Joy Butler's Blog
Posted by Joy Butler
Sometimes people fall in love with a puppy, adopt him, and then find he's more than they bargained for. But, before you give up on your puppy, take a look at my free course about caring for and training puppies up to one year of age. You'll find information on puppy-proofing your home, puppy health needs, individual puppy personalities, thinking like a puppy, puppy development, socialization, housetraining and teaching basic manners, and even a section addressing behavior problems such as whining, nipping, jumping up, and separation anxiety. Nurturing, training and socializing your puppy in the early weeks and months of her life are critical to raising a happy, confident and well-behaved dog. With just a little effort, you can give your puppy all these things, and you'll be rewarded a hundred times over. Your mischievous little puppy really can grow up to be your very best friend and provide you with many years of beautiful companionship.
Posted by Joy Butler
Mixed blood in my veins,
No registered name,
My parents will never be known,
No elegant collars, no value in dollars,
Discarded, a soul with no home.
Decidedly plain,
no titles I claim,
I'll never win Westminster's prize.
I've never made news, doing brave rescues,
But please look deep in my eyes,
For if all that you see
is the outside of me,
Then you've missed the most beautiful part.
The prettiest, you see, is the inside of me.
And the love that I have in my heart.
Read more about mixed breed dogs.
Posted by Joy Butler
An ice cold smoothie or a frozen ice cream sandwich tastes so good on a hot summer day. Well, your dog appreciates cold treats too. I know mine do! They come in from the heat outside and look forward to crunching on a few ice cubes. They also love to chew on frozen baby carrots. I've been looking for some other summer snack ideas and found something called Ice Pudding Frozen Dog Treats. Apparently it's pudding made just for dogs and can be enjoyed frozen or room temperature. This is something that can be taken along in the ice chest when you're camping or boating and will help keep your pooch cool. And remember, keeping your dog cool is not just a luxury, it's a must, to prevent dehydration and heatstroke. Let's keep summer fun!
Posted by Joy Butler
Occasionally I have to crate my dogs for one reason or another but it's a rare thing. I'm glad they have the run of the house and yard most of the time. All three of them lived at the shelter for different lengths of time before I adopted them, and consequently, spent a good deal of time in crates. My grandsons are visiting and, depending on what activity is going on, I may have to baby gate the dogs into another room for a short time, but I rarely crate them. The crates are reserved for hurricane evacuation or other longer distance travel. Two of my dogs spend quite a bit of time napping under the bed or in the recliner, but the other is very active. She comes and goes, explores in the yard, barks, digs, and runs. I would hate for her to have to stay in a crate for very long. I would think any dog would be happier with more freedom.
Posted by Joy Butler
Best Friends Day is June 23rd and the whole weekend is Best Friends Weekend. Everyone, everywhere is encouraged to perform a special act of kindness (AOK) for an animal friend and make the world a little nicer place. Public opinion is slowly changing about the way animals are treated and Best Friends Animal Society offers space on its website to record your AOK on their kindness odometer. A small amount of effort can make a huge difference. Donate to your favorite animal charity, help out for an hour or so at your local pet shelter, donate a doghouse to your neighbor's dog, eat a vegetarian meal, urge your friends to spay/neuter their pets, or be creative with your own ideas. Make it a fun project and get the whole family involved. Then visit Best Friends Day 2006 and share how you made a difference.
Posted by Joy Butler
Susie is my serious, no-nonsense type fox terrier mix who has never been much for playing. Now that she's 15 years old, her idea of a good time is sleeping under the bed, sunning her belly in the yard, and occasionally barking at neighborhood cats who wander by. Her eyesight and hearing are beginning to fail and she doesn't bark as much as she used to, probably because she doesn't see or hear as many things to bark at anymore. Anyway, my young grandson is visiting for the month of June and he managed to find a way to bring out the puppy in Susie again. A little battery powered mouse he brought to play with ran out of energy so he improvised by tying a string around the mouse's neck and pulling it around. Susie eyed that mouse scooting around the floor and all of a sudden her long-slumbering prey drive kicked in. She put her little body in gear and started chasing that little fake rodent. Susie had a good time and we laughed and laughed at the sight of our little older dog getting past first gear for the first time in a long time. It was great to see my grandson and Susie having a good time together.
