BostonZest

Train Your Body for Dog Walking with Tai Chi

Recently, one of our favorite dog publications, Bark: the dog culture magazine, featured an article under its Training and Behavior section titled Tai Chi and Dogs.

Penny has been a student of Tai Chi for about a year now and says this will be a lifetime practice for her. Naturally, this post from a most reliable source caught her attention. We thought so much of the content that we decided to share it with our Sunday Dog readers.

Author Christie Green has been studying martial arts for nearly 20 years and has taken her knowledge of Tai Chi and applied it to some of the most common training issues we have with dogs.

She covers:

• How to prepare your body for a dog who is about to jump on you
• How to use your larger back muscles to counter bad leash manners
• How to use a weight shift to control pulling
• How to use relaxation to help with all aspects of dog life but also to improve your reaction time.

What Green says rings true to what Penny has been taught in her Tai Chi classes and gives her one more reason to be grateful for all she's learned while exploring the possibilities of this ancient art.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Screengrab from Bark: the magazine of dog culture 

Sunday Dog Link to Good Information to Save Dogs Left in Hot Cars via Mother Nature Network

Today's Sunday Dog feature is a link to an excellent article, "Dogs in hot cars: Where is it legal to help them?" that came to us on social media from the most reliable site Mother Nature Network.

Many of our readers are in Massachusetts where we've had a Good Samaritan Law since 2016. 

Massachusetts Law Updates explained the new law, "

"A bystander, in addition to animal control officials, law enforcement or firefighters, may enter the vehicle if “reasonably necessary to prevent imminent danger or harm to the animal.” Any action by a person or first responder would follow checking to see if the door was locked, calling 911, and making an effort to locate the owner.  The person must stay with the animal until law enforcement arrives, and is immune from liability resulting from the animal’s removal.

The Act also prohibits dogs being tethered outdoors for more than 15 minutes during a weather advisory or watch issued by federal, state or municipal agencies, as well as extreme weather conditions.  Additional restrictions were placed on dog tethering “for longer than 5 hours in a 24-hour period and outside from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., unless the tethering is for not more than 15 minutes and the dog is not left unattended by the owner, guardian or keeper.”

This article is national in scope and may be of help to our friends and readers around the U.S.

 

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Screengrab courtesy of Mother Nature Network.

Poppy Is Six Years Old!

Poppy, our little Westie, had a birthday this week and now she is six. She had a great walk on Harbor Beach in Provincetown to start her birthday celebration.

Now that she's back in Boston, we have given her a few extra days to reign as Duchess Poppy Whitehead, birthday girl. Yesterday she had a lovely time sitting on a park bench and some extra playtime with Ed.

Here are some Poppy photos from this past year.

Here's Poppy, with love in her eyes, as she watched Ed as he walked by us.

David Ryan from the Boston Globe spotted us on a walk and asked if he could take a few shots of Boston's famous dog model. She was not as cooperative with him as she is with her own pair of photographers. Nonetheless she made the paper. She was not impressed since she appears in papers all the time as a part of our City Paws column and we never call her a he.

On Patriots' Day, on the waterfront in Provincetown, the waves pounded, the wind howled, and the building shook, but Poppy was snug inside so she ignored it all and snoozed away.

She loves beach walks. Each day, in Provincetown, she pulls us to the gate and must see for herself if the stairs lead to ocean water or beach. At high tide the water is more than half way up the stairway. 

It has been a year of upgrades so we've spent some time at the Apple Store where Poppy is not only welcome, but also gets lots of attention from the geniuses and patrons.

This little dog is best known as the snuggler. Sit still for a bit and you may soon find you have a snuggle buddy.

She has even started requesting that Penny sit in her favorite chair more often so snuggling can commence!

Happy Birthday Week Poppy!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino and one clip from David Ryan for the Boston Globe
Since we mentioned Apple and we own stock in that company, here is our disclosure policy.

Safe Snacks for Your Favorite Sunday Dog

“I wouldn't feed my dog or cat anything I wouldn't feed myself,” is what the great inspiration to all food writers M.F.K. Fisher said about sharing food with her animals.

Our society transitioned from a time when companion animals were fed leftovers from the dinner table to the era when we were told these family members should be given nothing but specific foods designed by the animal feed industry for their species, health issues, age, and activity level.

Poppy's EZPZ bowl keeps her from chasing her food across the floor. She is what you would call an enthusiastic eater!

