translation = the heat won't stop

Ok not to be gross or all TMI...but exactly how long is the bleeding phase of a female dog's heat supposed to last? We are going on day 8 with no sign of it slowing down here. She bleeds more than I do for pity sake and she only weighs 17 lbs..

I'm getting tired of giving baths, washing blankets and cleaning up spots on the floor. And I have white couches!!

I attempted to hold her down with the assistance of a 200lb man trying to strap on a $12.99 per package doggy diaper and she nearly took our hands off with the all of 5 teeth she has left in her mouth..... and the friggin' thing slid right off her ass anyway..

Not to mention the doggy mood swings.

Not to mention we are both pms'ing at the same time.

I just read online that some dogs can bleed the entire 21 days of the heat cycle...I have a feeling Purdy may be one of those.

I was sick with food poisoning the other night laid out on the bathroom floor in the fetal position and instead of barking for help or something to that affect she plopped her rear end down next to my head and starting licking herself.

Someone, please tell me it will be over soon.

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Mobile Uploads , Pug Rescue , Pugs at 7:39 PM permalink Comments (4)

One small leap for mankind and dogkind today - a pet store in Rocklin, CA. has agreed to stop selling puppies after being flooded with emails, phone calls, and protests.

The word is spreading that we will not tolerate the travesty of puppy mills any longer and retailers are listening. Together our voices are being heard - this is what education and affirmative action can do. Let's keep it up people!

ROCKLIN, CA -- Owners of a Rocklin pet store say they were flooded with e-mails and phone calls, asking them to stop selling purebred puppies. The requests started soon after a Roseville pet store which sold dogs closed last year.

"We won't be selling puppies anymore at the store, we just want to be a good member of the community and it's clear that people don't want us doing it," said Rocklin Family Pet Store owner, Dale Glazer.

Last December, Petland in Roseville closed down in the wake of a News10 investigation. The store allegedly purchased its dogs from so-called puppy mills, which are large-scale breeding operations where dogs are often treated inhumanely.

A protest was scheduled to happen outside the Rocklin Family Pet Center this weekend but has now been canceled by animals rights groups. Instead, the store will host an SPCA pet adoption event this Friday.

Other pet stores have also agreed to stop selling puppies as part of a pledge to the Humane Society of the United States:

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Pug Rescue at 6:17 PM permalink Comments (2)

Ever have one of those days when you feel like the only living creature on the planet who truly understands you is your dog?

I'm having one of those days.

She thinks to herself as said faithful dog gently rests a comforting chin on her masters shoulder and exhales a knowing sigh at the end of a particularly brutal day.

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Pug Rescue , Writing Life at 8:31 PM permalink Comments (0)

I have been reading Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats and I don't exaggerate a bit when I tell you it has completely changed my life as a pet owner in understanding how domestic animals are fed; how poorly pet food is manufactured, how none of it is government regulated.

I was horrified to learn that even the best intentioned of pet owners (myself included) can unknowingly feed their dogs toxic residues of factory-farmed, antibiotic-fed, hormone-laced cows, chickens and sheep, mixed with spoiled grains and rancid oils, not to mention artificial preservatives and sweeteners they load up to sell more.

Disgusted to find out that some 100,000 pounds per day of diseased animal tissue from the slaughter houses are discarded as not fit for human consumption and what do you think happens to that rotten meat? It gets shipped out directly to the pet food manufacturers.

The USDA does not regulate the multibillion dollar industry and many veterinarians don't speak out against it because it's the executives at these pet food companies that fund their school and business grants.

As a result of the corruption and greed - what we end up putting into our beloved pet's food dishes everyday may very well include rotten flesh and diseased tissue, feathers, ashes, sawdust, toxic metals, artificial flavors, colors, and seasonings that are loaded with known carcinogens.

After reading Dr. Pitcairn's book, I don't think I will ever in good conscious be able to own another dog without cooking their food myself and knowing exactly what ingredients go into their bodies..

I realize all of this may sound a bit extremist and Antiestablishmentarianism but for me the proof is in the pudding...

Just look at the dogs in Europe and South America - they are fed a natural diet of raw meats and real whole foods and the cancer and disease rate over there is miniscule to none. It's a fact that domesticated dogs live longer lives in other countries and die of natural causes and old age.

