All God's Creatures

GCh. Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, known as Scarlett, and her handler Diego Garcia. Photo: Miguel Betancourt.

Our Valentine's gift to you ...

The 136th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show takes place this week at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, in New York City.

Since not all of us can fly to New York to watch the show in person, we at All God's Creatures Pet Services have made available the next best thing ... YOU can watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show's  LIVE roaming coverage here on our blog!

What's not to love about the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show ... Enjoy! ♥

Oh, and give your doggies a BIG hug from us!

Happy Valentine's Day,
~ Zena & Pamela ~

By-the-way ... WKC Live streams SELECTED DAILY BREED JUDGING ONLY.  ... Tune-in to USA NETWORK at 8/7c ET to see the live network broadcast of the nighttime show.

Miss your favorite breed? The WKC will be posting all videos in the WKC Video Hub throughout the day as they become available. Check out the 2012 breed judging videos HERE.
The Westminster Dog Show is the second-longest running sporting event in the United States behind only the Kentucky Derby. The Derby was first run in 1875, while the Westminster Dog Show has been running since 1877. Each of the 179 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club is represented in the field of 2,500 dogs in competition.
 
There are seven groups of breeds competing for recognition in the Westminster Dog Show - Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding – and the best in each breed advances to compete in one of these seven groups, with the winner in each breed group moving on to final competition, where the Best in Show dog is announced.


Wikipedia has more on the history of the Westminster Dog Show:

The first Westminster show was first held on May 8, 1877, making it the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the United States behind only the Kentucky Derby, which was first held in 1875. The show originated as a show for gun dogs, primarily Setters and Pointers, initiated by a group of hunting men who met regularly at the Westminster Hotel at Irving Place and Sixteenth Street in Manhattan. They decided to create a kennel club called the Westminster Kennel Club specifically for the purpose of holding a dog show. The prizes for these first shows included such items as pearl handled pistols, of use to the hunters and terriermen who worked these dogs in the field.

The first show took place in May 1877 at Gilmore’s Gardens (the Hippodrome). That show drew over 1200 dogs and proved so popular that its originally scheduled three days became four, with the club donating proceeds from that fourth day to the ASPCA for creation of a home for stray and disabled dogs.

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Below is the Top Ten List from Pet Poison Helpline. Items are presented in order of frequency starting with foods, which accounted for the highest number of poisoning cases in 2011. 

1.  Foods – specifically chocolate, xylitol, and grapes/raisins.

Certain types of chocolate are very toxic to dogs. The chemical causing toxicity in chocolate is theobromine (a relative of caffeine). The darker, more bitter, and more concentrated the chocolate is, the more dangerous it is. Many sugarless gums and candies contain xylitol, a sweetener that is dangerous to dogs. When ingested, even in small amounts, it can result in a life-threatening drop in blood sugar or even liver failure. Raisins and grapes are often overlooked as one of the most toxic foods to dogs, and can result in kidney failure.

 

2.  Insecticides – including sprays, bait stations, and spot on flea/tick treatments.

Ingestion of insecticides and pesticides, especially those that contain organophosphates (e.g., disulfoton, often found in rose-care products), can be life-threatening to dogs, even when ingested in small amounts. While spot-on flea and tick treatments work well for dogs, they can be very toxic to cats when not applied appropriately. Cat owners should read labels carefully, as those that contain pyrethrins or pyrethroids (a derivative of the Chrysanthemum flower), are severely toxic if directly applied or ingested.

 

3.  Mouse and rat poison – rodenticides.

There are many types of chemicals in mouse and rat poisons, all with different active ingredients and types of action, making all of them potentially poisonous to dogs. Depending on what type was ingested, poisoning can result in internal bleeding, brain swelling, kidney failure, or even severe vomiting and bloat. Mouse and rat poisons also pose the potential for relay toxicity, meaning pets – and even wildlife – can be poisoned by eating dead rodents poisoned by rodenticides.

