Help senior dogs by voting for The Old Dog House

Posted on by
13

I have a treat for you today… a guest post from my pal Chandra of Daley’s Dog Years, a fantastic blog about senior dog life.  Enjoy!

Every day of the year, amazing humans known as animal rescuers save the lives of homeless senior dogs. November is Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month, offering all of us who know and love senior animals an opportunity to pitch in by encouraging adopters to choose a grey muzzle. Today, I’m thrilled to share an additional way this month that you can help homeless senior dogs, with just one click of your computer mouse per day!

The Old Dog House, a nonprofit senior dog rescue and sanctuary in Jacksonville, Florida is currently in the running for $25,000 in funding from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

When older dogs find themselves homeless, their health and wellness needs have often been neglected and those issues contribute to the several months time it can take for senior dogs to get adopted. The Old Dog House is seeking $25,000 in funding to build a warm water therapy pool on its property, a fantastic idea for the health and wellness of the dogs in its care.

The project directly speaks to The Old Dog House’s mission to rehome the senior dogs it rescues and rehabilitates. “A warm water therapy pool will give the dogs the opportunity to exercise without any impact on their joints, allowing muscle development and improving overall health,” writes Kim Siegmund Stordahl, president of The Old Dog House. “If we’re funded, we will share the wealth with other rescue groups in our community by allowing them to utilize the pool for their dogs.”

Meet Sam, one of the residents

Currently, the closest warm water therapy pool is a two-hour drive away so a win for The Old Dog House is a win for all senior dogs in the area—in addition to those in local rescue, The Old Dog House would like to make the pool available to senior dogs in the community.

So how do we help make this great project idea a reality? Vote every day, through November 30, online here or text the code 109539 to Pepsi (73774). Each day you have five votes to spread among all the great ideas up for funding!

Seven times a year, people and organizations submit their project ideas to the Pepsi Refresh Project. The ideas are organized into categories and voted on by funding amount—$5,000, $10,000, $25,000 or $50,000. The Old Dog House’s idea is in the “We Heart Animals” section of the $25,000 Communities category.

Muttley, another one of the adorable residents

Only the project ideas voted into the top 15 slots in each category are eligible for funding. Right now, the Old Dog House’s project idea is ranked #32 in its funding category so we need your vote and those of all your friends!

Learn more about The Old Dog House at its site here and find it on Facebook here. Currently, The Old Dog House has nine dogs in its care—three permanent residents due to physical/medical issues, five adoptables and one who will be available for adoption once medical issues are treated. See all their adorable photos here.

Photo caption quoted from The Old Dog House:

“Every dog at The Old Dog House is viewed and treated as part of the family. We do not have kennels, runs, or cages, rather they live in a true home environment with all of the comforts of home. Since establishing the rescue in 2006, foster homes, besides our own, have been few and far between, limiting the number of older and senior dogs we are able to help. So, we did a little brainstorming and turned our attention to our old, dilapidated 1930’s detached garage. The only thing it was housing was bugs and some moving boxes! In 2010, down it came and in its place stands The Old Dog House, equipped with all the comforts of a home – heating and air conditioning, a bathroom, cable TV, WIFI, radiant heat floor (yes, it does get cold in Jacksonville!!), stereo, couch with a chaise lounge – well, you get the idea! We can comfortably house 4-6 dog-friendly dogs in The Old Dog House. Also, it is a comfortable place for volunteers to come hang out with The Old Dogs to keep them happy and socialized.”

Thanks to Chandra for sharing this great cause.  I’m heading over to vote for The Old Dog House right now.  How about you?

 

Share

Weight Loss with a Wag Blog Tour

Posted on by
13

I have a real treat for you today… my pal Peggy Frezon, the author of Dieting with My Dog, has offered me the chance to ask her a few questions as part of the “Weight Loss with a Wag” blog tour.  Fun, right?

Before we dive into the questions, I’ll share some quick background.  Peggy has written a book called Dieting With My Dog: One Busy Life, Two Full Figures, and Unconditional Love.  I know I’ve had my own struggles with weight, although I never stopped to think about how that could affect Bella.  Peggy’s book is definitely food for thought (pun totally intended).  She muses, “Were my bad habits causing my dog to gain weight too?”  It’s a great question.

