Lily The Delightful Rat Terrier (Click to enlarge)

This sweet little girl has never had issues with aggression because she has never been abused or neglected. Terry and I work with many dogs of all different breeds and all different histories and behaviors.  We think we know what we’re doing and have a process whereby we ask human companions if their dogs will be alright with us touching them.  But even a professional can make a mistake.

I usually say I have only one rule in my studio.  No one should get hurt having their picture taken…ahhh but if a naughty photog doesn’t use good common sense the blood flowing won’t be the subject’s.  Here’s a reminder for all those dog lovers who come in contact with many dogs they don’t know.  Always, ALWAYS ask the human companion (the only one in the relationship who speaks English) if the dog you’re approaching will be all right being touched BEFORE you touch her/him.

Yup.  Terry got tagged today.  She was distracted and didn’t follow our own rules.  She offered her hand to an aggressive dog AS she was asking about the dog.  This rescued dog has issues because of being abused in his former life.  Uh uh.  Nope.  Not smart to offer him a bite.  This is a lesson to all those with children as well.  Teach them NOT to extend their hands to ANY dog they haven’t asked about.

We want to tell those involved that we realize our part in the mishap.  It was a lesson learned by all.  Communication is the key.

Christmas Family With Rainbow & Bella The Yellow Labs (Click to enlarge)

No, nothing has happened to these two wonderful Labs, Rainbow and Bella.  They are fine.  They were hearty, rambunctious, inquisitive and playful when we last saw them.  That’s the job description of Labrador Retrievers.  It’s also what gets many of them in a lot of trouble.

I post these girls today because I’ve just received word that a friend of ours is waiting to find out if her two beloved Labs will live after eating part of a Sago Palm.  She asked me to post something to warn others of this deadly plant.  The ingestion of very minute amounts of this plant can cause irreparable damage.

Recently I had a conversation with someone concerning the danger of dogs having access to chocolate.  She said she gives her dog chocolate because he likes it.  I said she is lucky because it’s poison to some dogs.  I’m afraid many might think the same of a Sago Palm.  Unlike chocolate, however, Sagos can kill ANY dog, any cat and any horse.  My friend’s two Labs are both in a coma as we speak.

Don’t believe me?  Check out HappyDogsPlay.com’s post on March 20th last year.  Sisters Pet Pics has a Toxicity page with three great sites listing all dangerous and poisonous plants to animals.  Top on the list?  SAGO PALMS!  Still not convinced?  Go to Snopes.com’s entry about Sago Palms.  They researched it and deemed this warning TRUE (!).

Some people might have a potted Sago in their home.  If you live with cats PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of the Sago.  It’s deadly.

I hope my readers heed this warning.  If you have a plant and nothing has happened yet (as occurred with my friend’s Labs) you have a ticking time bomb in your yard.  It’s only a matter of time until a seed is next to some other tasty morsel and it’s ingested by your beloved pet.  Don’t let this happen to you dear reader.

Mike Myhal With Mandy & Susie (Click to enlarge)

Of course you do.  How can you watch your beloved dogs all moments of their outdoors day?  I know I can’t.  There are many hazards which can befall your dogs when they are unattended.  We all try to keep them safe from them, but one in particular has happened to us, and I want to share it with you so you can be aware and take precautions.

Some years ago I lived with and loved a Sheltie, Sky, and a rescued Vizsla mix, Digger.  Yes, Digger was a digger, but she generally kept her digging away from the perimeter.  Sky was a tiny blue merle with the sweetest of dispositions.  She was partially blind and  fearful of storms.  Our dogs were allowed to go indoors or out through a doggie door 24 hours a day.  The yard was fenced on 4 sides with chain link except for a wood gate over the paved driveway.

One day I arrived home after a storm to find the corner of the gate had been completely chewed and pulled away to the size of a basketball.  Two of our three dogs, Sky and Digger, were missing.  One or both of them must have become so stressed during the storm that they tore a hole big enough for both to crawl through.  We found Sky on the side of the road a few hours later.  We never found Digger, though we never stopped looking.

I tell you the nightmare of this story to emphasize the importance of keeping your pet safe…always.  I did not, and still mourn the loss of my two friends.  I will never let this happen again.  Today our dogs live within the confines of a wood privacy fence, but we also have a Hidden Fence.  Now, I know there are those who will tell you that this is cruel and animals should not be forced to wear these collars or be exposed to brutal punishment during the training.  The man in the photograph to the right is Mike Myhal, owner/operator of Pet Care – Hidden Fence.  He’s with his beloved dogs, Susie and Mandy.  Mandy, on the right, is 17.  Both these dogs are just as gentle as is Mike himself.  He has a method of training which is quite humane.  His exclusive GentleStart Method focuses on creating the least amount of stress and distress.  No other company in the hidden fence industry shares this strategy.