 

4.  NSAIDS human drugs – such as ibuprofen, naproxen.

Common drugs including NSAIDs (e.g. Advil^®, Aleve^® and Motrin) can cause serious harm to dogs when ingested, causes stomach and intestinal ulcers as well as potential kidney failure. The use of human NSAIDs in dogs is dangerous and should never be given without consulting Pet Poison Helpline or a veterinarian.

 

5.  Household cleaners – sprays, detergents, polishes.

Strong acidic or alkaline cleaners pose the highest risk due to their corrosive nature, and include common household products like toilet bowel cleaners, lye, drain cleaners, rust removers, and calcium/lime removers. Remember that “natural” does not necessarily mean safe, as some natural products can cause severe reactions. While general cleaners like glass products, spot removers and most surface cleaners have a wide margin of safety, it is still wise to keep them out of reach.

 

6.  Antidepressant human drugs – such as Prozac, Paxil, Celexa and Effexor.

Of all prescription medications, antidepressants account for the highest number of calls to Pet Poison Helpline. When ingested, they can cause neurological problems in dogs like sedation, incoordination, agitation, tremors and seizures.

 

7.  Fertilizers – including bone meal, blood meal and iron-based products.

While some fertilizers are fairly safe, certain organic products that contain blood meal, bone meal, feather meal and iron may be especially tasty – and dangerous – to dogs. Large ingestions can cause severe pancreatitis or even form a concretion in the stomach, obstructing the gastrointestinal tract.

 

8.  Acetaminophen human drugs – such as Tylenol and cough/cold medications.

Sizeable ingestions of acetaminophen can lead to severe liver failure and even dry eye in dogs. However, it should be noted that it is a more significant threat to cats, as a single Tylenol tablet can be fatal. 

 

9.  Amphetamine human drugs – ADD/ADHD medications like Adderall and Concerta.

Medications used to treat ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) contain potent stimulants, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate. Even minimal ingestions by dogs can cause life-threatening tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures and heart problems.

 

10.  Veterinary pain relievers – specifically COX-2 inhibitors like Rimadyl, Dermaxx and Previcox.

Carprofen, more commonly known by its trade name Rimadyl, is a veterinary-specific, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. While it is commonly used for osteoarthritis, inflammation, and pain control in dogs, if over-ingested in large amounts, it can result in severe gastric ulceration and acute kidney failure in dogs.

Just For Fun – Top Ten Breeds

Along with the important information above, the veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline pulled from their records the “Top Ten” most common breeds, accounting for the most emergency calls in 2011. 

 

The Top Ten Breeds accounting for the most calls to Pet Poison Helpline were:

1.     Mixed breeds
2.     Labrador retrievers
3.     Golden retrievers
4.     Chihuahuas
5.     Yorkshire terriers
6.     Dachshunds
7.     Shih Tzus
8.     Boxers
9.     Beagles
10.   German shepherds


~ Enjoy your dog’s companionship in 2012 and keep him safe with these life-saving tips from Pet Poison Helpline. If you think your dog may have ingested something harmful, take action immediately. Contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680. Pet Poison Helpline is the most cost-effective animal poison control center in North America charging, only $39 per call, including unlimited follow-up consultations.

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Items needed:
- Hard-boiled egg (just made, still in the warm water or steamer)
- Milk carton or any juice carton (cut open, washed well and dried)
- Chopstick (round one is ideal)
- Rubber bands

Step 1: Cut milk carton into  3" x 8" piece, and fold it in half lengthwise.

Step 2: While the egg is still warm, peel the egg and put the egg on the milk carton piece, place a chopstick on the center of the egg

Step 3: Put rubber bands on the both ends. Chopstick should be pressing down firmly into egg. Leave it for about 10 minutes. (Keep the egg in the fridge if it’s summer time.)

Step 4: Take the chopstick off.

Step 5: You now have a heart-shaped egg!

Step 6: Cut the egg in half ... isn't this adorable?!   ♥{love}♥


We would like to thank Fresh Eggs Daily for bringing this fun idea to our attention. Chicken farmers have so much fun!