Posted by Joy Butler
Working in a pet shelter you hear all kinds of stories about why dogs end up there. Some make sense, some don't. When an elderly dog owner goes into a nursing home and has no family to take their dogs, or when a soldier is deployed and has no one to keep their dogs, it makes sense. But when you hear the story that an owner is moving to housing that doesn't allow dogs you have to wonder why a dog owner would choose such a place. If you have children, you don't move to housing that doesn't allow children. A few of the other "reasons" given for why dogs go to shelters include shedding, digging, chewing, fence climbing, having puppies, lack of housetraining, too aggressive, too shy, too much barking or, for those wanting a watch dog, not enough barking. But the bottom line here is that most dog problems can be solved. Obviously the problem of too many puppies can be solved simply by a spay or neuter. And the majority of behavior problems, including shyness, can be dealt with satisfactorily, with a little effort. I will be addressing some of these problems in future articles.
Posted by Joy Butler
Dogs love to go! They love the ride and they just love to be with their people. Lately I've been seeing more dogs riding in the back of pickups. I suppose people just don't stop and think how dangerous that can be. Even if the dog can be trusted to stay put, he can be thrown out if the driver has to slam on the brakes for an emergency stop, or swerve to avoid another vehicle. Impact with the road has the potential to maim or kill a dog but add the chance of being struck by a car or causing other drivers to slam on their brakes and/or swerve and the situation becomes even more dangerous. Dogs should ride secured inside the cab or in a well secured crate in the back, if weather permits. I've also seen pickups parked in hot, unshaded parking lots with dogs panting in the back. These dogs are at serious risk of heatstroke. Some people seem to think that because they're animals they will be fine but dogs are actually at higher risk of heatstroke than people are. It's fun to take your dog whenever you go somewhere but please make sure he is safe.
Posted by Joy Butler
I love to hear about the dogs in other people's lives. Recently Rosemary Drisdelle, writer of the Birds topic here at Suite, told me about her sister's dog, Tyler, who is a Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. What a long name for a medium sized dog! The breed was developed for duck hunters and was named for the area where they originated but apparently, they make excellent pets! Rosemary tells me that Tyler is a very energetic dog who gets along great with people and other dogs and loves to take walks in the woods. She also sent me pictures. I love his intelligent looking face and the deep red coat! I did a little more research on this fascinating breed and wrote the article, Nova Scotia Duck Tollers. If you have a wonderful dog in your family, I would like to hear from you. Email me at dogs@suite101.com
Posted by Joy Butler
The Most Loyal Friend Of All
by Josie Whitehead
If I ever get to Heaven, when my life comes to its end -
I will not be surprised at all to find some special friends.
They'll be waiting by the Pearly Gates with all their outstretched paws
There'll be loud barks of welcome on those oh so distant shores.
They're the friends who've been most faithful - my lovely, lovely, dogs -
And how strange to find in poetry that 'dog' rhymes so well with 'God'.
These faithful friends enter your world to share your daily life -
And are a hundred times more faithful than a husband or a wife.
Who do you share your breakfast with - your cereal or your toast?-
The friend who's got no money - but the one who loves you most?
Your dog quietly accompanies you - accepts you as you are.
They've not come to judge you - be you tramp or opera star.
They're always there to welcome you; they forever try to please -
A dog just loves to walk with you, to share your bread and cheese.
When you're feeling so unhappy - who suddenly appears
With a little tongue upon your cheek to wash away your tears?
Whose little eyes look at your face, with love and expectation?
Who loves to share their life with you at home and on vacation?
When you know full well your dog's main aim is to love you and to care -
You will also know for certain that in Heaven they'll be waiting there.
Copyright 2006
Enjoy more of Josie's poetry.
Posted by Joy Butler
As always, I will be keeping a close watch on weather forecasts and will not hesitate to evacuate my family and pets if a hurricane threatens. I believe in being prepared and keep my list from year to year of things to do and to take. That way I avoid the worry and panic of forgetting something. Another part of summer is thunderstorms which I, for the most part, enjoy. But one of my dogs gets stressed over thunder and heavy rain. The best way to deal with storm phobias in dogs is desensitization. In other words, teach them to associate storms with something good. Since this dog is not very food oriented, when I hear the first distant rumbles, I start giving her a massage, and sometimes turn on music to drown out storm sounds. Depending on how long the storm lasts, my fingers can get pretty tired. But it helps her considerably.
Posted by Joy Butler
Dogs can enjoy summer too. They like to hike, swim, play frisbee, run agility and other things. You can tell they're having fun by the sparkle in their eyes and the pink tongue lolling. But dogs are like kids; they don't always know when to come in out of the sun and rest. We have to take the responsibility for them and make sure they don't overdo. Dogs do not have as effective a system for cooling their bodies as humans do, consequently, they are more susceptible to heatstroke. One of my dogs is an outdoor lover and runs up and down the fence in the sun barking at whatever happens by. She thinks she's two years old but she's really eleven! Even though she's in peak health, I know that at her age, she is considered at-risk for heatstroke. Now that summer is bearing down with a vengeance in Texas, I make sure she comes back inside often and cools down. Ice cubes make good crunchy treats too!
