A Cat's Prayer

Dear God:
Please protect me from pupedo.
Please let me be an only cat.
Please send me Fancy Feast.
Amen.

Puppy Projectile

I call Andy a rocket pup. My husband calls him a pupedo. Why? Because Andy loves launching himself, full speed ahead, off things and at things. This puppy projectile is highly unpredictable. Peaceful moments of silence are often broken by the sound of Andy's nails skittering on the floor as he heads towards his intended target. Sometimes he launches himself off the couch, pushing his hind legs off it in order to increase velocity and maximize impact. The cats are favored targets of rocket pup. My chest, when I'm lying on the couch, is another favored destination. When you hear pupedo launch be sure to brace yourself and take cover! Pow!  

Heartworms = Heartache

It's the first day of a new month and that means Andy got his monthly dose of heartworm preventative this morning. Heartworms are  invasive parasites, spread through the bite of mosquitoes, that can take up residence in the hearts and lungs of dogs; dogs are considered the primary hosts of this parasite though other mammals can be infected as well. Heartworm prevention is easy and relatively cheap. To treat an active infection on the other hand is difficult, involved, and expensive. If left untreated heartworm disease is fatal. For more detailed information on heartworms and prevention check out the pet owner resources on the American Heartworm Society's website. 

Your dog should be tested for heartworms during his annual wellness check. If he tests negative your vet will recommend a heartworm preventative in order to continue to keep your pup heartworm-free. We purchased a 6 pack of Heartgard Plus (prevents heartworms and intestinal worms) from our vet for around $30.00 and administer the product on the first of every month. The medicine is a beef flavored chewable which Andy chomps up like a treat. When it comes to heartworms an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure. 

Follow the Leader

Primp Your Pit

August is "Primp Your Pit" month. Petsmart Charities has partnered with 63 animal clinics across the country to offer low lost spay/neuter surgeries for owners of pit bull terriers. The campaigns aims to reduce pit overpopulation, a breed euthanized at high rates due to overcrowding at animal shelters, by offering safe, high-quality, spay/neuter surgeries to pit owners. Surgery is $20 and includes a free nail trim.

For a list of participating clinics click here.

Spread the word!

Rethinking the Gentle Leader

So the gentle leader hasn't done much in the way of helping us "lead" Andy.  He still pulls and tugs and fights the leader and after three and half months I'm ready to try something different. I realize the gentle leader, or any training device for that matter, is only as good as the owner that is able to use the tool effectively. I'll be the first to admit we haven't done a good job with leash training Andy, but in the case of the gentle leader, I have additional concerns. I've noticed the leader is causing irritation to the bridge of Andy's muzzle because he pulls against it so hard. I'm concerned he's going to developed an unsightly callous or lose the fur there altogether. I don't want to permanently disfigure my pup so we're going to try a body harness we already have next. This particular harness isn't the best design so I'll be keeping my eyes open for a new one over the next couple of weeks. Anyone have a favorite?