Furthermore in the 4 short weeks I've been feeding Plum her home cooked diet (based on Dr. Pitcairn's recipe's) I have been able to wean her fully off of her: cortisone pills and shots, toxic antifungals, twice weekly skin baths and I have scaled back greatly on her anti histamine. Her itching, biting, and rubbing has already decreased by about 40% and we won't even realize the full benefit of the home cooked diet for a good 2 months.

Previously she would be scratching and biting her ears, neck and feet raw until they were bleeding with open sores that she self inflicted.

These before and after pictures are staring to reveal her progress!

It's already clear to me that commercial pet food was making her sick. To compound her problems the medication she was receiving to relive her symptoms (not treat the root cause) were depositing even more toxins into her body, weakening her already compromised immune system further. No wonder why she couldn't get ahead of her issues.

Yes she is still battling a couple secondary infections but that is to be expected as an initial healing crisis that occurs from flushing out the toxins in her system. It may be a bit premature to say this but I believe once we clear her lingering infections this new diet is going to make all the difference for her. It's the first ray of hope I've had over the past 5 months anyway - and believe me when I say I have tried everything else and spared no expense. I am so excited that it's beginning to show!!

Dr. Pitcairn believes that dog's and cats should be fed as natural a diet as possible,

"Although we have come to accept commercial foods as being normal or natural ways to feed animals (and indeed ourselves), in fact they are not. They are simply what we've gotten used to in the last few decades. But nothing we can produce commercially ever can rival those mysteriously complex foods manufactured for eons by nature itself."
--Richard Pitcairn, DVM

All of this learning has led me to read even human ingredient labels very carefully and I have recently made the switch to a mostly organic dairy diet myself. It has already made a big difference in my hair, skin, and stomach.

I am sure there are some dog foods out there that are ok but the scary thing is there is really no way to tell which! Regardless of whether you have a dog with allergies or not, keep an open mind and pick up Dr. Pitcairn's book, whether you decide to homecook or not.....it is an enlightening read.

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Pug Rescue at 7:25 PM permalink Comments (2)

Watched Marley and Me.

I knew it would completely wreck me.
Waterworks. Major waterworks.
sniff sniff :(

Posted by Lori in Daily , Dogs , Movies , Observations at 5:02 PM permalink Comments (10)

The movie and television star recently took time out of her busy schedule to host the LA Dogworks event, "A Night of Emotion" to benefit Good Dog Rescue where both she and her fiance Steven Moyer (aka vampire Bill Compton) adopted their dogs.

But just in case you are still impervious to super talented quirky little blonde girls with killer New Zealand accents....go rent Fly Away Home or
the Piano...or
seasons 1 and 2 of HBO's True Blood.

Love. Her.

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Movies , Television , entertainment at 8:16 PM permalink Comments (1)

If you've ever owned a dog with allergies you know how frustrating it can be to go item by item trial and error give and take away things that may be possible triggers to get to the underlying cause.

So far in the short time I've had Plum I've tried 3 different diet changes, numerous antibiotics, prednisone, vetalog cortisone shots, Atopica pills, vet prescribed IVD dog food wet and dry, Wellness brand wet and dry (which is typically great for the majority of our pugs), twice weekly medicated baths, Antihistamine every 4 hours...and despite all this, she is still not where I want her to be. She still gets pink and itchy more than she should.

At this point I have to suspect an underlying systemic yeast condition may be at play and pursue treatment by eliminating any and all sources of yeast including any form of root vegetables. Up until now everything I've fed her has had yeast based items and given that it's nearly impossible to purchase dog food without yeast - I am now just making my own dog food for her so I can control the ingredients. She is now on a strict homemade raw diet flush to purge her system from the inside out for a good month or 2 in hopes that this will do the trick and then we can transition her over to a non yeast based dog food.

It's clear by looking at Plum that in her previous life (which I know nothing about) the one thing I can tell is that her medical needs were completely neglected so there will be years of damage I need to reverse.

I've consulted with a number of other pug rescue rehabilitators who have successfully rehabbed their pink sticky yeasty pugs, as well as two of my vets: both traditional and holistic DVM'S and they all agree this is the next best move for her so I am committed.