Posted by Joy Butler
Memorial Day sort of officially kicks off summer here. I look forward to those lazy days of summer with its naps by the pool and picnics at the beach when the grandkids come. White, fluffy clouds drift lazily overhead, the heat is mystically relaxing and, when the sun beats down, the world somehow seems right. But as much as I enjoy the long, sunny days, I get upset when I see a dog waiting in a hot car or tied in the sun, panting heavily, and his water container overturned. The only thing to do is report it to animal control. They will investigate and issue a warning to the owners. If the situation does not improve they will confiscate the dog. The owners can then pay a fine and get their dog back but usually they don't care enough and, in my opinion, that is so much the better. Then the dog can be adopted to a new home. I guess some people just don't realize how dogs suffer in the heat and what a serious thing heatstroke is.
Posted by Joy Butler
Most of us feel like our dogs are part of the family. We protect them, make decisions for them concerning their nutrition, health, and training, and strive to keep them happy. We sound like parents, right? But at the same time, many of us depend on our dogs for protection and companionship so the relationship we have with our dogs is unique. It can also rank right up there in importance with other family relationships. I've read that people are spending more time and money on their dogs than ever before. It's not uncommon these days for pampered dogs to have health insurance, specially prepared diets, stylish clothing, birthday parties, and even attend luxury resorts. But for those of us who can't afford luxury resorts even for ourselves, there's no need to worry. I'm fairly certain our dogs don't know when their birthdays are and they probably don't care about fancy clothes either. All they want is to be with us, eat good food, sleep on a soft bed, and feel loved. Sounds good to me!
Posted by Joy Butler
Agility dogs are so much fun to watch - the little flying feet, the doggy smiles, and the excited leap into the handler's arms at the finish. The other day they ran an agility championship on Animal Planet. At this championship level, I kept seeing the same breeds over and over. In the 8 inch category, it was mostly Papillons and Poodles. In the 12 inch category, I saw lots of Parson Russell terriers and Shelties. The 16 inch category was mainly Australian Shepherds, and the 24 inch category was mostly Border Collies with a couple of German Shepherds. There were also a few mixed breeds. The dog with the best overall time was a Border Collie but the most impressive to me was a 10 and 1/2 year old Aussie who won her category. In my local group the best performers have been Shelties, Schnauzers, Poodles, and one lady has some very well trained Kelpies. I took my little Spitz mix out a few times and I knew it wasn't anything we'd ever do in competition, but we had loads of fun! Maybe one of these days my terriers will give it a try.
Posted by Joy Butler
Dogs have nothing to do with entering this world and they have no control over their fate. We, as the higher species, are responsible for these domestic animals. We must control overpopulation with spay/neuter, and adopt the homeless. To me, "buy" means to purchase ownership of property, but "adopt" means to commit to care for another living being for a lifetime. I read somewhere that a very small percentage of dogs actually live out their lives with the same family. That's sad. All my dogs have been in that small percentage. I grew up with a Collie who was my best friend for my entire childhood. In my adult life, our Peke cross grew up with my daughter and lived for almost 18 years. I've had several other dogs who also lived out their lives in my family. My German Shepherd was my friend, my protector and my show dog for years. When he became paralyzed from Degenerative Myelopathy (prevalent in German Shepherds), I cared for him until his death at the age of 12. For those of us who believe in a lifetime commitment, we will eventually face our dog's old age, and we will do everything in our power to keep them healthy and happy as long as possible.
Posted by Joy Butler
Some dog mothers have it easy. Their humans take them to the vet regularly, provide comfortable whelping beds in the house, and feed them nutrient rich food. Others don't have it so easy. They may be just a 'backyard possession' or they may be a stray trying to survive. They may be unwanted and their babies will be unwanted. With no resources, finding food and feeding a family is almost impossible. Keeping babies warm and dry is tough. Fighting insects, parasites, and disease is depressing. Dodging traffic, pranksters and unsympathetic people is difficult. These dog mothers love their babies and spend every ounce of energy they have to take care of them but they barely keep body and soul together. We see many of them at the shelter with their gaunt bodies and fear in their eyes, homeless and unwanted. As we honor our mothers this May 14, let us remember the unwanted dog mothers and puppies out there and resolve to spay and neuter our pets and urge everyone we know to do the same. Images of a little Papillon who adopted an orphaned baby squirrel have been circulating the internet. When I heard about Mademoiselle Giselle and Finnegan, it inspired me to honor dog mothers here at Suite.
Posted by Joy Butler
Puppies are not born in season like some animals are, but even so, it seems that Spring brings more litters than usual to the shelter. The other day I was getting dogs ready for the remote adoption and when I started baths, it was like assembly line puppies! Even though some have been adopted, we started out with 9 black Lab puppies, 8 Pointer puppies and 3 Spitz puppies, in addition to a few single puppies. You know, puppies are such fun! You open the kennel door to take out just one and they ALL come tumbling out. You try to put them back but of course, you're outnumbered and, for every one that goes back in, 2 or 3 come tumbling out! And when you finally get the one you want and get it bathed, you get to do it all over again! Then you have more fun trying to KEEP them clean. I always wonder what kind of life they will have and what kind of dog they will grow up to be. Shelters do their best to identify mixed breeds but it's not easy or exact. Adopters can't really know for sure what kind of pet their puppy will grow into. But until spay/neuter is practiced responsibly and every puppy is planned and wanted, we just have to provide for them, train them, and love them, for better or for worse.
Posted by Joy Butler
I have so much fun with my dogs and would like the Dogs topic to be a fun place for other dog owners to come and enjoy themselves, in addition to finding practical information. In a recent poll, readers told me what they would most like to see on the Dogs topic. Tied equally for the red lantern position were health tips and stories about heroic and working dogs. In next to last place was articles about specific breeds, in second place was stories about special rescues and pets, and the definite winner was articles on training tips and fun things to do with your dog. With health tip articles so low in the poll, I'm hoping it's because your dogs see their vet regularly and you get health info there. But it looks like there's interest in every subject so I will attempt to bring you a variety of articles, concentrating on training tips and fun things to do with your dog. It's common to see people taking their dogs for walks, hikes, swims, or tossing them a ball or Frisbee but there are many more games and sports that dogs can enjoy, such as agility, lure coursing, canine freestyle dancing, flyball, obedience competition, conformation competition, schutzhund, go-to-ground events, and diving. A lesser-known activity that any dog and his human can enjoy is taking part in a canine drill team.
Posted by Joy Butler
The other day, while searching for article ideas, I ran across some fascinating facts about dogs. I already knew that dogs have been quite popular in the White House, been involved in the space program, and can vary greatly in size, but I didn't know that Rin Tin Tin signed his own movie contracts. I started digging up (pardon the pun) a few more little-known doggy items and decided that you'd be just as amazed as I was. I laughed out loud when I found out that Teddy Roosevelt's pit bull once....well, I'll let you read for yourself in Fun Dog Facts. Let me know if you were surprised by any of these or if you know of more fun dog facts that we can all enjoy.
Posted by Joy Butler
Almost eight months after Hurricane Katrina, there are still pets unclaimed by their original families. Some are in foster homes, some have been adopted to new families but, as more time passes, it appears they'll never see their original families again. On the other hand, there are still pet owners searching desperately for some clue to what happened to their beloved pet. The system failed them. I know everyone did the best they could under the circumstances but somehow this just shouldn't have happened. We should have been better prepared. Some of the rescue organizations have set up programs for volunteers to help search online data bases and try to reunite these searching families and leftover pets. Seeing an opportunity to help, I volunteered. I was matched with a family still hoping to find their 8 year old dog. The infuriating thing to me is that this family told me how they managed to swim out of their flooded home and, with great effort, made sure their dog made it out with them. Walking on the side of a highway in the middle of devastation, they were picked up by a rescue truck, yet their rescuers made them leave their dog. That's the last they ever heard of their beloved pet. They've done everything humanly possible to find her. Personally, I've searched dozens of data bases and perused hundreds, if not thousands, of photos of rescued dogs. So far, I've found none resembling theirs. If only their dog could have gone with them in the rescue truck and been dropped off at a pet shelter site! The only way to make sure this disgrace never happens again is to examine what went wrong, recognize what went right, and pay attention to the heroes who didn't discriminate.
Posted by Joy Butler
I'm wondering how many people come home from a hard day at work and spend time with their dog to relax. Dogs are good listeners when you need someone to tell your troubles to. They never criticize or judge. They don't even care if you're sad or happy, ugly or beautiful, they're never too busy to be right there with you, no matter what. The soft touch of fur is comforting; why else would stuffed animals be so popular? Just stroking a dog has been proven to lower blood pressure, and studies have shown that dog owners recover from some illnesses better than dogless people. Being the dog fanatic that I am, I always have one of my dogs on my lap, or at least very nearby, when I'm working on the computer. And many times, when I'm watching tv, I give a massage to the dog on my lap. I've found that it relaxes me as well as the dog. When you come home from a tough day, try collapsing on the couch and taking a few minutes to give your dog a massage. It's a great way to wind down a busy day, for your dog as well as for you.
