Decoding Your Dog

If you're like me - and if you're reading this blog I think we can guess that you are - we are among the more than 90% of owners who consider their dog a member of the family. This is wonderful except it does come with a caveat: dogs are another species, speak a different language, and try very hard to learn our language. They are masters at learning our body language. The human animal has not been as proficient at learning theirs and in the past have trained them with choke collars, prong collars, electronic collars, pushing them around, hitting them, a veritable litany of what amounts to animal abuse. Many of us have long since moved forward to a kinder, gentler and certainly more effective world. As much as we know, there is always more to learn. Certainly there are things to learn about dogs before you bring one home. 

To facilitate this learning, Veterinary Behaviorists, the Board Certified members of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, have compiled a book for everyone who has, or plans to have, a dog. Whether you've had dogs all of your life or are about to acquire your first dog, there is something here for everyone, written by veterinary specialists in the field.

Mahalo and his Parrot friend, Gala, kissing. Photo courtesy
Loren Jensen-Carter

Editors Debra Horowitz, DVM DACVB and John Ciribassi, DVM DACVB and Steve Dale have compiled an easy-to-read volume of information and step-by-step ways to help you and your dog get through behavior problems such as separation anxiety, house training and much, much more in 14 chapters that you will read and read again.

Positive training plays a big part in this book. There is research to back up their information. 

It is appalling to think that more dogs die of behavior problems because they are relinquished to shelters, than any single disease. Go ahead, read that sentence again.  It's important. It's far better to work out the issues in a positive manner and build the human-animal bond rather than break it.

Karma in the Snow
Photo Courtesy: Veronique Schejtman

This book should be on every dog owner, or potential dog owner's shelf. 

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in January 2014, it is 384 pages filled with information you and your dog need.  It is reasonably priced in your choice of Hardcover, Paperback or e-book. Personally, I prefer to have a "real" book edition of a reference book so I can hold it in my hands and flip through the page or use the index to find what I need long after I've read it from cover-to-cover

If you can't wait another minute to read it, here's a link to the book on Amazon:

amzn.to/1zyAb9n

NOTE:  I received only a review copy of this book. I have NOT been monetarily compensated. The review is my own based upon reading the book.

Pet Blogger Challenge

Darlene & The Amazing Aimee

This marks the first year I've participated in The Pet Blogger Challenge, created 5 years ago by Amy Burkert of Go Pet Friendly (www.gopetfriendly.com) for people who travel with their pets. It's a nice way for readers to get to know blogs and bloggers and for bloggers to get to know each other. 

Amy comes up with a list of questions each year, the bloggers who participate in this blog hop answer them, and the list of all bloggers who are participating is at the bottom of each blog so you can jump (hop?) from one to another. Perhaps even subscribe to the ones you'd like to remember to read again, whenever there's new content posted.

Vinny by Mary Slaney

1. How long have you been blogging? And, for anyone stopping by for the first time, please give us a quick description of what your blog is about.

I've been blogging for so many years that I really don't remember when I started! I used to maintain two blogs, the other was more eclectic but the blogging site was sold, the new one didn't suit me and I haven't found time to search for another site for the second blog. I'm a long-time, award-winning writer, journalist, author and a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant. A former member of Dog Writers Association of America, I am a founding member of Cat Writers Association. My passion for animals has led me to write several dog and cat books to help owners, thousands of articles for a wide range of publications, magazines and newspapers, and has spilled over into blogging. My goal is always to make life better for pets and their people. I write about dogs and cats with topics including health and welfare. I also do occasional book and product reviews and sometimes those include a give-away.

2. Tell us one thing that you accomplished on your blog during 2014 that made you proud.

There were several really helpful posts but my last post of the year would be my choice. It was The BEST Holiday Gift for Your Cat. The "gift" is an annual veterinary visit. I'm truly horrified by the fact that after the first year owners don't take their cat back to the veterinarian. Some can't get the cat into the carrier so I included ways to teach your cat that the carrier is a wonderful, safe place, as well as how to situate the carrier in the waiting room to remove any stress that might come from seeing strange cats and dogs, and there's so much more, including statistics that are positively eye-opening.

Fuzzy by Gary Rohde

3. What lessons have you learned this year – from other blogs, or through your own experience – that could help us all with our own blogs?

I've had one of my beliefs emphasized: we have to be true to ourselves. I come from a journalism background. Having written for so many magazines (articles, columns, etc.) I knew that you were paid for an article but if an article promoted a sponsor, I knew that was called an advertorial. It might look like editorial content but it was really a paid opinion. I may be the only blogger who doesn't charge for reviews and doesn't have sponsors. If I'm going to review a product I don't want my readers to wonder if I'm saying I liked it because I was paid by the company for my review. Frankly, I won't write a bad review, I will just ignore the product. I won't give it any publicity of any sort. Consumer Reports is free of advertising for exactly the same reason. How do I make money? Magazine and newspaper articles, Speaking Engagements, Behavior Consultations (cats and dogs). Would I be a spokesperson for a product? Yes, but ONLY if I believed in the product and used it. My readers would know up front that I was a spokesperson for that company. So far, that hasn't been an issue. For me it's a matter of my integrity. I write what I believe. It's really that simple for me. If someone wants to book me to speak or discuss endorsement opportunities, they can contact me through my website: www.darlenearden.com

Elektra by Anthony James

4. What have you found to be the most successful way to bring traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?

I utilize social networking. Each post goes out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIN and Google+  I also send each post to a mailing list with permission to forward.

5. What was your most popular blog post this year? Did it surprise you that it was your most popular?

It was the one of which I am most proud: The BEST Holiday Gift for Your Cat.