However, it’s more than a book about weight loss – it’s about a journey that Peggy and her pup Kelly took together and the bond that they have.  I couldn’t wait to ask Peggy some questions about the book.  Read on, friend…


1. What inspired you to write this book? 
When Kelly’s vet told me that she needed to lose weight or she’d be at risk
for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and more…I realized,
I’d heard all those same warnings from my own doctor. I also realized
that there was a connection between overweight pets and overweight pet
parents, and many others were struggling the same as I was. I hope the
book will inspire others who want to get fit with their dog.

 

2. What is your biggest weight loss challenge? 
Probably exercise. I just don’t really enjoy running, dancing, lifting,
pedaling… and I’ve found that I have to keep doing it, and keep
working harder, in order to keep the weight off.

 

3. What did you find to be the most challenging part of the writing process? 
The writing part is easy, and I was lucky enough to get an agent right
away. Then came the long process of finding a publisher. This is
a difficult time in the publishing industry, with a shift toward ebooks,
and no one quite knowing how that is all going to fall, so editors are
skittish about taking new, unproven authors. I was lucky and my book was
accepted by an awesome publisher of great dog books.

 

4.  Do you have any tips for dieting with an older dog? 
Kelly is 9 so I guess she’s considered a senior now. I think it is always
important to have your vet check them over to make sure there are no
underlying problems that might contribute to weight gain. Next, I think
it’s important to know their limitations physically. Some older dogs
tire easily or have joints that hurt to walk and run. I think finding
the best, low fat, good nutrition food for your senior dog (whether you
prefer home made or commercial) will really help best in weight loss.
Also of course, healthy snacks like carrots and bananas.

 

5. Finally, a slightly off-topic question… what’s your favorite TV show? (You know I’m a pop culture junkie.)
Fun! Ok this is going to sound like I watch way too much TV!  I assume you
mean currently running TV.  I think 30 Rock is my favorite. No, Big Bang
Theory. Wait, I mean Modern Family. Parenthood. Wait!  I love Gordon
Ramsey! Ok, ok, do I have to admit it? I really enjoy Survivor.

Thanks again to Peggy for giving me the chance to interview her.  (Also, no shame on that TV answer… if I told you how many I watch, you’d think I do nothing else.)

You can learn more about Peggy’s book by following the “Weight Loss With A Wag” blog tour – so fun! You can also like Dieting with my Dog on Facebook.

Share

Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Dulci & Elizabeth

Posted on by
6

Every Sunday I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  In particular, I’ll be sharing adorable adoptables from the Humane Society of Fairfax County (HSFC) and A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (A Forever Home).

November is Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month, so I’ve got some lovely senior pets to share with you today.  You know I think that senior pets rock, so let’s find them some homes!

First up, meet Dulci!  This cute cat is approximately 9 years old.  Here’s her bio from HSFC:

“Very playful. Would make a great friend for another cat that needs a ‘perpetual kitten’ playmate. Likes to sleep on the foot of the bed or
your feet at night. Other than ‘hard play,’ her favorite past time is
eating!”

 

Think this perpetual kitten is for you?  If so, visit the HSFC website for more information.  To view the other pets available for adoption at HSFC, click here.

Up next, meet Elizabeth!  This Chow Chow mix is approximately 11 years old and weighs 36 pounds.   Here’s her bio from A Forever Home:

“Hi, my name is Elizabeth and I am looking for a new home. AFH rescued
me from an awful life where I had to live outside all of the time. No
one really cared about me when I lived outside and I developed heartworm
and had all sorts of infections and parasites. The doctor said I have
the worst arthritis that he has ever seen. All of my infections are now
gone. My heartworm has been treated and I have been eating good food so
I look and feel much better. I would love to live in a home with
carpet so I can walk around and follow my mom or dad or go into the
other rooms to check things out.