Our family has moved to the next stage of feeding dogs. We serve homemade food to our Westie Poppy and are learning what specific human foods are okay to share with her.

Before we offer her a taste of something we are eating, we check the safety of this food with a reputable online site. We also refrain from feeding her anything from the table or in the kitchen. This discourages begging. When we want to share a snack with her, we go to the area where she has her meals.

An Apple a Day...

This writing team likes to share an apple or another piece of fruit each afternoon. Whenever we have an apple, we know that Poppy would love a taste. Penny will occasionally take a piece of apple to Poppy’s dining area and feed it to her in little pieces, which the pup chews up with delight.

Our first Westie Sassy, had a weight problem and was a food hound. She loved almost all foods but rutabagas were her favorite snack.

Maggie Mae, our second dog, was a fussy eater. We sprinkled her food with tempting items like Parmesan cheese to encourage her interest in the food bowl. She did love cheese and would jump up and come running whenever that dairy scent was in the air.

While we know we can share an apple with Poppy, we also know we can't let her have grapes. Not only does this mean don't share, it also means don't leave within reach as one neighbor learned. Her dog spent a day under observation at the hospital after finding some unattended grapes.

What Not to Feed

You should start your research on what people food can be safe snacks for your dog or cat by learning what you should never feed them. The top seven items listed as dangerous to dogs and cats by multiple sources are chocolate, onions, grapes and raisins, fatty and fried foods, macadamia nuts, avocados, and anything containing the chemical sweetener Xylitol. That last item will remind you to read labels carefully before giving your dog or cat any commercial product. Peanut butter is a common treat and is often used to give dogs medications, but many brands contain Xylitol and could be deadly.

Of course, many items that are great as an occasional treat can upset an animal’s system if given (or stolen) in large quantities. A bit of cheese may make the medicine go down, but a hunk of cheese can make everything come out, one way or another.

Items that are great as an occasional treat can upset an animal’s system if given (or stolen) in large quantities.

Considered Safe

You could treat your dog or cat to tastes of simply cooked proteins such as chicken, broth, eggs, liver, red meat, or fish. Dairy products like bits of hard cheese, plain yogurt, and cottage cheese are on the safe list for both dogs and cats. 

Fruit and vegetables (without seeds) and in quantities appropriate the the size of the animal are apples, pears, blueberries, melons, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and squash. Green beans and carrots are commonly used to help dogs feel full when you are reducing their daily calories.

So share when you can, but be sure to check every item before you do and start with just a little in case it doesn’t settle well with your little pal.    

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012-2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

In Sickness & In Health We Love Our Companion Animals

You have to admire veterinarians. They have to know how to care for animals of all types from pets to exotic, wild, and working beasts. Their patients can’t tell them exactly what’s wrong and must depend on information from those who provide the day-to-day care for the animal. 

We’re fortunate to have a healthy dog in Poppy, but when the time comes that she needs care, we’ll be ready to provide it.

They also depend on us to follow through with the care they prescribe. That makes you the most important caregiver of your animals. Yet, for many of us, there is a steep learning curve especially in the case of a long-term illness.

When you learn that friends are dealing with a sick pet, offer them the same support, and perhaps respite, you might give to someone caring for a sick person. They are under the same physical strain, restrictions, and stress that all caregivers face.

Here's a photo of our dear, little Maggie Mae in her younger and healthier days.

Tips for Sick Pet Care

Over the years we’ve built coping skills that are useful when a dog is sick. We have shared the work. This included sleeping on different shifts as we dealt with our Maggie Mae’s cognitive dysfunction and sleeping in street-ready clothing so we could get her outside fast, if needed.

If you are not able to share the responsibility with a family member, consider hiring someone to give you time away from the situation. Ask your veterinarian if a vet tech might be available to sit with your sick animal for a few hours. You could also check with your groomer, dog walker, or ask a friend or neighbor you would trust with the task.

Disposable puppy pads and washable incontinence pads are great stress relievers. If you can avoid cleaning up a mess, that is one less stress adding to a difficult situation. (We also used disposable dog diapers for Maggie.)

If a dog was vomiting, we placed open pads in every room, ready to be quickly positioned under the dog as it began to gag. If you are not quick enough, the pads are great tools for clean up since they are designed to absorb liquids quickly.

Written records of all medications given; temperatures taken; symptoms noticed; changes in behavior, eating, drinking, and elimination are key to helping your veterinary team provide their best care. Since the days when our Sassy developed a seizure disorder, we have kept notebooks for all our dogs.