I can attest to the product.  Our dogs are safe and have the run of the place.  Although our Dachshunds would escape in a heartbeat if they could get to the perimeter, they busy themselves with digging mine holes in the middle of the yard instead.  That’s just where I want them.  I’ve had this fence since I lost Sky and Digger 9 years ago.  Visit Mike’s site for more information.  Give him a call if you’re still unsure.  Believe me — the peace of mind the fence gives us is worth every penny.  Want to talk more about this subject or others?  Post a comment here.  I’d like to know what you think about this fence.

For the next clue in the Where In The World is Sisters Pet Pics Contest (Check the last week of posts to get more clues and explanation):  On your way brake for ducks and their babies…perhaps some geese too!  Come on folks, you have to guess online to be eligible for the 10% discount.

The Painted Colt Says, 'Wait for me!" (Click to enlarge)

Don’t you just want to wrap your arms around this little guy and kiss him all over?  He’s just as charming a guy as he can be.  It’s a little difficult to see here, but an unshod horse, as is this baby, of course, moves by placing the heel of his foot down first, and pushing off with the toe .  Yep, I didn’t know that either until just recently.  For those who don’t know, unshod means without those metal shoes hammered to the bottom of their feet.  Shoes keep equines from moving properly.

The information for natural horse husbandry that wasn’t available to me when I was a girl with a horse, is out there now.  Horses should not wear shoes.  They cause dis-ease and, in extreme cases, can be the primary reason for euthanizing.  Don’t take my word for it.  Do some research;  it will astound you.  Start with Joe Camp’s site. You don’t know Joe Camp?  Oh yes you do.  He’s an advocate for children and animals.  He’s a speaker and writer, but what you know him for is all the Benji stories.  He wrote, directed and produced 21 Benji movies and television programs.

While living in California with his current Benji and other dogs, he became interested in horses.  Recently he’s written a love story called The Soul of a Horse and is working on a sequel. If you love animals, and have ever loved horses, you will be captivated by this book.  Don’t forget to visit his blog too.  His rescuing of Noelle, the pregnant wild mustang, is mesmerizing.  A lot of what I thought I knew about horses is debunked.  Keep up with his blog posts as he gentles Noelle.

I came across his site while dreaming, as I am wont to do.  What do I dream about?  I dream of rescuing all those indigenous wild mustangs who are going to slaughter because the ranching conglomerates are gobbling up all the western land for cattle raising.  There are a mere 65,000 mustangs left in the wild.  Half of those are already captured and are languishing in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) facilities.

If these horses are not adopted, the BLM is threatening to slaughter them, as there is no room for them.  If you have room in your heart and on your land; if you are willing to do the research to care for them naturally, using the methods of gentling and training suggested by experts such as Monty Roberts and Frank Bell, the Horse Whisperer, then visit the Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Internet Adoption site.  Be prepared to be astounded by the beauty of wild mustangs.  Then picture them slaughtered.

The House of Representatives has just recently passed a bill to allocate more land for these wonderful indigenous wild creatures.  It’s up to the Senate now.  We know how busy they are at the moment.  It is my fear that they will go on hiatus without doing a dang thing about this.  Please, please write and call your Senators and demand that they pass this bill…NOW.

For more about this abomination, please read Joe Camp’s blog post, “Contrary to What Some Are Saying in the Media, Wild Horses Are Very Much Indigenous and Native to the Western United States“, the June 27th entry of his blog.  This is important.  We’ve seen politicians re-write history.  They’re doing it now.  The ranchers and lobbyists are trying to say that the horse is not indigenous to the U.S.; that’s why they think it’s okay to kill them, I guess.

Read the facts.  Then act.  All lives are important.  We must stop the slaughter.

Hawk At Work (Click to enlarge)

Hawk-eying (Click to enlarge)

Just when you thought it was safe for your four pound dog or puppy to hang out in your yard…

I barely had my eyes open this morning when I saw, more than heard, a commotion in the bamboo.  I put down my coffee, pointed and said, “Something!  Something!  Something!”  Old woman shorthand for, check the dogs!   Count heads!