6. What was your favorite blog post to write this year?

I don't know if I'd call it my favorite because it wasn't fun, but it was the most important one. In October 2014 I revisited an important topic in Are Your Pets Covered? It was about the all-important issue of having someone to care for your pets if you are incapacitated or in the event of your death, what you need to have in your will and more to ensure that your cat or dog doesn't end up on the street or in a shelter, which is so often a death sentence. I want to help owners avoid that.

7. Has your policy on product reviews and/or giveaways changed this year?

No, it's still the same as described above. I'm not paid other than a sample to test or a review copy to read. I also have people who serve as product testers and I have the item sent to them for an honest review. Dog toys, for example, can come in different sizes so I'll ask someone with a dog the appropriate size for the toy. Sometimes the company will offer the item to a reader so I can run a contest, which is fun for everyone. One problem I've encountered is that people will enter and not check back to see if they have won. I usually have no way of tracking them down so I have to do another drawing of the remaining names.

If you do reviews, what do you find works best, and what doesn’t work at all?

I read books cover to cover. Some things are tested by my cat, some by friends' cats and since this is the first time I'm living without a dog, I have an assortment of friends with dogs of various sizes and shapes and I will ask them if they are willing to test and review a product. They keep the product, I run the review. They must include photos, of course.

Karma by Veronique Schejtman

8. What’s your best piece of advice for other bloggers?

Don't reprint old "facts."  Things change so be prepared to do some real research. If you're going to quote an expert, try to quote two or three experts so you're not relying on one opinion. Give your readers the most current information by the people who know best, not just your opinion. You're certainly entitled to your opinion and entitled to use it but if you're writing something serious about health or nutrition where you have a personal opinion but are not a professional in that field, I believe you owe it to your readers to give them more than one view by more than one expert. That's my journalism background speaking. 

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2015?

I plan to bring the best information possible to my readers so they can make informed decisions and understand more about cats and dogs. Along the way I expect to do some fun things as well. I hope you'll join me for the journey!

10. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be?

Building more of an audience and gaining more attention for posts that I believe are helpful to dog and cat owners. How can I also point them towards my books which are chock full of useful information without it sounding like an ego trip?

Neezie, my "heart" dog

Are Your Pets Covered?

Darlene & The Amazing Aimee
Photo by Veronique Schejtman

When I ask if your pets are covered, I don't mean by blankets. I mean what happens to your pets if/when you die or are incapacitated?  Although we hate to think about it, it's inevitable. Any one of us could be hit by a bus, killed in a car accident, be felled by an incurable disease, or someday end up in a nursing home. What will happen to your beloved pets?

Photo Courtesy of Louise Holton
Alley Cat Rescue

Hardly a day goes by that I don't receive at least one e-mail asking if I can help re-home a cat or dog, often more than one, because he owner died or was taken to a nursing home. If there is family, they swoop in, take what material things they can and then either leave the pet(s) in the house or thrown out on the street. At most they will say they will take the pets to the shelter if someone won't take them. We know what that means. Often the pets are elderly and are euthanized. That's the pretty word. Let's be blunt: they're killed. Surely that is not what the owner wants for their beloved companion who was often the only one there providing love and comfort. No one thinks this will happen to their pets but it will unless you make provisions now if you haven't already done so.

Here are some simple steps you can take now, today, to ensure that your pets won't end up homeless, starving on the streets, or killed in a shelter.

1. Ask a trusted friend if s/he will look after your pet(s) in the event of your death. 

2. Go to a lawyer and make out your will. If you already have one, have your lawyer add a codicil naming the person who will take care of your pet(s). Do not name your pets because they may not be the one(s) you have when you die. Periodically ask the person if they still agree to do this or you will have to name someone else. And be sure to set aside money for each pet's care.

Photo courtesy of Mary Slaney

3. Make out a Pet Trust. This will allow the person who will take your pet(s) to have immediate access to your pet(s) and the money you are leaving for their care.

According to Louise A. Holton, President of Alley Cat Rescue in Maryland, "You should leave a Pet Trust as well as a Will. Leave a copy with friends and family and choose a good friend or family member to agree to take your cats [or dogs], with a donation of money to help them. A Pet Trust is available immediately upon your death and does not have to go through your estate. In a will it could take years for an animal to get any money,"

That's excellent advice. Only four States in the U.S. don't have a Pet Trust law as of 2012. Those States are Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota and Mississippi.  You'll have to check with your lawyer for a way in which to handle this if you live in one of those States.  Some States will allow the amount you leave to be reduced or redirected if it exceeds what the Court thinks it's in excess of the intended use.

If you don't want to use a lawyer, you can use a form on the website Legal Zoom to create a Pet Trust. It will cost about $50. to $80. to do it online.

Photo Courtesy of Gary Rohde

Holton has seen the results when this happens or if the caretaker of a cat colony dies. She and her organization's volunteers have had to go in and place the cats.  Louise Holton cares so much that she has written a brochure, Leave a Legacy of Love for members of Alley Cat Rescue.

Responsible cat and dog breeders state in their contract that if, for any reason, the person can't keep the cat or dog at anytime in that cat or dog's life, it is to be returned to the breeder. This is something many people don't consider when their relative dies without leaving a will and a Pet Trust.

Photo Courtesy of Louise Holton

You love your four-legged companion. Please do the right thing. Don't leave grieving friends and strangers to pick up the pieces, scrambling to find homes for your pets. Or worse: no one does anything and they either starve to death, are hit by a car, attacked by wildlife or nasty humans, or are killed in a shelter.  We each have a responsibility for our four-legged companions and that includes who will care for them when we no longer can.