It’s that time of year again!! The Fourth of July holiday is upon us!! Here are some helpful suggestions gathered from several rescue and pet health sites. Most four legged creatures, including wildlife, are terrified of fireworks. More pets end up in shelters during and after the 4th of July than any other time of year because of fireworks.
Photo from nicklinwayvet.com.au
Celebrating the 4th of July can be a joyous occasion—but as fun as they are for American humans, 4th of July fireworks can be alarming, terrifying, and even dangerous for American pooches (and some cats, too). The day after Independence Day, July 5, is often the busiest day of the year for many animal shelters, as they work to safely catch, identify, and return local pets spooked by annual fireworks displays. To help make the holiday a safe, happy one for all, pet travel and lifestyle resource BringFido shared tips for keeping pets—particularly dogs—calm and safe during the festivities, whether you’re planning to go to a large fireworks show and leave your pup at home or you’re celebrating in your backyard.
From Pet travel and lifestyle source BringFido
1. Bring your dog inside for the whole day and night leading up to the 4th, or even a few days before, if you know people in your area plan to celebrate early. Your dog may not be a flight-risk, but if he or she is spooked by the fireworks, it could be all too easy for him or her to escape your yard and attempt to run away.
2. If you know your pet is afraid of loud noises, do not bring him or her to a fireworks show. Your pets will not suddenly overcome their fear, and the last thing you should do is introduce them to a situation where they will be stressed and panicked.
3. Be sure your pet is wearing a well-fitting collar with up-to-date ID tags. Should worse come to worst, you want to be able to easily identify Fido (or let whoever finds him find you) if he does manage to get out of the house.
Photo from dogblog.finchester.org
4. Tire your dogs out. Preempt any jitters by taking him or her on a long walk, run, or fetch session before the fireworks are set to start. If you’re lucky, your dog will sleep through the show or be too tired to pay attention to the sudden noise.
5. Surround your dog with comforting things, like a white noise machine (to muffle noises), a Thundershirt (proven to comfort anxious dogs), or a distracting treat, like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or a new bone. If your dog is distracted and happy, she or he may not even notice the fireworks outside. If your dog suffers from severe anxiety or presents extremely erratic behavior during fireworks or other surprising events, consider talking to your vet about options for more long-term treatment or working on behavior modification techniques in advance of next year’s show.
In just a few days, Memorial Day weekend will usher us into the summer fun season, with all the opportunities it provides. But with the heat comes possible dangers! SOOOOO it is also a time to be aware and take precautions to keep your houndie safe.
These suggestions were pulled from Modern Dog Magazine, Journal of the American Medical Association and the Pet Health Network.
The Sun andPavement
The SUN can lead to scorched paws, sunburns, heatstroke, and even loss of life. And it cannot be stressed enough — Heat can rise rapidly in cars—on a sunny day, temperatures rise about 10°C (50°F) above the temperature outside within 10 minutes, San Francisco State University meteorologist Jan Null tells The Globe and Mail. After 30 minutes it’s 19°C (66°F) hotter in a car than it is outside. It literally takes only minutes for a pet to develop heat stroke and die in a hot car.
YES IT IS HOT !!!!!
So if you’re running errands, just leave your dog at home—everything has a way of taking longer than you expect it to.
The sun can also wreck havoc on your dog’s sensitive paws. The surface of an asphalt road can get as hot as 60°C (140° F) on a hot summer day. Would you want to walk barefoot on that? If you live somewhere hot, protect your dog’s feet with a pair of dog booties, walk on the grass, walk early in the day or late in the evening to avoid the hotter temperatures. Test the surface with your own bare foot. If you don’t want to walk on it, your dog probably doesn’t either.
Dogs get sunburns too! Believe it or not, dogs can sunburn, especially those with short or light-colored coats. And just like with people, sunburns can be painful for a dog and overexposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer. Talk to your veterinarian about sunscreens for your dog (don’t assume a sunscreen for people is appropriate for your dog).
It’s also not a good idea to drive around with your dog in the bed of a truck – the hot metal can burn paws quickly (and they can fall out and be injured or killed in an accident).
