A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

I recently told you about Gracie’s escalation in aggression toward Kiki. I would love to say the problem is gone. It still persists though.

I tell Gracie “no” when she nips at Kiki. I grab Kiki and make sure Gracie sees that we are cuddling. I then praise Gracie whenever she does not whine, growl, or nip. Some days, they get along well. Other days, they battle all day long, each vying for as much of my attention as possible.

This past weekend, I spent some time trying to capture photos for the annual Christmas card. These two pics sum up the lovely relationship Kiki and Gracie share. As you can see from the first pic, Gracie is slowly crawling into the picture, upset that Kiki is eating lots of cat treats:

The second pic was snapped after Gracie got too close and growled at Kiki. Kiki gave Gracie a smack on the nose before leaving.

Oh, dear. Training continues….

Rescue Mommy

Here We Go Again - Watch Out for Chicken Jerky Treats

A couple of weeks ago, I spotted an article on msn.com about a potential problem with chicken jerky treats. Since then, I have not heard more about the story. I decided to go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website for more information.

Unlike the 2007 pet food mess, this story has not made major headlines. I did not even see it on the opening page. I had to search the site for the story and found that the problem has been occurring off/on since 2008. Here is a link to the story:

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm280586.htm

I do not give Gracie any commercially-made treats. I make her treats myself. Granted, my ingredients may be contaminated somewhere along the line, like any food we eat. However, I feel I have greater control if I do the cooking.

You can search the Web for recipes or look for doggy treat cookbooks. Just read the recipes carefully, because not all “human foods” (i.e. raisins, onions, et cetera) are safe for our pets. Be safe!

Rescue Mommy

Watch Out for the Hunters!

According to an article that appeared in our local paper, deer hunters can now use guns, starting Monday, November 21 and ending December 10. Here is the link to the article: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20111120/NEWS01/311200058/Deer-hunters-guns-hit-woods-Monday?odyssey=tab

Please be sure to wear blaze orange if you are hiking in the woods, even when you are on private property. You can also buy a blaze orange vest for your buddy, something I strongly recommend. Let’s all be safe out there as we try to enjoy the wonderful fall weather and walk off all that Thanksgiving food!

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Wet Dog Food

For years, I thought that wet (or canned) dog food was higher in fat than and not as nutritious as dry food for dogs. I recently learned that is not the case.

In its latest issue, Whole Dog Journal reviewed a number of wet dog food manufacturers and posted a list of recommendations. If you are a subscriber, you can view the list on their website http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/.

If you are not a subscriber, take a look at the following article:

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/news/How-Canned-Dog-Food-Is-Manufactured-20393-1.html

The article describes how wet dog food is made. Once you learn a little about the process, you can make more informed choices about what brand to buy for your dog. I have also found that an independent pet supply store is a great resource. They often carry a bigger selection of holistic foods than the national stores do.

Just as we must watch what we put in our mouths, it is important to be careful about what we feed our furry friends. The pet food nightmare of 2007 definitely taught us that! Fortunately, you can find lots of information on the Internet. Good luck with your search!

Rescue Mommy

P.S. We feed Gracie wet and dry food made by Castor & Pollux. It is organic and contains ingredients we can pronounce. Since switching to this brand, her skin issues have all but disappeared, and she rarely has tummy troubles. It is available at our local PetSmart as well as independent pet supply stores and online.

Attention Facebook Users

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is participating in a contest through the Chase Community Giving program. If you use Facebook, you can vote for them as well as 9 other charities. They need to stay in the top 100 to win a $25,000 grant. They desperately need your help – and you only have to vote once!

Please visit their website at bwar.org for the link. Please share the link on your Facebook page and ask your friends to vote too!

Thanks for your support!

Rescue Daddy

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving here in America. We spend extra time cleaning the house. We cram all the clutter into closets and hope no one opens the doors, lest everything spill out. We spend hours and hours in the kitchen. It is easy to forget our furry friends. Here are three tips:

• Be careful with the cleaning products. A lot of them are toxic to pets. For example, I use an eco-friendly floor cleaner because the cats vomited every time I used a particular, national brand I cannot name. The eco brand cleans just as well as the other one, and the floors stay cleaner longer because the cats are not barfing on them!

• Watch out for the little hoovers! Gracie and Kiki stay in the kitchen when I am cooking. I must be extra careful not to drop food onto the floor, or they will scoop it up in a flash. (You can search this blog for a list of toxic foods.)

• If crowds are a problem, give your buddy peace and quiet. While it is important to give your pet opportunities to socialize, it is sometimes better to lock them in a room by themselves. Socialization should be done before the holidays, when the situation is less stressful for both of you. If your friend is too stressed by crowds, let them spend Thanksgiving dinner in a quiet room.

Be safe if you are heading out today for Thanksgiving travels!

Rescue Mommy

Move!

The feeding frenzy that is Thanksgiving happens next week. We will gorge ourselves on all sorts of goodies, piling our plates high and consuming a week’s worth of calories in one afternoon. Everyone knows the calories do not count at Thanksgiving and Christmas, right?

It is easy to pack on a few extra pounds during the holidays. I have a theory that the extra weight acts as insulating blubber during the cold winter months. Unfortunately, last year’s winter was particularly brutal, and it took me several months to carve off that blubber. I am trying hard not to repeat the same mistake this year.

The best fitness routine I have found is walking Gracie. Perhaps I should say running with Gracie. When the weather turns cold, she turns into a wild beast. She LOVES to run, charge up mountains, chase squirrels. The legendary Jack Russell terrier hyperactivity kicks in, and she wants to run, run, run!

The following article from thebark.com contains very interesting statistics supporting the idea that dog walking is great exercise:

http://www.thebark.com/content/why-walking-your-dog-great-exercise

So, after you have had Thanksgiving dinner next week, don’t plop onto the couch and slip into a turkey coma. Slip on your sneakers and take your furry buddy for a walk.

Rescue Mommy