KOMO vs “The Dog Whisperer”

There’s this group I belong to that is made up of dog trainers in my area and they are trying to show support for a reporter in Seattle who did a negative report on “The Dog Whisperer”. The reporter, Joel Moreno of KOMO news in Seattle, had the temerity to see through some of what Cesar Millan does to “train” the dogs. The point of the story was to ask the question as to whether or not Cesar’s methods caused long term damage to the relationship between dog and human. Moreno interviewed a couple of local (Seattle) trainers who recommended, instead, more positive training.

The link is www.komonews.com

Search for “Dog Whisperer”, and the story is down below. It is a video.

I wrote the reporter, Joel Moreno, a note thanking him for his report. I guess he’s getting a lot of negative mail. I don’t understand how an owner, as the one in the video, can stand and watch this whisperer guy, Cesar Millan, abuse her dog? I mean, sure, she’s going to sign the “this ain’t pretty lady, but I know what I’m doing…” paper work, so she can’t interfere, but what kind of dog is she going to have in the end? One who knows fear and anxiety? Instead of love and kindness? Gentleness? If you have problems with your dog, ask your vet or pet care professional to recommend someone in your area who trains using positive methods, not negative. Shout to the Whisperer that you are not interested. Nancy

Anyway, I rant. But that’s what blogs are for. Lemme give you another link.

www.clickertraining.com

Link to pets for the elderly

go to petsfortheelderly.org

How Are Your Elderly Parents’ Pets Doing?

I was at my Uncle’s house in Palm Springs (Ca) last week and we had a nice visit. I had suggested that he make an appointment with his veterinarian to have his elderly dog examined while I was there. Uncle had expressed some concerns about the dog and was afraid she was nearing the end. The dog, a female mutt who may be as old as 17 years (!), was having trouble walking, in part, due to arthritis that was a result of being hit by a car before my Uncle adopted her, many years ago. That, combined with a recent onset of blindness and deafness, the dog’s prospects looked dim. On the other hand, she was eating well and was alert, and I told my Uncle that there are medications that can help a dog like this.

Sure enough, the doctor sent us home with a couple of drugs that were so effective, the dog was better by that evening! He even took into consideration my Uncle’s concerns about low-cost prescriptions, because of his limited income.

When you are visiting your elderly parents and other relatives, how are the pets doing? Often the elderly will be concerned about costs, or are not aware of the innovations that have been made in older pet care. Suggest, as I did, that you go to the vet together. Ask questions. Have your relative/friend make a list of concerns, about the pet, to present to the vet.

My Uncle knows that his pet won’t last much longer, but he knows what to do and when to do it. For now, he will enjoy her last months knowing she is comfortable, alert, and happy. Nancy

Check on your pet’s health before a trip!

Hello, there! I decided to start a blog because there is so much out there that can help answer simple questions about pet care. The idea is to keep pet owners educated; that there is always something to learn. I get lots of calls from clients, relatives, and friends asking me for advice and help. As I come across information in the form of links, magazines, books, or just from other people, I will share them, along with my experiences in assisting pet owners. (Hopefully, this last bit will be more interesting than it sounds…) Here we go!

A to Zoo had a busy Christmas this year, and I learned a few things. For example, I had a client whose lab I noticed had a nasty bladder infection. I spent an evening at the vet with the dog, who is better now. The poor client had to pay a large vet bill and additional charges for my services which, of course, she was happy to pay, as long as her dog was okay. But, when we discussed it later, there were a few things that had come up that might have prevented at least some expence and worry.

She had noticed some odd behavior in the dog before she left on her trip, but dismissed it as the dog reacting to her packing, etc. Nothing bizarre, just a little different. For example, she did say that the dog had wet the carpet in the bedroom where she was packing. She thought the dog was just mad because she was leaving. Yeah, one of my dogs does that, every time. Every time. Not just once. The point here, is that her lab wasn’t responding to the packing, there was something else wrong. Another thing, was that the dog was sensitive when the client picked her up. This was no surprise, as the dog has arthritis, but the combination should have raised a flag.

The trouble with running around packing, cleaning, and getting everything ready fo a trip, is sometimes we miss something we might otherwise notice. There is a lot of stress for the human to get ready for a trip, so you need to stop for a minute, and think. A day or two before leaving, look at your pets; ask your family if anything is off with the animals. I did this kind of survey of my pets just before the Christmas rush and found a cat with an ear infection! I had plenty of time to go to the vet before I got really busy (or they were closed!).

So, before a trip, even a short one, look around; is everyone’s stool okay? Behavior? Appetite? Is there anything odd? Older pets can always benefit from a six month check up to catch anything that might be off and could get worse while you are a way. That, combined with a great pet sitter, will allow you to have a worry-free trip!

Nancy

The horse says:

Yay, we started a blog to tell folks about ways to keep all those cats and dogs happy!