Water
Water can be dangerous as well—many dogs drown in swimming pools every year. Install a pet ramp, such as Skamper Ramp, in your pool so that your pup can climb out if they fall in, and prevent your dog from reaching the water unsupervised in the first place with a pet enclosure or gate. Lucky Dog Pet Kennels provide enclosures that put an emphasis on dog safety, great for even for “escape artist” dogs. (They also make kennels with roofs to provide shelter and protect against UV rays.)
Don’t assume your dog can swim well. Just because dogs instinctively know how to swim, doesn’t mean they’re good swimmers. And if your dog jumps in your swimming pool, he might not be able to get out without help and could easily drown. Again, make sure your dog can’t get into your swimming pool without you around.
Give your dog his very own “kiddy pool”. Dogs who love the water, naturally love it even more during the hot months, and getting wet keeps them cool. Providing a small, kid-sized pool will go over big.
Everybody in the pool !!
Your dog should always have access to fresh drinking water and shade. Dogs get much thirstier than we do when they get hot, and other than panting and drinking, they really have no way to cool themselves down. Keep your pet in the shade as often as possible. While dogs sometime like to sunbathe, direct sunlight can overheat them and cause heat stroke.
Uhh You are about finished with the water right?
Finally !!!
PARASITES
Make sure your dog is protected from parasites like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. If not protected, your dog is at risk for heartworm, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and a host of other nasty and dangerous conditions. And don’t forget, many of these diseases can be caught by people too!
ESCAPE
If there’s no fence, keep your dog on a leash
Summertime means all sorts of exciting sights, scents, critters running around, and new and exciting places to explore. Some dogs just are not good off leash and you don’t want to lose your dog because he became distracted in an unfamiliar environment. Make sure you know and understand your dog’s tendencies and err on the side of being overly-cautious. Keep the windows at your house screened. You may want your house to be ventilated, but you definitely do not want your dog jumping out!
Let’s go this way – she is not looking!
If your dog ever does escape your house, yard or petsitter, you can be prepared for that as well. (The American Humane estimates that over ten millions dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year) Microchipping helps increase the odds that you will find your lost pet. You can also set up your pup with a Help4Pets ID tag. http://help4pets.com These easy-to-spot ID tags are like a 911 call for your pet—if someone finds your dog and calls the number, they’re connected with a team of specialists who will contact you and help in any emergency. You can ensure that medical treatment is authorized in case your pet is found injured and you can’t be located, or they can provide emergency vet referrals if your vet is unavailable or if you are travelling. With nothing to plug in or scan, you can ensure that help for your dog is just a phone call away!
WEIGHT
Summer is the perfect time to increase your dog’s level of exercise and aim for tip-top shape; however be aware that over the winter extra pounds may have been added to our dog’s physique. A pet that maintains a healthy weight throughout his lifetime will live, on average, 2-3 years longer than an overweight pet! Just make sure not to over-exert your dog. Talk to your veterinarian, give him adequate rest and if your dog is especially overweight, make sure you ease him into physical activity!
Houndie aerobics!
As always, make sure you consult with your veterinarian and get their input on any questions or concerns you have about your pets and any possible changes in their routine in warm summer weather.
This is an amazing piece of useful information about how hounds “think” !!
A must read for all hound owners (uhh make that all hound’s human trainees) and shared here with permission from RobDar’s Houndsong Rescue.
RobDar’s HoundSong rescue
June 5 at 8:00am ·
Someone on another page was asking about Hounds. My reply was well accepted so I thought i would share it here (even though most of us know this already)
>>> Here is a basic underlying influence…a basic understanding…regarding your hound dog that I think most people miss.
Hounds do not believe that they need you. You are a convenience…like a favorite coffee cup or a favorite pair of shoes. If the cup is broken or the shoes are lost, we can get along just fine with another.
Let me explain:
Where other breeds of dogs like Labradors, Shepherds, Cattle dogs to an extent, and a HOST of others are bred to work WITH man. Meaning that their originally bred temperament is to work alongside man in cooperation to achieve a goal. The Cattle dog follows man commands to herd the livestock. The Lab follows the hunters commands to get the quarry – and so on and so forth. They are team mates of man. Neither can do their work without the other — and so they have been bred for eons to have that in their make up —to be anxious to please. Even the worst behaved Labrador cares when mom and dad are annoyed. It is in their DNA to make man happy.