~ Happy Valentine's Day! ♥

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(Framegrab provided by 9News)

As many of you may have heard, a dog  named Max (that was rescued from the icy waters on Tuesday in Denver), bit a news anchor during a live news broadcast yesterday.  While a very painful & upsetting event, thankfully the news anchor is recovering.

Unfortunately, due to Colorado Dog Bite Laws,  the dog must be tested & quarantined for 10 days. Hopefully, he will not be ordered to be euthanized.

The lesson to be learned by all of us, is how this could have been prevented . For, unfortunately, this was a an accident waiting to happen ... starting with the events 16 hours earlier.

• #1 - The owner should have never allowed his dog to be running free off-leash, unless he had trained his dog to obey a 100% solid recall (with distractions). Even with a solid recall, he should not let his dogs off-leash around partially iced-over bodies of water.

• #2 - The owner should have given his dog time to recover from the trauma of the previous day.  The dog was probably still exhausted, traumatized, and stressed. The night before had been a flurry of reporters in his home. Then the following day, only 16 hours after nearly drowning,  a morning of  bright lights, activity, strangers, strange objects (i.e big cameras), and an unfamiliar environment was asking a lot of the dog, even in the best of situations.

• #3 - The owner, AND all of those that interacted with the dog, should have paid attention to the dog's body language. But, no one was paying attention during the interview.  The dog was showing blaring signs  ... licking his lips, panting, yawning, blinking, turning his head away, his eyes did not look soft, his ears were laying back, and he was pressed-up against the couch. He even gave a quick little growl.

• #4 - Also, notice the leash tugs that the owner gave the dog, which only added additional stress and anxiety to an already over-stressed dog.

• #5 - Lastly, the news anchor was acting inappropriately with a dog that did not know her. She was in his space, facing him full on, reaching over the top of his head and aggressively petting him, staring into his eyes, smiling (showing her teeth), and holding his head cupped in her hands ... all the while ignoring the dog's signals.

So, you have a tired, stressed, traumatized dog, giving off every warning signal his body could ... and no one was listening ... a recipe for disaster.

Then it happened ... the dog lunges forward a little and gives a warning snap. He was not trying to be "aggressive", but rather he was giving her another warning, since all his other warnings had been ignored. Had the dogs intentions been "aggressive", he would have done more than a quick nip.  Had the news anchor not been so close to the dogs face with her face, this may have all ended differently.

Such a sad and traumatic story, that could have had a much better ending ...  if all had paid attention to the dog. Hopefully this can be a learning experience for us all, and we can avoid a similar tragedy.


~Pamela






A final note ... It was originally reported that Max was not up-to-date on his vaccinations, but Max's owner later clarified that Max is up-to-date. This is good news. It is important to keep our pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. It not only protects the dog from catching rabies from a rabid animal, it also protects people from contracting rabies from an non-vaccinated dog that is unknowingly carrying rabies.

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~ What do horses normally eat?

Although there are horses who will eat anything, equines are generally herbivores and will thrive on a natural diet consisting of grasses, clover, timothy and alfalfa hay. Good quality fodder will provide all the proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber that a horse needs, however, they will also enjoy grains such as oats, barley and wheat.

In addition, all horses, just like people, have preferences - especially when it comes to snacks. A good snack for a horse is something healthy, that the horse enjoys. Regular grain, if given outside of the horse’s regular feeding time, can be a treat, particularly when it’s hand fed. For those horses with a sweet tooth, traditional treats are usually sugar cubes, apples or carrots. But what else might your horse enjoy? Optimum treats include fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains.

Treats can be a commercially-prepared, nutritionally-balanced snack or something as simple as a carrot stick. Commercially-prepared treats should be comparable to your horse’s regular diet, and be given sparingly with regard to the individual horse’s digestive system.

The ideal snack should be firm yet easily chewable. Horses enjoy fruit (apples, watermelon, pitted dates, raisins and strawberries) and vegetables (peas, carrots and corn). Some horses will eat the entire plant – stalks and all! Other treats might include sunflower seeds, granola bars or stale bread.