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken or Turkey (brown and white, some gizzards mixed in too are good)
• Brown rice
• Frozen vegetables (NOT ROOT VEGGIES like carrot, potato) green beans, spinach
• Frozen berries - blueberries, cranberries
• Bone meal - powder (very important to have the proper calcium/phosphorus ratio).
• Yogurt Plain
• Multivitamin
• Banana

I cook the rice first because it takes the longest and let it soak in water overnight to blow it up (the vet said to do this).

Next I boil the chicken, let it cool and grind it up finely in the food processor.

Grind frozen veggies in food processor.

Grind frozen berries in food processor.

Put the stopper in the sink and throw in all the ground ingredients:
I make sure the ratio is 40% meat 30% rice 30% veggies

Sprinkle 4 table spoons of bone meal over the ground ingredients in the sink and mix everything altogether:

Next I take out a bunch of zip lock freezer storage bags and spoon in enough for 2 meals per bag. I make enough for 14 bags or a 2 week supply at a time. Then just de-thaw one package per day.

With each meal I spoon out a teaspoon or two of the yogurt and add in a little banana + a few teaspoons of warm water to take out the chill. I then give her a multi-vitamin once a day to make up for the vitamins and minerals she doesn't get from processed dog food.

As well, because the new whole foods diet does not contain any oils it's essential to supplement with a good oil containing omega 3's - I use Grizzly Salmon Oil and add a few squirts to each of her meals.

It's a lot of work I won't lie... but I feel damn good doing it because I know this is the first time in Plum's little life that anyone has ever really cared enough to get to the bottom of her issues and do whatever it takes to fix her up.

Plus, if I ever decide to move to Vermont like Diane Keaton in Baby Boom, then I have already done my field work on how to make really awesome Gourmet baby dog food. That would be cool.

*Note* I am not a veterinarian or expert please consult your veterinarian before embarking on a home cooked diet for your own dog.

For reference this diet was based on the book I highly recommend by Dr. Pitcairn - Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.

Posted by Lori in Daily , Dogs , Pug Rescue at 8:08 PM permalink Comments (4)

6:30Am standing in the shower, eyes still squinted tightly closed from the night before, half awake when you reach for the shampoo bottle and proceed to soak up a thick lather working it through from root to tip.... when suddenly it strikes you there is something vaguely familiar but askew about the smell..

That's when you open your eyes, look down at the bottle and make the connection - Malaseb medicated dog shampoo used to treat bacterial and fungal infections in dogs, cats, and horses.

It was bound to happen......Plum has more shampoo bottles in the shower than me.

I don't expect to be doing any itching or scratching on my head or contracting ringworm anytime soon.

On a side note, I don't remember my hair ever being this soft and manageable.

Posted by Lori in Daily , Dogs , Lori , Pug Rescue , Pugs at 7:13 PM permalink Comments (8)

H.R. 3501, the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act.

This Act would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual to deduct up to $3,500 for "qualified pet care expenses" for a legally owned, domesticated, live animal.

As Americans trim budgets to make ends meet, innocent animals should not go without adequate care. Even a small tax deduction for responsible pet owners will go a long way to meet the needs of companion animals, ease the tax burden of those who own a pet (63 percent of all households) and may even encourage more people to provide loving homes to the countless animals that fill America's shelters.

Please take a moment to sign the petition and urge your representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3501.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/995438286

Pass it along.

Here is a copy of the actual HAPPY bill:

Posted by Lori in Dogs , News , Pug Rescue at 10:00 PM permalink Comments (2)

Just curious - do your pugs, or other breeds for that matter, ever do back kicks or circles when they go to the bathroom?

I laugh out loud ever time I witness this. And I find it so funny how each dog seems to have their own little rituals of marking or whatever it is they are trying to do.

Pugsley for instance, would circle about 10 times before he went # 2. I always thought he had a touch of doggy OCD b/c he had to keep circling and circling until he found just the right spot.
And on occasion after eliminating - if and only if he was feeling particularly spry and stout that day - he would crank out a couple back kicks just to put the exclamation point on top of his load.

I have to say the Sausage, bless his little soul, was not the most graceful of kickers - his little chicken legs in the front made his hind quarters awkward and wobbly. Oftentimes he would lose balance and catch himself from falling over to the side despite his valiant efforts.

Boy do I miss that Sausage.

Then as a capper he would take off running in a mad dash back for the house with an ear-to-ear grin on his face like he'd just accomplished the biggest feat in the world! This may also have had something to do with the fact that I gave him a "poopie treat" each time he went.