It is so nice to watch a group of healthy dogs play together in the park. 

For Healthy Dogs and Cats

For all of us fortunate to have healthy animals, deciding what symptoms require a call to a vet is a prime caregiving responsibility.

The American Veterinary Medical Association publishes this list of animal emergencies that require an immediate veterinary consultation:● “Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop within five minutes

• Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing and gagging
• Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, coughing up blood, or blood in urine
• Inability to urinate or pass feces (stool), or obvious pain associated with urinating or passing stool
• Injuries to your pet's eye(s)
• You suspect or know your pet has eaten something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
• Seizures and/or staggering
• Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move leg(s)
• Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
• Heat stress or heatstroke
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea – more than two episodes in a 24-hour period, or either of these combined with obvious illness or any of the other problems listed here
• Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
• Unconsciousness”

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

Thanks to the Animals!

When you counted your blessings on Thanksgiving, did you include the creatures that settled under the table or wound themselves around your legs? Are you thankful for your own companion animals and all the service animals that make our lives safer, healthier, and more fulfilling?

Pets Are Good for You

Study after study confirms that having companion animals is good for your health. Certainly city dwellers with dogs seem more likely to enjoy the fitness benefits of daily exercise.

The National Institutes of Health has funded studies that showed people who walked their dogs “... were more physically active and less likely to be obese than those who didn’t own or walk a dog.” For individuals age 71-82, “Those who regularly walked their dogs walked faster and for longer time periods each week than others who didn’t walk regularly. Older dog walkers also had greater mobility inside their homes than others in the study.”

 

Heart Health

Stroking a cat or dog has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and increase a feeling of calm. The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement about pet ownership and cardiac risk this year.

They reported that, “Owning pets is associated with reducing your risk of heart disease, and there are a variety of reasons that may be at work that influence this relationship. It may be that healthier people are more likely to be pet owners or that people with dogs tend to exercise more. Pets also play a role in providing social support to their owners, which is an important factor in helping you stick with a new habit or adopting a new healthy behavior.”

Mental Health

Other researchers are looking at the benefits of pets or exposure to therapy dogs for disorders like depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Caring for an animal keeps people active and can help prevent someone from becoming withdrawn. From companionship to silly antics that make you laugh, a dog or cat can be a mood booster.

Dodie is a real service dog in training. 

Therapy and Service Dogs

Don’t be surprised if you find a dog at a medical appointment in your future. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell – 1,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. Medical detection dogs are now used to alert doctors to human conditions from hypoglycemia in diabetics to skin, bladder, and ovarian cancer.

Some of these canines work with professionals in medical research settings, others are trained to alert their person to spikes and drops in blood sugar levels in diabetes, or to protect and try to get help for someone with a seizure disorder.

You’ll also see service dogs who act as guides and helpers for people who are blind, deaf, confined to a wheelchair, or unsteady on their feet. And there are emotional support dogs who help a person stay calm in stressful situations.

These geese wrangler dogs work in the Public Garden.

Working Dogs

Beyond animals that serve as companions, there are hundreds of working dogs that deserve our thanks. They help law enforcement officers track criminals, locate drugs, guns, contraband, and bombs. They work protecting livestock on farms and offering comfort to victims in courtrooms and in the aftermath of a crime or disaster.

Yes, these same creatures can be a source of stress when they misbehave or are ailing themselves. However, overall, scientists are showing that we should be giving thanks for our dogs, cats, and other furry and feathered critters when we count our blessings.

 

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

Holiday Visiting Etiquette for Dog People

Holidays can be stressful and sometimes the issue of dogs and cats can be divisive, especially if one person considers them family members and another can’t stand animals in the house. We have always considered our dogs family members and that our home is their home. However, we don’t expect other people to open their homes to our dog.

We also are very specific when we make invitations to friends with dogs. For years dogs were included because our Maggie Mae loved having company and was great about sharing. Poppy, on the other hand, will bark at any dog in her territory, so we’ve been reluctant to test her reaction to other dogs in her home.

When someone invites us to visit, we assume that invitation does not include Poppy. Even when she would love to come and has dressed for the occasion to convince us to take her as she did in the photo above.

We would never ask anyone, even people who have dogs or who love dogs, to include her in our visit. What’s more, sometimes a dog or cat waiting for you at home might just give you the perfect reason to limit the time you spend visiting one of your less amusing relatives.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)