If your horse has a sweet tooth, sugar cubes, peppermints and Fig Newtons are favorites. Just be sure that any treat is large enough for the horse to lip from your hand to prevent nipped fingers, yet small enough to avoid a choking hazard. If possible, slice treats lengthwise. Note that sugar may not be appropriate for all horses and if given, should be done so in moderation.

~ Unacceptable treats ...

Some things that should never been given to horses include:  lawn, hedge or garden clippings that may have been chemically treated or that have gasoline or oil residue on them, vegetables from the cabbage family (including broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, nuts and chocolate.

~ Make your own snacks ... 

Horse “biscuits” are relatively easy to make at home and can include as many or as few ingredients as you, or your horse, determine.

Easy Horse Biscuits 

1. To ½ cup of grain (corn, barley, wheat, oats),
add small amounts of any dry ingredients (flour, bran, oatmeal, sweet feed, wheat bran, chaff).

2. Mix in ¼ cup of water,
then add small amounts of liquid ingredients (water, corn oil, and applesauce). 

3. Add molasses, fruit and/or vegetable chunks.

4. Add spices and/or herbs (garlic, ginger, rosehip, nettle or barley grass powder, parsley, chamomile, flax seed and sugar). 

5. If the mix is too dry, add more liquid ingredients (and vice versa).
The Ideal consistency will contain nearly equal amounts of dry and liquid ingredients. 

6. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, and flatten the biscuits.

7. Sprinkle with grain, sugar or molasses.

8. Bake at 200 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

~ Safety First ...

Horses have extremely large and powerful jaws. For safety reasons, the best way to offer treats is by placing the treat in the center of an open, downwardly arched palm with fingers close together. Small children should place their flattened and arched hand into an adult’s palm. Don’t ever attempt to feed a strange horse and remember to dispose properly of any wrappers.




Information courtesy of Pet Sitters International (PSI).
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Photo compliments of  Fresh Eggs Daily

Our friends over at Fresh Eggs Daily are trying to figure out what predator is hanging around their chicken coop, by identifying the scat they found in the area. Pretty clever, huh?!

We have a good idea what it is based on lack of hair in the fecal, blunt ends, and the presences of seeds ... but will save our thoughts on the matter so that y'all can play along.

Oh, by-the-way, this was found on the path leading down to the river on a farm in Virgina.

So, can YOU id this fecal? Do you think you know scat?



Give up? Here are a couple of links that might help you out >>>  http://icwdm.org/inspection/Scat.aspx  or   http://www.terrierman.com/scatanswers.htm.  

Here are a few books you can check-out too >>> What Shat That?: A Pocket Guide to Poop Identity,  Tracks, Scats and Signs, Scats and Tracks of North America, and North Woods Animal Scat Guide

 ... and last, but not least, there are even a few phone apps out >>> Scats & Tracks of North America (iphone/ipad) and Scats and Tracks of North America (Android)



 Oh, almost forgot this one ... the Minnesota Zoo has a GAME on the subject too >>> http://www.whopooped.org ... and the coup de grâce >>> a Children's book "Track that Scat" complete with a teacher's manual !


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♥ Ten Ways To Get In Shape To Own A Horse ♥

 
1. Drop a heavy steel object on your foot. Don't pick it up right away. Shout "Get off! Get off!"

2. Leap out of a moving vehicle and practice "Relaxing into the fall". Roll lithely into a ball, and spring to your feet! 
 

3. Learn to grab your checkbook out of your purse/pocket and write out a $200 check without even looking down.

4. Jog long distances carrying a halter and holding out a carrot. Go ahead and tell the neighbors what you're doing.They might as well know now.

5. Affix a pair of reins to a moving freight train and practice pulling it to a halt. And smile as if you are really having fun.

6. Hone your fibbing skills. "See hon, moving hay bales is fun!" and " I'm glad your lucky performance and multi-million dollar horse won you first place - I'm just thankful that my hard work and actual ability won me second place".