Now Miss Plum on the other hand - She is a kicker! She never kicks after #2 though, only #1. Maybe that's a male dog thing?

When the ACC van pulled into my driveway to drop her off, poor little Plum was so scared of the big guy with leather gloves coming at her that she wouldn't come out of the cage and was viciously trying to bite him. Finally I had to climb into the back of the van that was stacked full of homeless dogs in cages and I had to coax her out with nothing more than my bare hands and a soothing voice. I think we bonded right then and there.

She was in sad shape and ACC guy had a doubtful look in his eye like, "How are you ever going to be able to help this dog?" When I finally got her out onto the lawn she immediately squatted and peed and then launched into the fiercest back kicks I have ever seen! That's when I knew she had a whole lot of feisty left in her.....I just looked over at the big gloved ACC guy and said, "She's a kicker!" Then he drove off to make more deliveries.

And boy is she...a kicker.

When it comes to doing her lady business she doesn't circle at all.... and she is slow as the day is long, like I'm thinking of taking my book outside with me to get 10 or so pages in while I'm waiting for her to go!

But when she finally does go her back legs are steady and swift as quicksilver! Each time after she pees, without fail, she lowers her body back down to the ground to really get some dirt under her paws. On a good day she'll catch a patch of grass and make it fly, too. I tell you she kicks and kicks like I've never seen a girl pug kick. You'd be surprised too because she looks so dainty and unassuming. I've noticed her thing is to kick 4 times on each leg, 8 kicks in total.

I tried to find some pictures on the web of silly dogs doing back kicks to illustrate but I don't think any exist. Could that really be possible? With all the sick sh*t on the internet there are no photos of dogs doing back kicks after potty?

I will remedy this asap with my new Nikon D80. It will be one of my first action shots....I'm thinking I will use my 70-300MM lens in morning light.

So, what funny rituals do your dogs do?

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Observations , Pugs at 12:34 AM permalink

Hands down Pug is my favorite smell in the world. That smooshy face odor that emanates from their mopy heads, waxy ears, and soppy wrinkles.

It smells better than sex and babies. Murphy's oil soap, eucalyptus, and chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.

My nose delights in the circus of their smells.

I am an addict; I confess that I'm hooked on "p".

Plum likes to fall asleep nuzzling me w/ her head directly under my nose so I get a good whiff of what I imagine heaven must smell like.

I woke up this morning with a floppy pug ear on my pillow, directly under my nose. Somehow she had wedged herself into that empty space between me and the other side of the bed that's been vacant for years.

And for some reason I got that John Denver song stuck in my head -
"Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy. Sunshine almost always makes me high."

See I talk a tough game, but deep down in the stillness of dawn I'm all, "Take Me Home Country Road" and Thank God I'm a country boy girl.

All John Denver'isms aside - any discerning pug owner knows of what I speak. They understand a house just isn't a home without pug smells emanating from every room. And I think it means more after going without for a long period of time.

It must be the same feeling for rescues, how they must feel to have a warm human hand touch them kindly after years of neglect and abandonment.

I am realizing it's not just the delicious pug eau'dor that I have missed so much about having a pug around.

It's the way dogs live in the moment. With no thought of the scars from their past or worries for their future. They just exist totally in the here and now. They don't think much beyond their next meal, walk, or belly rub.....and on a daily basis they remind us to do the same.

Ah, Canis Lupus - my second favorite Latin term that starts with a c and ends in an s.

Think back to when you owned your first dog and all the life lessons they taught you. Things you experienced for the first time: responsibility, playfulness, unconditional love....things you still carry with you today.

In their company, your senses feel more alive. More acute. More aware.

Quite simply, I'm a better person with a dog in my life.

And having a pug in the house again reminds me that I am soft.

Posted by Lori in Daily , Dogs , Observations , Pugs , Writing Life at 3:34 PM permalink Comments (7)

Plum's new thing is she likes to plant herself on my lap while I'm working in the home office. Doesn't matter if I'm busy typing away, chatting on conference calls, or wiggling my legs around in the chair. She just plants herself there and hangs on for the ride.

Pardon the messy desk. It's on my list of things to do..

Posted by Lori in Daily , Dogs , Pug Rescue , Pugs at 7:20 AM permalink Comments (10)

I just finished watching the Toy Group at the Westminster Dog Show. Once again I think it is fixed because the pug didn't win. This year's Pug, Boo, came in second though which is a big climb up from previous years. I do have to say the Brussels Griffon that won the group was very cute and puglike.