Hounds —not so much.
Missing sandwich? I have NO idea what you are talking about!
Hounds have been bred for eons to be taken out to the edge of the woods or field and be let loose to go out and do what they do with NO INSTRUCTION from the hunter or handler. They go out and do their thing, all on their own. They make their own decisions and do their own work —and when that work is done and they have found their quarry —they command/call the hunter to come to them with those beautiful voices. (who is working for whom in that scenario?)
AHHROOOOOO!AHHROOOOO!
Do you see how your hound thinks differently?
Life with a Hound is far more like having a spouse than a dog. It is far more of a “cooperative effort” with all the give and take that implies. Hounds are not going to do what you say just because you have said it. You are secondary to their desire. There has to be something in it for them. There has to be a trade off. If there is no reward or benefit for the Hound, the Hound cares little what you are asking him/her to do. People incorrectly refer to this as being stubborn or worse, stupid. Hounds are actually neither of those things – they are just independent. They prioritize things differently than do other breeds. They prioritize differently and you are not always their priority. This is EXACTLY AS THEY SHOULD BE. They were bred to be this way. It is all necessary to be a Houndy Dawg.
When working with a Hound you have to always be thinking –how do I make myself the priority? What do I have to give this dog to make me more important than what it smells – or wants (and do not expect that anything will ever be 100% successful everytime – always be looking for your Hound to act like a Hound.)
We humans always think we are in charge of things. We think that we are top of the chain, the head honcho’s..and we naturally approach training our dogs and living with our dogs this way – as though we are in charge.
Your Hound doesn’t see it that way.
I don’t hear you !!
Your Hound – at best – sees you as a family member – as a sibling (if you are very fortunate- as a parent). Do you walk into your sister or brothers house, start barking orders and they hop to?
Mostly your Hound sees you as a good friend —and what do we do with our friends? When a friend does something for us, we return those favors. There is give and take. When a friendship is out of balance – when one friend takes and takes but does not give — the friendship suffers. It is okay for one friend to be the strong friend – the dominant friend in the partnership—but it is a partnership.
Hounds are happiest when their humans are humble.<<
Article reposted from Wide Open Pets/Mateja Lane 2017
If you’re looking for a tireless partner who will adore long walks in the woods and who will be a real asset on your hunting trips, the Coonhound might be the perfect breed of dog for you. Coonhounds are a lovable, hardworking breed, and their intense tracking skills make them great partners for hunters.
At the same time, these dogs are loyal and affectionate, so they can double as family pets as long as you understand their energy levels and drive to track. When you consider the many dog breeds available, the Coonhound’s distinctive characteristics can definitely make it stand out.
The Coonhound Breeds
Even though they can be quite hard-headed and stubborn, Coonhounds are a type of dog that many dog owners quickly fall in love with. Within the Coonhound category, you’ll find many different breeds. The official Coonhound breeds include the Black and Tan Coonhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Redtick Coonhound or American English Coonhound, English Treeing Walker Coonhound, Redbone Coonhound, and Plott Hound. Each is considered a different breed in the American Kennel Club (AKC) registry.
Characteristics of Coonhounds
Coonhound breeds are known for their inquisitive charm and can be quite goofy. They are scent hounds and are most noticeable by their long ears and large bays. Coonhounds are working dogs, and if a Coonhound owner doesn’t hunt them, they need sufficient exercise to keep them mentally stimulated.
While they have incredible endurance and can be high-strung without sufficient exercise, Coonhounds are great nappers. Some people may call them “lazy” because they are normally sleeping if they aren’t on the trail, but most owners will agree they are just conserving their energy for the next time they are out and about.
Coonhounds are known for being intelligent and loving, and they enjoy spending time with humans. When hunting, these dogs are tireless and on constant alert. They can make great family dogs as they can become super affectionate when they trust you, but supervision due to their energy level is recommended.
The True Hunting Dog
These Coon dogs are fierce trackers.