Oh, I am supposed to tell you that I am
completely house trained, so no worries there. It would also be nice if
there were only a couple of stairs to go to the back yard. Right now, I
have to be carried down a flight of stairs. And, sometimes when my
foster mom is busy in the yard, I start to walk up the stairs by myself.
Since my balance is not so good, she runs over to help so I do not fall
down and really hurt myself.

My foster mom says I am tenacious with a
high spirit who does not like to give up. She also says I try to frolic
and it makes her laugh. She really loves me, but thinks there is
someone who can offer me more that what she can provide and really wants
me to find the perfect forever home. I am so much better off now, but
my foster mom says I deserve the best since things were so bad for so
many years. And, who am I to argue? Be sure to contact AFH if you
would like to meet me. Thanks, Elizabeth

P.S. Be sure to watch my
video!”

If you think you have the perfect home for Elizabeth, visit A Forever Home for more information or email Info@aforeverhome.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at A Forever Home, click here.

A Forever Home also has a weekly adoption event at the PetCo in Chantilly.  For the address and to find out more info, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the weekly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these lovely ladies?  Then contact HSFC or A Forever Home.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for Dulci and Elizabeth!


Bios and photos used with permission from HSFC and A Forever Home.
 

Share

Take the pledge: don’t support puppy mill pet stores

Posted on by
9

You may recall that for October’s Blog the Change for Animals, I joined several other bloggers to tell Petland USA to stop selling pets in its stores.  (If this issue is new to you, learn more about the pet store/puppy mill connection here.)

Over 45,000 people  have signed the petition, but Petland USA has not changed its ways.  For that reason, I’m sharing a call to action from Mary Haight (of the Dancing Dog Blog), who led the charge on this issue in October.

Want to get involved? Join us in telling Petland USA that until they stop supporting puppy mills, we’re not supporting them.  I’ve reproduced the instructions below.  For more info and background, visit here.

From Change.org:

Sometimes pictures can be more effective than words. Since
they have the power to help stop this, remind Petland USA what breeder
puppy mill dogs look like.  Estimates report there are more than a
million of them trapped in hopeless lives.

We need your help THIS WEEKEND with this simple action. It should only take 10 minutes of your time:

1) Download the images in this blog post to your computer (right-click and “save as”).
2) Post these images to your Facebook profile and ask your network to share.
3) If you have a blog, please re-post these instructions and
share widely! If not, please email your networks with a link to the original blog post.

[Editor’s Note: Over on the Change.org post there are actually 4 steps – however, upon learning of this weekend’s call to action, Petland blocked postings of these images to its franchise Facebook pages.  Guess they don’t want their customers to see where their pets might have come from….]

Spread the word and take the pledge – don’t support puppy mill pet stores!

Share

Corgis (and Ryan Gosling)… in… space!

Posted on by
12

Before we get into the usual Friday linkage, I wanted to take a moment to thank the veterans who have served our country.  We owe them a great deal.  As always on this holiday, my thoughts go to the poem “In Flanders Field” – those verses say so very much.  If you have a chance, I also recommend you check out these amazing and inspiring photos from a new book on canine soldiers.

Now, it’s time for your usual installment of No Frown Friday…

  1. We begin, as always, with punny pet names, this time with a farming twist: Billy Goat Idol.
  2. Take an iconic album cover.  Insert adorable kitten(s).  Achieve awesomeness.  (Bonus punny pet name: David Meowie.)
  3. Also awesome?  Puppies running in slow motion.  You know I can’t resist puppies having a Chariots of Fire moment.
  4. Apparently the Internet is all about giving me plenty of slow-mo dogs this week.  Thanks, Internet.
  5. This next one’s not slow-mo, but it’s fantastic… talk about a unique dog.
  6. Now it’s time to answer an age-old question.  Forget puppies versus babies, the real cute-off is between puppies and Ryan Gosling. (I’m beginning to think Gosling needs his own category on the blog.  Oh, fine – here you go.)

Another topic that makes frequent appearances?  Space.  So, without further ado, I give you this week’s video:  Corgis… in… space!



 (If you can’t get enough space, go watch Nyan Cat too.  Someone should come up with Nyan Gosling Cat.  Get on it, Internet.)

