Pet Planning Workshop on Wednesday

This Wednesday, April 6, Brother Wolf will hold a pet planning workshop at their Re-Tail Store on 38 Glendale Avenue in Asheville.  The workshop is presented by a local attorney, Dennis Gibson.  The time is from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

We spend a lot of time creating wills and ensuring that our physical property will be disposed of as we wish when we pass away.  What happens to your pets?  So many animals end up in shelters every year because their pet parents did not have adequate arrangements in place.

Also, don’t forget that a serious illness could also create problems.  Recently, I have read a few very sad stories on BWAR’s website because owners fell ill unexpectedly and could no longer care for their beloved pets. 

If you are interested in attending the workshop, you must reserve a spot.  Contact Mr. Gibson at dennis.gibson@bellsouth.net or call 828-669-0375. 

Rescue Mommy

Keep Those Bunnies in the Basket

Every holiday brings an opportunity for our furry friends to raid the sweet treats.  While we all love chocolate bunnies and robin eggs, these treats are toxic for our best.  Please be sure to keep a close eye on that Easter basket.  Make sure your kids understand that chocolate is for their bellies only.

Also, be careful of the “grass” that some people use to line Easter basket.  Kiki adores this plastic stuff.  My Mom gave me the basket I used when I was a child.  It still had a puff of the stuff inside.  One day, I found a little “surprise” from Kiki that included a strand of bright green Easter grass. 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter holiday. 

Rescue Mommy

Easter Party for a Cause

The Asheville Humane Society is holding an Easter Party this Saturday, March 30, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  The party benefits the Humane Society, of course.  Activities include an Easter egg hunt, face painting, cupcake decorating, crafts, puppy and kitten playtime, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Tickets are $10 per child.  Space is limited, so contact volunteer@ashevillehumane.org to make a reservation. 

Rescue Mommy

Fear Reactive Dogs

A few days ago, I received a phone call from someone who adopted a pound-bound dog.  He has lived with his new family for several months now.  He is gained weight and blossomed into a very loving dog – toward the family and the family’s dog.  However, he has suddenly become aggressive toward anyone except the man and woman who adopted him. 

Let me preface this post by saying I am not a dog trainer.  I have no specialized training.  I just have many years of experience living with dogs.  My recent experiences with Gracie have taught me a great deal about fear’s power over dogs. 

I told her first to take the dog to the vet.  Pets are stoic.  In the wild, only the strong survive, so animals naturally hide weakness.  It is bred in the bone.  Also, our furry friends cannot talk.  The only way they have to communicate with us is by “acting out.”  What we see as bad behavior may be a cry for help.

If the visit to the vet did not uncover any underlying medical conditions as the culprit, I advised her to consider his history.  Her dog without question was not properly socialized.  I encouraged her to speak with a trainer.  In my non-professionally trained mind, it sounded as the dog had finally settled into a loving home and wanted to protect them.  Again, this is my gut instinct, not professional advice.

I also told her to check out the Internet.  You can find a wealth of information there.  As with anything you read on the Internet, you should carefully consider the source.  ALWAYS seek positive training methods.  Negative training never works and can be enormously detrimental with fearful dogs.  Think how you would feel if you were scared and someone tried to “show dominance” over you, yelled at you, or used a choke-chain on you.  You might do what that person told you, but you would not do it willingly and would most likely grow to hate that person, wouldn’t you?

I told the lady she would have to invest a lot of time and that she should not expect a quick fix.  She told me she really loves the dog and wants to do whatever it takes.  I commend her.  A lot of dogs and cats find themselves at shelters because their owners do not share the same attitude.  I wish her and her sweet rescue the best of luck.

Rescue Mommy

Allergy Alert

Some parts of the country are still experiencing snow storms on a regular basis.  Here in the South, the grass has started to turn green.  The birds are singing.  The dogwood trees have thick buds ready to burst open.  Daffodils have spring from the earth and are in full bloom. 

Now is the time to pay a little extra attention to your buddy.  A lot of animals who experience the great outdoors have problems with seasonal allergies.  It makes sense if you think about it.  They are low to the ground, so their paws and bellies pick up lots of allergens.  Dogs constantly smell everything, so all that pollen just shoots right up their noses. 

All of this results in itchy skin, watery eyes, and sneezing.  Your pet may dig at the fur, resulting in patchy areas of missing fur.  They are in just as much misery as we humans are!

In most cases, antihistamines offer an effective, affordable solution to the problem.  Consult with your vet first.  Do not give your buddy over-the-counter medicines without his or her direction.  Your vet can tell you the exact product to use along with the proper dose.

Good luck!

Rescue Mommy

Frisky Pets

Something about spring always brings out the wildness in Gracie and Kiki. 

Gracie wants to stay outside all the time.  She sighs heavily when she is inside and stares out the window in the living room.  She prefers to explore the outdoors.  She enjoys long naps in the sun.

Lately, Kiki races around the house for no apparent reason.  She has tried to pick fights with Gracie by popping her on the bottom.  She does it to Rescue Daddy and me too.  I am not sure if she is trying to play or generally wants to reprimand all of us for some unknown evil deed. 

The arrival of spring lifts all of our spirits.  Let’s hope a massive snowstorm is not around the corner, or, more likely, a tremendous heat wave that does not end until October.  See, spring has not completely lifted my spirits.

Rescue Mommy

Time Change Woes

I agree with most of you that we should eliminate Daylight Saving Time.  It is awful.

It is still dark in the morning.  It does not feel as if it is time for walkies.  Then, since we have a couple extra hours of daylight in the evening, it feels as if we have plenty of time to tackle chores.  You look up, and it is 9:00 p.m.  What??

You can expect your pets to be a bit disconcerted as well.  We have noticed that Angel is not waiting for us in the morning, as she normally does.  I guess she too thinks it is too early for a walkie. 

Ugh – we will get use to this eventually, and then complain loudly when the time changes again.  We should go back to bed.

Rescue Mommy