This hunting dog breed possesses “cold noses,” meaning they can pick up scents from animals that had been there days before. Their floppy ears actually help bring out the scents from the brush underneath. Coonhounds also tree their quarry, keeping the animal up in the branches with his loud bays until his master comes.
Coon dogs make natural hunting partners. They’re known to hunt animals ranging from small animals like raccoons (their namesake), to big game like mountain lions. They make great hunting partners with positive reinforcement. Coonhounds are extremely treat motivated and most owners, especially if they are hunting them, utilize e-collar training. (Please use with care with help from a reliable dog trainer)
Adding a Coonhound to Your Home
Coonhounds generally don’t have that many health problems, but regular vet check-ups from puppyhood to when they are adult dogs are always important.
These hound dogs are often found in animal shelters, especially the ones who follow scents and find themselves lost. Rescue groups specifically include American Black and Tan Coonhound Rescue that focuses on Coonhounds, coonhound mixes and Bloodhounds in shelters across America.
Another great resource for the hound group is the American Black and Tan Coonhound Club.
Coonhounds make excellent companions and adopting one may very well change your life.
Video shared from WideOpenPets March 2017
Do you have a Coonhound? Let us know in the comments below!
To anyone looking in from the outside, the coonhound world is fascinating. It has its own lingo, its own tests – Nite Hunts –its own Coon Hunting Etiquette – and even its own gear (can you ever have too many good coon squaller calls?). Adding diversity to the picture are the several lines that come with its enthusiastic proponents, and we’re looking at a rich tapestry of Coonhound diversity. What they all have in common (save the Plott which is a different story) are their canine ancestors who accompanied immigrants to the United States from Europe and settled largely in the American southeast.
We won’t go into the history of the Treeing Walker Coonhound which can be read here, but rather, we want to touch upon a dog called the Running Walker Coonhound, and what differences exist between the two.
In the “looks department,” or phenotypically speaking, there isn’t much difference beyond the Running Walker being a bit smaller and lighter.
In behavior, however, it’s a different dog entirely. Though both Treeing Walkers and Running Walkers descend from the same breeding stock over a century ago, Treeing Walkers were selectively bred for their ability to run game up trees, typically raccoons, bobcats, bears, etc., while Running Walkers don’t have the treeing instinct that their cousin has (hence, the name difference. See how that works? – grin). Running Walkers, then, don’t check trees, and prefer to stay on trails that stay on the ground. They are fast, intelligent, and possess the tenacity to follow their prey for longer distances, though some hunters are of the opinion that Running Walkers have shorter attention spans than the Treeing Walkers making them a bit more challenging to train. Running Walkers are ideally suited to hunt non-arboreal animals.
Image found on Pinterest identified as a Running Walker Coonhound will happily be credited upon receipt of information
Truly, it’s not hard to get involved in dog sports. There are a myriad of activities you can do with your dog. Granted, if you want to be the best of the best, then you’ll want to find trainers that can lead you down that path. Even the people at the top of the game pay coaches to remind them how to overcome challenges and to strive to be better. However, if you just want to have some structured play time with your pet and test the waters, never fear, there are many games out there that will more than welcome your participation!! Most dog sports are designed to have different levels, so you can start by entering the easiest level and work your way up if you decide it’s the game for you.
Visitors are always welcome at events if you want to go watch a competition or two and see if it’s something that appeals to you. A dog that is not entered in the competition may not be welcomed, so you’ll want to check before you go to see if your dog will be a welcome guest also. Organizations like the American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club have an Events Search where you can find competitions and training events in your area. Many formal competitions will have what’s called a “match” or “fun day” event the day before. These events are a great way to get your feet wet in a no pressure, fun format that doesn’t count towards any official titles. They are often designed to help train dogs and to help newcomers get started. Matches and fun days are commonly listed on a “premium list” or “entry form” for the following days formal competition.
We’ve put together some links and information about many of the different games you can play with your coonhound or foxhound.