That concludes your regularly scheduled linkage.  Before I go, you should know that a pretty cool event is going on in blogland this weekend – it’s a Blogpocalypse!  A group of wonderful bloggers will be participating in a blogathon to raise support for various causes.  I hope you’ll check them out.  (If you do, you might even see a guest post from me over at My Brown Newfies!)

Share

Shelter employee fired for taking non-crappy photos of dogs

Posted on by
28
Ernie 24
Shameless plug – adopt Ernie!

You know I’m all about the notion that better photos can help dogs get adopted.  It’s logical, after all.  I’m always drawn to a photo of a pup with more personality.  (Speaking of personality… at right, you’ll see a photo I took when I volunteered at a local shelter last month.)

Anyway, today I’m here to share a story about something that strikes me as completely illogical.  Let’s say you’re a shelter… you have a crappy camera and have some crappy photos of adoptable dogs up on your website.  An employee decides to use her higher-quality DSLR to snap some photos of dogs scheduled to be euthanized and shares them in hopes of finding a rescue group or potential adopter who could save the dogs.

This woman displayed initiative, saw a problem, and took steps to improve the situation. Sounds like Employee of the Year material to me.  In reality, she joined the ranks of the unemployed.


According to the New York Times, Emily Tanen was fired from Animal Care and Control of New York City for taking photographs of animals scheduled to be euthanized.  Why?  Her photographs apparently violated her employer’s rules regarding photos – specifically, who can take photos, how the animals can be photographed, and how the photos can be used.  (One rule precludes showing humans in photos with the animals – apparently this extends to body parts such as a hand.  Even with my limited experience, I can tell you that it’s not always possible to get a photo of a nervous dog without a human’s arm or elbow somewhere in the frame.)

Emily took some lovely photos of the dogs that put the official shelter photos to shame.  It sounds like those photos helped some animals escape death row. Instead of seeing the potential here, the shelter fired her.  (Another former volunteer has also expressed displeasure with the fact that the shelter wanted to tightly control any of the photographs he took instead of allowing him to post them on his Facebook page.  Since when is wider exposure for an animal in need of a home a bad thing?)

Don’t get me wrong – I realize that not all shelters have the time or resources to devote to getting some truly fantastic photographs of adoptable animals.  They may not have enough volunteers to do so – in fact, the article suggests that there are only a handful of volunteers to take photos for the entire city shelter system involved here.  In addition, I’m sure there are sometimes valid legal reasons that an organization like this one would want to control the use of photos or set forth standards.

However, why not try to find a middle ground?  Perhaps the shelter could have taken this opportunity to revisit its policies and come up with a plan for getting photos of the animals that would both be acceptable to the shelter and would increase the animals’ chances of adoption.  (Similarly, in the case of the other volunteer I mentioned above, perhaps agreeing to a reasonable way that the photos could be circulated while noting that he did not officially represent the shelter would have been an option.)

This story isn’t about a lack of resources – you have an employee who is willing and able to help take better photos of the animals.  Perhaps she violated the policy, but wouldn’t a reprimand would have made more sense than firing her?

You can read the full New York Times article here.

UPDATE 11/15/11: There appears to be an online petition circulating to get Emily her job back.  If you’d like to learn more, click here.

 

Share

Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Belle & Buddy

Posted on by
7

Every Sunday I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  In particular, I’ll be sharing adorable adoptables from the Humane Society of Fairfax County (HSFC) and A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (A Forever Home). 

November is Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month, so I’ve got some lovely senior pets to share with you today.  You know I think that senior pets rock, so let’s find them some homes.  Let’s get to it!

First up, meet Belle the Beagle!  This lovely Beagle/Dachshund mix is approximately 11 years old.  (She looks a bit like my Bella, don’t you think?  With that resemblance, she’s obviously 100% adorable.)  Here’s her bio from A Forever Home:

“Belle is a sweet dog in search of friendship, love and comfort. She
tends to enjoy being a super loyal friend to mainly one person and
doesn’t want to have you out of her sight. Belle warms up quickly to
women and those who are soft spoken. Hanging out in the yard, going for
car rides, or just hanging around the house are all things Belle has a
good time doing if she is in your company. She would do well as an only
dog or as a part of a dog pack. Belle enjoys the company of her many
foster dog friends, but also craves to be the center of her loyal
friend’s attention. Belle is fully housetrained and crate trained. She
is a very smart lady dog and can do several fun tricks, including ‘What
up dog?’ (fancy shake), ‘Roll Over’, and even balance a treat on her
nose. If you think you could be Belle’s best friend and provide a
loving, calm home for Belle please send us an email and come meet her.”