Our home is populated by small animals and Julia, a normal sized Foxhound-type dog.  The dogs have free entry/exit privileges through a doggie door.   Because they’re all less than 15 pounds, except for Julia, who is about 35 pounds, it’s always concerned me that although we live in a subdivision, what I would call the ‘burbs’, Louisiana is a place that is more like a horse than a piece of land.  It will always be wild.  All accounted for.  Whew!  Then what?

I’ve made jokes about how we have to take back our yard from the jungle on a weekly, daily schedule, or the natural, untamed elements will own the spot.  I don’t care if you’ve concreted your drive or installed an in-ground pool, the wildness of Louisiana will not be deterred.

That’s why I love Louisiana.  That’s also why it is imperative that we take seriously the hazards for our small pets that are ever present in our own backyards.

The prey?  A small bird hiding in the bamboo.  The bloodless, frighteningly efficient execution was over in less than 3 seconds.  The dance of celebration went on for another 30 seconds (pictured left).  The surprisingly delicate consumption of the hapless Chick-a-dee took less than 15 minutes.  At meal’s end, one scathing glance at the photog (pictured right), then off!  The only evidence of the wild-kingdom struggle was a few downy feathers.

I got these, and other more graphic shots, lying on my stomach with my 80-400mm 5.6 lens stuck through the doggie door.  What a great blind the utility room became.  Across the yard was what appeared to be an immature Red-tailed Hawk.  My dozing dogs, luckily inside, were awakened by my sprawled legs interfering with their morning nap.  They thought this was a great time to play tickle-all-over while I was on the floor where they could reach.  If they suspected what was just on the other side of the door, the photographic opportunity would be over.

This 22″ long, 50″ wing-spanned guy or gal was undisturbed by my clicking camera, a mere 30′ from his or her picnic area.  I would guess her/his weight to be 4 pounds.  I give you these statistics because I want you to compare this wild creature’s size to the size and weight of that beloved pet on your lap.  These animals can fly away with anything of less weight than they are.  They can do damage to larger animals with their sharp talons and beak.

This is not to say we should be afraid of these primordial and beautiful creatures.  We simply need to respect and protect.  Respect them, and protect our small family members.  Also, love and appreciate a land which still supports this life.

Let’s talk about the photographic elements of these captures.  The one on the left – 1/160, f5.3, ISO 800.  How in the world is any bird, even the least bit in focus at that shutter speed?  It is shocking, really.  This was in the beginning, when I was pressing buttons, changing settings, viewing the histogram, and shooting as quickly as I could.  Expose right, expose right (see Shoot Right for explanation), I kept screaming in my head.  At ISO 800, the Nikon D200 will be noisy.  It can be fixed if I expose right.

The image on the right – 1/320, f5.3, ISO 800.  By this time I had quite a few captures, though none of them great, I was sure, but I felt I had time to change things up a little more.  I changed the mode to Shutter Speed Priority.  I found that I could shoot at 1/320.  The camera picked f5.3 and it’s a fairly decently exposed image, though still not as noise-free and tack sharp as I would have liked.

Neither capture is really worth celebrating, except as a topic for discussion.  So let’s discuss.

]]> http://www.sisterspetpics.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/backyard-dinosaur/feed/ 0 http://www.sisterspetpics.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/frida-the-chihuahua-kisses-the-sky/ http://www.sisterspetpics.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/frida-the-chihuahua-kisses-the-sky/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:00:35 +0000 admin http://www.sisterspetpics.com/blog/?p=1721

Frida Kahlo The Chihuahua Kisses The Sky (Click to enlarge)

You’ve met our Frida before.  Befitting of her stature, hers was the first photo posted on this blog, Let’s Talk About Frida Kahlo.  Although she’s kind of new to us – we adopted her about 2½ years ago – this week was the first presentation of her senior-ness.  We knew she had a little age on her when she came into our lives at 8 or 9 years old, but she’s always acted so puppy-like, my fear of saying good-bye to another love of my life did not surface…until now.

Frida might be 10 or 11…or even 12.  She has the personality and demeanor of a puppy and we encourage that, but…did you see that?  Was that a limp?  No.  Can’t be.  She’s our silly little girl, but then it happened again.  Finally after watching her so closely for two days that she told me in no uncertain terms to, “Step awaaaaay from my behind.  Really, I’m not kidding QUIT IT!”  I was too worried to listen.