Ah, maybe it's better the pug doesn't win. It would just put the puppy mills and backyard breeders into overdrive.

Question I have always wondered.... why do the dog show judges have to cup the male dog's testicles? What exactly are they checking for?

Posted by Lori in Dogs at 10:56 PM permalink Comments (5)

I was born under the Chinese Zodiac in the Year of the Dog.

Here is what it says about Dog people:

Attributes


Like his animal namesake, he is Loyal. He is the one who people are most likely to turn to when they need help. The dog person will come through every time. That is because he/she is sensitive to others and empathizes with them, particularly if someone has suffered an injustice; he/she reacts quickly with the same feeling as though he/she had been personally offended. Friends know that they can rely upon their Dog friend to keep a promise or remain cool in a crisis. Dog people are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues and rebellious nature. Dogs are also considered to be good looking, graceful, likeable and nice. They are honest, intelligent, straightforward, well-meaning, playful, and quirky. They will take on any responsibility that is given to them and you can be sure that they will do their job well.

Dog types do not tolerate weakness. They will work to push the weakness or the whole person with weakness out of their lives (the pack) if the behavior continues.

Dogs ideal jobs: politician, scientist, actor/actress, teacher, writer, movie director, secret agent, pub landlord/landlady.

---

It sounds mostly true, doesn't it? Maybe this is why I feel so akin to animals, specifically to dogs.

I have always believed dogs have the ability to see things we don't see and know things we don't know. And I believe they carry some mystical element as descendant's from their great ancestor, the wolf.

I believe they are teachers.

Now here is the weird thing -- Lately where ever I go I find dogs gravitating towards me: dogs on the street, neighbor dogs, family dogs, friend's dogs, etc. I go to parties and the dogs of the house hover around circling me like they sense something or are trying to communicate, or protect.

This weekend I was at a bonfire party at this house I'd never been to before. One of the labs, a big yellow one (who seemed extremely skittish) approached me and let me pet him a bunch of times. The dog's owner said he was really surprised because the dog never warms up to people he doesn't know, let alone approach them. And especially not females for some reason. Yet he kept following me around all night nudging and nuzzling me. Bowing his head to my hand in a submissive way that made me think it was actually painful for him to do so, but he felt compelled to anyway.

It's not just that though....the dogs in my family have been scenting me more. Sitting quietly by my side letting me run my hands over their hackles, smell their smells, play with their ears, and rub their bellies.

My mother's dog Isaac, who Pugsley had spent a lot of time with, has been behaving weird lately too. He came into my apartment the other week to hang out with me and did something that really freaked me out; he lay down on a rug in the hallway and positioned himself directly in front of this life size ceramic pug statue that I have. For the longest time he lay there like a sphinx, nose to nose with it. At first he just stared directly into its eyes, but then he rested his chin to the floor and let out a series of low sad whimpers. He would look at the pug statue, then look at me, then put his chin to the floor and cry.

It was as if he was trying to communicate and say, "I know he's gone and I miss him too."

It was so sad but incredibly touching at the same time.

Dogs know.

Posted by Lori in Dogs at 8:42 PM permalink Comments (7)

I spotted this bumper sticker on the back of someone's car the other day and thought it really sums up the way we should be approaching our everyday life. I bet if more people followed this motto the world would be a happier place.

Another simple yet effective lesson we can learn from our canine friends.

Posted by Lori in Dogs at 7:29 PM permalink Comments (1)

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was just enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying and that his dog had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while they came to a high white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate between the arches that looked like mother of pearl, and that the street that led beyond the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"

"This is heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.

"Of course, sir. Come right in and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

"Can my dog come in too?" the traveler asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment, then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, the man came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

"Excuse me" he called to the reader, "Do you have any water?"

"Yes, there's a pump right over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."

"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.

"There should be a bowl by the pump."

They went through the gate and, sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man, who was standing by then, waiting for them. "What do you call this place?" he asked.

"This is heaven," was the answer.

"Well, that's confusing," he said, "the man down the road said that was heaven too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the street of gold and the pearly gates? That's hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the people who would leave their dogs behind.......

~Author unknown

Posted by Lori in Dogs at 12:25 AM permalink Comments (2)