GENERAL
Here is an introduction to some great things people do with their dogs. Most activities welcome all dogs, whether purebred or of mixed breed heritage. Some of these activities are classed as “working dog” activities, but are also done on a recreational basis, or as a public service. Some dog activities are purely recreational in nature, while others are competitive dog sports. Many of these activities may be new to you. These links have been chosen based upon how welcoming they are to the merely curious.
Your source for science and soul in dog training and behavior
Suzanne Clothier
http://www.suzanneclothier.com/
Relationship Centered Training™
Temperament testing
Want to build a resume to defend your adored hound against challenges to his character? Or just prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that your dog really is the sweetest, best dog ever? Temperament tests do just that and take no training beyond socialization and basic household obedience.
Your dog is quite literally “led around by the nose” – her own nose, that is. As every dog owner is aware, canines have incredibly sensitive snouts. They learn about the world through their sense of smell. All that sniff-sniff-sniffing your dog does during nearly every waking minute is part of nature’s design. But did you know you can channel your dog’s keen sense of smell and love of sniffing into an activity you can do together?
Nosework is a fast-growing activity that dogs and owners love! Dogs are challenged to use their power of scent to solve simple puzzles. This is fun for novices as well as experts.
National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW)
Making K9 Nose Work® the Best Smelling Dog Sport Ever!
http://www.nacsw.net/
Healthy Pets
K9 Nose Work: Channeling Your Dog’s Natural Instincts into a Fun Activity
Therapy dogs bring joy to residents of nursing homes and patients in hospitals, as well as students learning to read. Coonhounds and foxhounds have great social skills; many have become cherished therapy dogs.
Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society) for Therapy Dog Training
H & S Publications is an organization devoted to dog ownership, training and the associated canine performance events. Front & Finish® magazine is a publication devoted to dog training and showing. Initially published as a tabloid newspaper, Front & Finish® later evolved into a printed magazine, and now is provided as a monthly e-zine. Their First & Foremost® and Delaney® rating systems are nationally recognized rankings of teams competing in AKC Obedience and Rally competition. The purpose of K-9 Legends is to develop an anthology of legendary dogs and their owners for posterity.
Obedience
Maybe your practice in obedience for temperament tests or your desire to make sure that your independent hound doesn’t pull on his leash and always comes when called has led you to the suspicion that you could compete in Obedience. Don’t let anyone tell you that hounds can’t do it. Here’s a bit of advice from a Coonhound Companions member who’s done it:
“A couple of my favorite methods for teaching some of the skills you’ll need for Obedience include a method called “focused attention” and “choose to heel”. For the more advanced levels, I like to use the “inductive retrieve” training method. A quick web search will yield lots of books, videos and other training aids to introduce you to those methods. These methods help to keep an easily distracted or bored hound very focused and ready to work for you!
“Here’s a link to my hound pup working in his first Obedience competition. He was VERY stressed by all the commotion at an official trial, but you can see how happy he is and willing to work. We’ve in no way mastered Obedience, but it’s a great start and it’s a lot of fun for us!”
Demonstrating the usefulness of a dog as a companion to humankind, AKC Obedience is a sport with rules, regulations, judges, conditioning, training, placements and prizes.
Obedience events test the training of dogs as they perform a series of exercises at the command of their handler. There are several levels of competition, ranging from basic commands such as “sit,” “come” and “heel” to scent discrimination and directed retrieves over jumps. The classes are further divided by the experience of the handler as well. All dogs start their competition with a perfect score of 200, and points are deducted according to the performance of dog and handler. Obedience events offer an opportunity for the handler and dog to form a special bond of trust unequaled in other events.
Rally Obedience
http://www.akc.org/events/rally/getting-started
Rally’s first level starts all on leash which can be comforting when you’re starting something new with a hound. If you like variety, you might like rally more than the formality of obedience. Unlike obedience, which has a set, very formal pattern to it, rally involves a course that constantly changes.
World CynoSport Rally
http://www.rallydogs.com/
AKC Rally®
http://www.akc.org/events/rally/
Agility
Agility is a sport that appeals to all dog lovers – from young people to senior citizens. It has great spectator appeal. Agility is designed to demonstrate a dog’s willingness to work with its handler in a variety of situations. It is an athletic event that requires conditioning, concentration, training and teamwork. Dog and handler negotiate an obstacle course racing against the clock.