I’ve never heard of a Chihuahua having arthritis.  Alas, Frida is now on pain meds and glucosamine.  The good news is, she’s less than 5 pounds so I can carry her.  The bad news is, she doesn’t like to be carried…she’s not your average Chihuahua.  The vet tells us that she shouldn’t jump around anymore.  Huh?  Frida thinks she runs the world, not just our home.  How do I keep her from jumping when she wants to?

In this funny image of Frida, that ever-present tongue (hangs out because she doesn’t have many teeth), is expressing its desire to lick the doggles off her face.  At first I didn’t like the image, but it’s so Frida.  Sometimes in the dark I can see her almost-irridescent tongue going a mile a minute.  It lets me know that all is well.  I don’t know what I’ll do when it stops.

Chloe & Dreamer The Greyhounds (Click to enlarge)

When we bought tainted pet food, and subsequently found that some distributors and manufacturers attempted to hide or suppress all the details until many pets were lost, we were livid.  When it became obvious that this wasn’t going away they paid…and are still paying.  You can read the fight Menu Foods is putting up now at ITCHMO.

The Associated Press reports “Four of the six joint supplements for animals tested by ConsumerLab.com lacked the amounts of glucosamine or chondroitin promised on their labels or had other flaws, such as lead. Wider testing by a trade group of 87 brands found that one-quarter fell short.”  What?!  They go on to say, they will not release the names of the companies or the supplements.

This is abominable.  Some of us have dealt with one of the symptoms of age in our companions, arthritis.  Other than involving veterinarian medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry for pain, supplements are all we can do to help our pets slow or stop bone degeneration.  Was this front page newsworthy?  How about any page?  I could’t find much out about it after reading it on Unleashed, a blog published by the Baltimore Sun, and written by Jill Rosen.  Read the article in its entirety to get righteously angry:  Arthritis supplements short change pets, test finds.

The fact that these companies have lied about ingredients in their supplements is bad enough, but why are Consumer Lab and the “trade group” allowed to suppress this information?  Now I know that a supplement I’m dispensing to our dogs could contain lead, and not contain all the glucosamine that it says it has…but Consumer Lab doesn’t want to interfere with the manufacturers ability to sell this product, so we don’t want to tell you what four products are deficient.  Huh?!  What about the 22 other brands that “fell short”?  We can’t know those either?

If anyone has ideas about how we can better protect our scaly, feathered and furry companions, please let us know.  Until then, how the heck can we see the full report?

While we’re doing this, Chole and Dreamer will put their heads together and serve as their own supplements.

Chloe The Rescued Retired Greyhound Racer (Click to enlarge)

Although I have many more Little Tchefuncte River Golden Retriever proofs that I may post in coming days and weeks, I feel inspired to talk about Greyhounds today.  Chloe arrived with her mom and house-sister, Dreamer, for the 2010 calendar shoot.  If you have been keeping up, you know that I am awed by these dogs, and the heroic people who adopt them.

I do dwell on the heroism of Greyhound rescuers, but let’s face it, these are special dogs.  If there wasn’t such a need for people to step up and add one to their family, if they qualify, I think we could keep their sweet dispositions a secret.  When you consider that these dogs came from situations where they lived in crates, except for minutes at a time, when they race or empty, it’s remarkable how quickly they fall right into being…well…dogs.

No racing Greyhound is supplied with toys; it’s just not done.  But they come into their forever homes learning quickly that a squeaky toy is buckets of fun.  I’ve rescued many dogs over the years and some simply do not play…with anything, but most Greyhounds come into the studio loving the sound of a cheeping toy.  Frida, our Chihuahua, has no interest in toys.  She had a rough little life too, but the most playing I ever saw her do is being really animated with a grape before eating it.

Greyhounds seem so much more forgiving of past abuse than many other breeds.  I guess it always stuns me when I see horribly abused dogs shine up to any human when they have been removed from the abusive situation.  Big hearts reside in those large Greyhound chests.  Contact Greyhound Pets of America or Greyhound Pets of America – Louisiana Chapter for information about being one of these heroes.

As always, please comment on my post or photo.  What do you like or dislike about this image?  Come on, don’t be shy.

IMPORTANT JULY 11TH UPDATE:  A number of you wrote (I don’t konw why I can’t get y’all to post online ) to tell me about why we need to avoid giving our dogs grapes and raisins:  They are harmful to dogs’ health!  They can cause renal failure in some dogs.  Cease and desist.  Poor Frida, it’s the only toy she ever showed an interest in.  Good thing I never made a habit of it.  Here are a couple of articles I was sent off-line:  Grapes, