and aches. This can lead to  miscarriage , stillbirth and premature delivery. The newborn can suffer a life threatening infection.

Here you can read what causes  Listeriosis http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/listeriosis-topic-overview  

What does it mean for your dog?

You may see neurological signs: circling, depression and hemiparesis (paralysis). Unfortunately clinical signs are see when testing infected tissue after death. There were  signs or lesions in the  lungs, liver , spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands and lymph nodes.



Update as of 7/7 2015  from the FDA http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm453745.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Face Recognition Finds Your Lost Dog!

There is as new online and phone app that may possibly be the next best thing to a gravy biscuit for Fido owners! This new app is called findingrover.com and what it does is allows people to reunite with their lost pets with only a picture using face recognition.

This will be helpful this July 4^th holiday when so many pets run off once the boom of the fireworks start. Unfortunately many do not keep their dogs in the home  and sometimes dogs that are in the home become so frightened they jump out the window.

Findingrover.com  is an easy to use , Just go online, to www.findingrover.com  upload your dog’s picture, try to use a facial profile as you will need to put the eyes in a certain place. Add the name, breed, and birth date or age and you are set!

You can find their face book page here https://www.facebook.com/FindingRover

Uploading pictures to the computer 

 You can download the app to your Iphone or android.  The App is FREE!  Anyone who finds your pet can then take the picture and submit it to finding rover! The facial profile from that picture is matched with the one you registered.

If you are the finder of the lost dog make sure to get a head shot to send in, not a full body shot though a body shot may be helpful later to show the potential owner.  .

On the website under the Search icon there is also a list of dogs lost and found in your area which is a good thing to check to see if your dog has been found or to help identify a dog you have found.   

This is relatively new so more dog members may need to get online and register in your area so spread the word to friends. The more dog owners out there, the better chance you have to recover your dog in your area, or if you are traveling and the dog gets lost, then it will help there too!

   Of course I would be remiss if I did not put this to the test! So after uploading Brody’s profile pic, I then went under the “found dogs” icon and uploaded another picture of  Brody’s face to see if his profile would come up. The site scanned Brody’s face and brought me to two dogs that looked like Shih Tzu’s not at all like Brody’s description. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed that Brody’s picture did not come up. However, I went back to my home page and reported Brody missing, then did another check and Volia, there was his picture at the top of the page under Found!

Lost Dog Post

Dogs that match Brody's  facial profile You can
see that Brody is on top of the list 

I would say I have to play around with this a bit on my android as I am not really phone savvy, But I can take a picture of a found dog on my phone, send it to my email then upload it to the site. As for the computer, it worked out fine and I was able to find my dog, albeit sleeping in my own bed!    

For youtube video of it's ease of use click  here   

I would give this App 4 paws up, especially for ease of use with the computer. If you are phone savvy then it should  be just as easy!

Reporting Instructions :

Report a Found Dog

Last Updated: Jan 23, 2015 02:05PM PST

On a Mobile Device

1.                       Tap Report! in the bottom middle of the screen

2.                       Click Found

3.                       Click Okay to upload a photo from your device or to take a new photo

4.                       To upload an existing photo, click on the photo boxes (bottom right)

5.                       To take a new photo, use the Bark Button (bottom left) to get your dogs attention, click the Photo Button. Make sure to focus on your dogs face

6.                       To retake the photo, click Back in the top left corner

On the Web

1.                       Click Report! in the top middle of the screen

2.                       Click Found

3.                       Click on the Choose File button to navigate to an existing photo

The following steps are the same on mobile devices and the web
Adjust the photo

1.                       Click on the photo to move it so that the eyes are lined up with the line across 

2.                       Click Next in the top right corner

3.                       Place a circle on each eye and the triangle on the nose

4.                       Click Next in the top right corner, the photo will then be scanned

Location

1.                       Identify the location the animal was lost from by typing in an address, cross streets, or moving the pin to the correct location

2.                       Click Next in the top right hand corner

Enter details

1.                       Enter YOUR primary contact phone number (usually a cell phone)

2.                       Enter the actual date the dog was found

3.                       If there is a reward, enter the amount

4.                       Enter any additional information that will help (distinguishing features, gender, collar description, temperament, date/time found, etc.)

5.                       Click Done in the top right corner, the photo will be auto scanned

​
Search

1.                       Based on a scan of the photo, Possible Matches posted by other Finding Rover members in the area will display 

​
Possible Match

1.                       If a lost report is located that could be the same dog, click on the photo of the Possible Match to open the profile

2.                       Click Match? to link the records together FIRST

3.                       Click Create Match (this will now show on your Home page)

4.                       The Possible Match record will display at the bottom of the screen (scroll down)

5.                       This will display the Possible Match record on the owners, finders or partners Home page that they will see the next time they access their account

​
Make Contact

On a Mobile Device

1.                       If a phone number is available, click Call ‘Name of Possible Owner’ to call

2.                       If a phone number is available, click Text Message ‘Name of Possible Owner’ to send a text

3.                       Click Email ‘Name of Possible Owner’ to contact through your email system (Outlook, Gmail, etc.)

On the Web

1.                       The phone number of the partner will display

2.                       Click Email ‘Name of Possible O

Internet search finding rover,  hit bars menu on upper left, click  login