Posted by Joy Butler
Chocolate naturally contains theobromine, a stimulant in the caffeine family. Toxic levels vary according to chocolate concentration and the size of dog but it's best to keep all chocolate away from your dog. Signs that your dog has eaten chocolate may include hyper excitability, hyper irritability, increased heart rate, restlessness, increased urination, muscle tremors, vomiting and diarrhea. If you think your dog has eaten chocolate, call your veterinarian immediately.
Posted by Joy Butler
The Chihuahuas went home Sunday. I'm missing them quite a lot, especially Buddy. Tilla and the puppy romped and played almost constantly but it was Buddy who followed me around and enjoyed sitting on my lap. One of those days when he was perched in my lap it occurred to me that, if his people were away enjoying the luxuries of a resort, then Buddy should too. Since I sometimes give my own dogs a light massage, I decided it would be a good idea for Buddy. Starting behind his ears, I worked slowly over the neck, shoulders, back, and legs until I felt his little muscles melting. The next thing I knew he was yawning, a sure sign of contentment. I finished the massage with a few long slow strokes from head to tail and then did the same for Tilla. She seemed to be touchy in the hindquarters so that was my clue to respect her wishes. The puppy couldn't stop romping long enough to enjoy the luxury of a doggy massage. I did enjoy the Chis this last week and the good thing is that they may be back for another visit come summer! If you're the type person who'd rather take your dog with you when you travel, I can recommend Travelling with Pets.
Posted by Joy Butler
The Chihuahuas I'm doggysitting turned out to be two Chis and one 4 month old Chi/Corgi cross. They are some of the sweetest dogs I've ever met. They loved me from the first minute and we've had no problems whatsoever. All my concerns of how some dogs in a new environment feel homesick, act shy, go off their feed, whine, or have accidents are out the window. They sleep quietly at night, greet me happily in the morning, go out and take care of their business, come back in, gobble down their food, romp and play, and then cuddle in my lap like they've been here forever. I love these little Chihuahuas! If you need a petsitter or boarding kennel. while you are away from home, it's always a good idea to consider your options.
Posted by Joy Butler
Next week I will be doggysitting for some folks who will be vacationing in a tropical resort for ten days. Aah! Lucky them! My charges will be three tiny teacup Chihuahuas who have never met me before. I know I will fall in love immediately, no problem, with these little squeakers who weigh less than fifteen pounds all totaled. They will be so easy to cuddle on my lap even while working on the computer and I can even carry them with me from room to room. I look forward to playing outside with them in the yard and can envision them hopping around like little "grasshoppers."
But, on the other hand, they may not feel the same affection for me right away. They will be in a strange place with strange people and other strange pets. I may have to give them their space at first to allow them to get their bearings. I've already arranged for them to eat the same food they are accustomed to and for their humans to bring their beds and toys which will have the scents they are accustomed to. But if they show any signs of homesickness, I'll be prepared to put into practice some tricks I've learned over the years for soothing stressed dogs. Music is one of them. I will put on some soothing music for the Chihuahuas.
Posted by Joy Butler
The last of the Iditarod sled dog teams have arrived in Nome, Alaska. More than 1300 excited, barking huskies left Anchorage on March 4, pulling sleds and mushers bound for Nome. I always feel a certain admiration for these dogs.
They are not lap dogs, but powerful, wiry animals not so far removed from their wild ancestors. Although some are dropped from the race due to injury or fatigue and flown back home, those who finish the challenging 1100 mile race show great courage and athleticism. These dogs are rarely purebreds but are a mixture of northern breeds with beautiful, double thick coats and big hearts and lungs.
Huskies, born and bred to run, and are seen barking and jumping in their harness to be on the trail. That's gotta be the life for a dog; running with the pack through the snowy wilderness! They look like they're having much more fun than the dog who spends most of his life alone in a back yard. Even couch potato dogs will muster up some excitement when their guardian produces a leash and heads out for a hike.
Dogs just like to roam, and these Alaskan huskies are fortunate enough to be able to do the ultimate roam! However, there are stories of sled dog teams just stopping in their tracks, sometimes only yards from the finish line. It may be an embarrassment to the musher but those dogs have minds of their own! They're strong and clever and they know when enough's enough. You just gotta admire dogs like that!