The sport of dog Agility was introduced to the United Kennel Club in 1994, when the National Club for Dog Agility announced that they would be merged with the United Kennel Club.
The rules for which NCDA events operated under were adopted into the United Kennel Club and have been used as the basis for the UKC Agility program. The rules set forth by Charles (Bud) Cramer and the NCDA were not focused on which dog could complete a series of jumps and tunnels the fastest, but to see which dog and handler teams had the ability to maintain control and quickly maneuver their way through a set course of various obstacles. The United Kennel Club has worked very hard to maintain the teamwork focused mentality of this sport as it was since the very first UKC Licensed Agility trial held in 1995.
The purpose of the UKC® Junior Program is to encourage young handlers to become fully involved with the world of dogs, by encouraging participation in conformation and performance events, breeding dogs, and promoting responsible dog ownership. The unofficial UKC motto is “Our Dogs Do Stuff™.” One very important goal of this program is to encourage UKC® Juniors to embrace this philosophy.
Dock jumping is a simple, yet exciting sport that has been exploding all over the country. UKC is excited to add it as another performance event, through Ultimate Air Dogs; yet another way to have fun with your dog! There are two different forms of jumping that UKC dogs will be able to obtain titles in: Ultimate Air or Distance Jumping, and Ultimate Vertical.
Is your dog a star at bunny chasing? How about those pesky squirrels? If your dogs lives to chase the creatures of the wild, check out UKC Lure Coursing.
Does your dog pull you along the sidewalk every time you take him for a walk? Does your shoulder ache from your dog’s constant straining at his leash? Well, your dog might be a star at Weight Pull! Weight Pull Events give dogs an opportunity to perform a function that comes naturally to many dogs, one that they obviously enjoy. Dogs use a harness to pull a weighted cart a prescribed distance within one minute. The weight vehicles operate either on wheels, on snow or on a rail system. The dogs work toward earning titles based on how much weight they pull in proportion to their body weight so from the smallest to the largest, all dogs can compete. Never count out even the tiniest of dogs in this exciting competition!
DRAFTING & DRIVING
For centuries, dogs have been trained to pull carts, wagons and sleds. Today drafting has evolved into a sport that some participate in for competition, and some just for fun. High-energy dogs particularly love these sports, and that includes many of our beloved hounds.
Fur Wheel Drive – Dog Carting
http://furwheeldrive.com/
Got fur? Get some wheels and join the fun!
Welcome to the official web site for the New England Drafting & Driving Club, Inc.
Thoughts on Carting
http://furwheeldrive.com/cindy.htm
Cindy Scarpa, Caesar Danes
Sources of Carting Equipment
http://www.cartingwithyourdog.com/cvendors.html
Wilczek Woodworks
http://www.wilczekwoodworks.com/
Wilczek Woodworks offers fine quality Dog Carts, Dog Wagons, Siwash Harnesses and other equipment for canine draft work.
Introduction to the Sport of Dog Scootering
http://www.sleddogcentral.com/scootering.htm
CANINE FREESTYLE
Welcome to the Musical Dog Sport Association
Canine Freestyle is a dog sport in which training, teamwork, music and movement combine to create an artistic, choreographed performance highlighting the canine partner in a manner that celebrates the unique qualities of each individual dog.
It’s that time of year again!! The Fourth of July holiday is upon us!! Here are some helpful suggestions gathered from several rescue and pet health sites. Most four legged creatures, including wildlife, are terrified of fireworks. More pets end up in shelters during and after the 4th of July than any other time of year because of fireworks.
I Don’t Like This!!! Photo from NIcklinwayvet.com.au
Celebrating the 4th of July can be a joyous occasion—but as fun as they are for American humans, 4th of July fireworks can be alarming, terrifying, and even dangerous for American pooches (and some cats, too). The day after Independence Day, July 5, is often the busiest day of the year for many animal shelters, as they work to safely catch, identify, and return local pets spooked by annual fireworks displays. To help make the holiday a safe, happy one for all, pet travel and lifestyle resource BringFido shared tips for keeping pets—particularly dogs—calm and safe during the festivities, whether you’re planning to go to a large fireworks show and leave your pup at home or you’re celebrating in your backyard.