If you want to be Belle’s best friend, visit A Forever Home for more information or email Info@aforeverhome.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at A Forever Home, click here.

A Forever Home also has a weekly adoption event at the PetCo in Chantilly.  For the address and to find out more info, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the weekly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Next up, meet Buddy the Basset Hound!  (Apparently I’m all about the alliteration today.)  Isn’t he handsome?  Here’s his bio from HSFC:

“Don’t let Buddy’s age keep you from coming out to meet
this adorable purebred Basset Hound. He is such a sweet boy. At 8 yrs.
he still has lots of spunk and is always ready and willing to go for
long walks whenever you are. He’s great with other dogs and loves people
of all ages. He’s housebroken, loves attention, and will be a really
good companion for someone who doesn’t want to play fetch all day and
night. Give Buddy a chance to show you he can be the best pal you’ve
ever had. 

Attributes: Best Friend you’ll ever have!”
 

Think this young at heart pup knows the way to your heart?  If so, visit the HSFC website for more information.  To view the other pets available for adoption at HSFC, click here.
Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these sweethearts?  Then contact HSFC or A Forever Home.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for Belle and Buddy!


Bios and photos used with permission from HSFC and A Forever Home.
 

Share

Take a cue from the dog and treat yo self

Posted on by
20

First of all, some good news: Bella’s long national nightmare is over.  Her staples have been removed and she’s gotten clearance to say goodbye to her cone.  (Just in time, too… I think Bella has had enough of my attempts at cone humor.)

Thank goodness for the Comfy Cone, however.  I don’t think Bella would have ever forgiven me had I made her wear that plastic one for two weeks.  They had a good run, Bella and her Comfy Cone.  In fact, Bella’s flashlight costume won her first prize in Comfy Cone’s Halloween contest!  This cone, at least, had a (reflective) silver lining.

Moving on… in honor of Bella’s good news and inspired by Parks and Recreation, I think you should treat yo self this weekend.  Life can really take its toll on you sometimes, so every now and then it’s important to take it easy.  Our dogs seem to know how to live in the moment and enjoy life, and I’m pretty sure Bella doesn’t feel the least bit bad when she decides to treat herself.  Talk about a good role model.  I’ll help get you started…

  1. Your punny pet name for the week: Tom Catterford As a bonus, here’s one for the neighborhood deer: Ron Fawnson.
  2. Start your morning off right.  Play this song when you wake up.  It’s better than coffee. (No joke, I want to wake up to this song every morning. I am confident that I could do anything after listening to it.)
  3. You might consider planning a day trip with your best friend.  Just get out and enjoy the world.  (Note: words cannot even describe how much I love the video linked to here.)
  4. If a trip’s not in the cards, perhaps you should treat yourself to some culture – spend some quality time gazing at these photos from the Water Droplet Zoo. It’ll make you feel like a real aristoquack.
  5. After lunch, take in a classic movie with a real cinema buff.
  6. Don’t worry, your day should include some silly moments too.  Enjoy some comic relief, such as these dogs in wigs.
  7. Why not broaden your horizons and make a new friend today?
  8. Whatever you do this weekend, remind yourself that there’s so much to be happy about if you just know where to look.

You might be wondering how to cap off a nice day of treating yourself.  Never fear, I have it all taken care of. First, find someone to drive you around so you can relax.  Then, if you’re into the arts, might I recommend tickets to the ballet?

Not your style?  That’s okay.  If you’re a sports fan, how about a hockey game?

However you choose to spend your weekend, I hope it’s a good one and that you find some time to treat yourself.  If all else fails, just forget about the world for a while and do your own happy dance.

Share