7. Practice dialing your chiropractors number with both arms paralyzed to the shoulder, and one foot anchoring the lead rope of a frisky horse.

8. Borrow the US Army slogan; "Be all that you can be'...(add) bitten, thrown, kicked, slimed, trampled."

9. Lie face down in the mud in your most expensive riding clothes and repeat to yourself: "This is a learning experience, this is a learning experience,..."

10. Marry Money! ♥

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A Minneapolis woman was forced to say goodbye to the dog that came to her rescue, when it was put to death by Minneapolis Animal Care and Control (MACC) on Saturday – despite a sanctuary’s offer to take it in.

Debra Peters said her pit bull, Putz, was only trying to defend her when it bit her ex-husband during a recent domestic dispute. The man spit in her face before kicking the dog. When he took a swing at Peters, Putz came to her defense, biting the abuser on the wrist and stopping him from attacking.

”(He) kicked Putz and I said, ‘What did you do that for?’ and he went to swing his arm at me and that is when Putz jumped up and got him on his wrist,” Peters said. “He was only protecting him[self] and me.”

Yet, Minneapolis Animal Care and Control determined the dog would not make a good pet during an evaluation, meaning it would be put down.

Have you ever lost your dog/pet before? What steps did you take to find them? What worked? Did not work? Did a "Reward" work?

 

In addition to placing BIG bright/neon-colored signs (not your small flyers), like the one above, on street corners ... here is a quick list we put together on where to POST local flyers (ask first, of course, and place on their bulletin boards and/or door or store fronts) >>>

• - Handout to neighbors (door-to-door)
• - Schools
• - Churches
• - Post Office (AND local mail-person)
• - Police Station (AND any local police you see out & about the area)
• - Fire Station
• - Dog Walkers/ Pet Sitters (like All God's Creatures Pet Services )
• - Food delivery places (Pizza, Chinese,etc.)
• - Gas Stations
• - Veterinarians
• - Dog Groomers
• - Pet stores
• - Fed Ex/ UPS delivery-persons
• - Newspaper delivery-person (Pioneer Press, StarTrib, Local papers)
• - "Milkman"  (i.e Schwans, Coborns, etc.)
• - Garbage man
• - Grocery Stores
• - Local Businesses 
• - Lawn/Snow removal services

You could also "paint" your car window with the info., like these folks did! Just make sure you use your cell number, or one of those pay-by-the-minute cell phones (to protect your privacy & safety), and NOT your home phone number. Oh, and be sure to use washable/non-permanent "car window paint/chalk".>>>

Of course, we have social media available to us too, now-a-days ... so make a Facebook PAGE (not a profile) for your DOG/CAT ... yes, it is OK to make a PAGE for your pet. If you make a profile for them, Facebook will take it down, but pages are allowed.

Once you have a page set-up for your pet, upload your "LOST" flyer and several recent photos of your missing pet.  Then start "sharing"/cross-posting like crazy.  Ask all your friends & family to share your posts too. Also make sure to go to all the Facebook pages of the places listed ABOVE, and place your "LOST" flyer on their Facebook pages TOO. There is also a great page on Facebook called  LOST DOGS - MN. Be sure to post your pet's information (flyer), and a clear photo, there too.  They do a great job getting the word out!

Facebook is a great tool for communication ... for organizing search parties, posting updates, any sightings, and THANK YOU's once your pet has been found. Pages are also public, and viewable by all ... including search engines like Google. So if the person who finds your pet Googles "Lost male Boxer Blaine MN", for example, they would find your Facebook page!


Hope this list has been helpful to those searching for their beloved companions.  If you have any additional suggestions, please feel free to post them in the Comments section below.


P.S. A friendly reminder ... when passing out fliers, do NOT place in mailboxes (it is illegal) ... place in the NEWSPAPER box, or roll-up and place in screen-door handle.  The BEST method, of course, is to ring the door bell, and TALK with everyone you can. They will be more likely to help, if you ask them face-to-face to keep an eye out for your pet. ♥
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