From Pet travel and lifestyle source BringFido 1. Bring your dog inside for the whole day and night leading up to the 4th, or even a few days before, if you know people in your area plan to celebrate early. Your dog may not be a flight-risk, but if he or she is spooked by the fireworks, it could be all too easy for him or her to escape your yard and attempt to run away. 2. If you know your pet is afraid of loud noises, do not bring him or her to a fireworks show. Your pets will not suddenly overcome their fear, and the last thing you should do is introduce them to a situation where they will be stressed and panicked. 3. Be sure your pet is wearing a well-fitting collar with up-to-date ID tags. Should worse come to worst, you want to be able to easily identify Fido (or let whoever finds him find you) if he does manage to get out of the house.
Credit dogblog.finchester.org
4. Tire your dogs out. Preempt any jitters by taking him or her on a long walk, run, or fetch session before the fireworks are set to start. If you’re lucky, your dog will sleep through the show or be too tired to pay attention to the sudden noise. 5. Surround your dog with comforting things, like a white noise machine (to muffle noises), a Thundershirt (proven to comfort anxious dogs), or a distracting treat, like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or a new bone. If your dog is distracted and happy, she or he may not even notice the fireworks outside. If your dog suffers from severe anxiety or presents extremely erratic behavior during fireworks or other surprising events, consider talking to your vet about options for more long-term treatment or working on behavior modification techniques in advance of next year’s show.
Credit theoatmeal.com
Wishing you and your four legged friends a safe and happy Fourth of July !!!!!
This is a huge post but contains such important and helpful information!!! And since Riley B decided to dig out under the chain link fence TWICE in the last two weeks – AHHHH the scents of summer and quarantine fever have taken over !! I thought it was a grand time to repost this information!!
I saw a post on the #lifewithmyrescued coonhound page that just screamed “SHARE ON THE BLOG ” !!! This is invaluable information from the Montgomery County Lost Pets page in Maryland and shared by Meghan Connolly. EVERYONE needs this information for finding a lost dog, but coonies are notorious for following that nose into “a galaxy far far away”. So here goes !
Dig out? Take off? NEVER!
1) Put something with your scent outside, like unwashed shirts and socks. If possible hang socks on a tree branch or somewhere the wind can carry your scent. Leave water and a can of fishy cat food or tuna or smelly dog food /treats. 2)File a lost report with animal control and microchip company if chipped 3)Post to Pawboost.com www.pawboost.com (you do not have to pay for this, they will post to Facebook and send alerts for free), NextDoor.com, helping lost pets.com/PET, Petharbor.com, Craigslist lost and found and pet sections, other lost and found pet groups/Facebook, neighborhood/community groups, yard sale sites for your area, etc. As time allows check these places for “found” posts as well as Pet for Sale ads or recruit someone to check for you. Consider using Find Toto robocalls at findtoto.com. Other sites include lostmydoggie.com, or your local chapter of the ASPCA. 4)Put up fliers in at least a 2-3 mile radius. Make sure the type is large enough to read from the road. Place plastic page protectors with the opening at the bottom sealed with clear tape to protect from rain. Secure with tacks/staples and clear packing tape if using color fliers or florescent tape if black and white. Remember not everyone uses Facebook!! Make sure to give the flier to your mail carrier. 5)Mount a large, clear full body photo on bright poster board and handwrite LOST ! REWARD! and your phone number in large print that is visible from a car. Place at intersections. You can cover with cellophane to protect from rain. Home Depot and Lowes sell blank signs with stands and you can mount bright poster board to these, or use old election signs. Make a two sided sign by taping two large posters back to back at the top and sides, slip over the sign, then secure with tape at the bottom. If possible put a 2 sided sign in your front yard. 6)Consider using a pet tracker, such as Dogs Finding Dogs, Finding Dogs, or Pure Gold. Bag up items with your dog’s scent (blanket, bed, brush, toys) to preserve scent for the tracking dog. 7)Check shelters in person every other day if possible. This is imperative. Do not dismiss dogs posted based on the photo alone ( or collar etc). Shelters DO make mistakes on intake and photos can be VERY deceiving. Shelter staff is many times over stretched and underfunded so mistakes happen. (not finding fault – just stating a fact) Finders sometimes change collars or put a collar on a found dog not already wearing one. 8)If practical walk your neighborhood, speak to your neighbors and hand out fliers.
On sniffari !!
Note position of hounds in relation to human. Commonly referred to as scent deafness or “on a mission”.
#thefamilycoonhound
The company that has the microchip for my precious Riley B is 24PetWatch. They were super helpful and friendly each time I talked with them while going through the registration process. www.24petwatch.com
Shared from Gentle Jake’s Coonhound Rescue- several incidences of returned fosters and adopted hounds recently, once again through no fault of the dog, but the dog is the one that has to be rehomed and disrupted. A very discouraging situation. Please, if you are considering adopting or fostering a shelter or rescue dog, take the time to read this very informative piece.
Do you really understand decompression??
SHELTERS ARE NOT FUN PLACES If you have ever walked through the kennels of an animal shelter you surely can attest to the stress of the experience. Perhaps you can remember the first time you entered one. It might have been a memorable experience! They are very very loud. It is non stop barking, howling, whining, and yelping. The sound can be deafening at times and if you are not used to it or it is your first time, it can cause a heavy dose of anxiety to rise in your bones and make you want to turn around and walk out. It’s intense. Now realize that you CAN turn around and walk out. Those dogs can’t. They are there all day, all night, all week, all month. It shouldn’t take too much contemplation to realize this isn’t the ideal setting for any dog. Some dogs can be there for months on end if it is a no-kill shelter. The longer they are in there the worse the mental trauma can be. While some dogs will completely shut down others seem to amp up, developing numerous anxiety based behaviors that border on neurotic. While the observable behaviors might be different, the source is the same, stress from being in there. Recognizing that this type of experience can have an impact on a dog’s state of mind, it’s baffling how people think that by simply putting a leash on the dog and taking it home means everything is suddenly going to be O.K. As if anything is that simple! So many of these dogs end up back at shelters for a wide variety of reasons, including aggression, because their well intentioned new family did not take the time to research the proper way to bring a dog from this type of environment home. When the dog starts acting in inappropriate ways or even worse, becomes aggressive, everybody is quick to blame the dog’s “troubled past”. It’s not the dog’s past, it is the dog’s present. The first day in a new home is not the day to meet other family members, loud and energetic toddlers, other dogs, the cats, the super nosey neighbor who wants to give your new dog hugs and kisses…. NO……NOT AT ALL…… The name is indicative of what it means in terms of what the dog has been through and what the dog needs. All the stress from the living conditions the dog is coming from needs to be addressed. The dog has been under a lot of stress and pressure. The dog needs to “decompress” and take some time getting back to a balanced state of mind. This will not be achieved with going from one crazy high activity place to another. The dog should not be introduced to the couch for endless hours of belly rubs on day one because you feel bad the dog had a rough past. That makes YOU feel good. This isn’t about you and what you like, this is about what is best for the dog. Remember? For at LEAST 2-3 WEEKS, your new dog’s life should be incredibly simple and boring. Keep the affection to a bare minimum, keep talking and training to non- existent levels. You want as much silence as possible. Have a daily routine or schedule 100% planned out prior to the dog coming home. This should be the dog’s day mapped out. From bathroom breaks, to crate time, to short walks in quiet boring places, the entire day should be on a schedule. Dog’s find exponentially more comfort in routine than they do belly rubs and cuddles. For that reason, keep the affection to a bare minimum. This is not the time to shower the dog with affection as all that will do is reinforce an unbalanced state of mind and confuse the dog as to YOUR role in their lives. The premise behind decompression is allowing the dog to get back to a neutral and relaxed state of mind, opposite of what it just came from. Your dog needs leadership and calm predictability. These two things are crucial to the dog becoming appropriately integrated into the foster home. Allowing the dog time to decompress without having to deal with a whole new set of intense stimuli will set you all up for a successful future. KD Matthews
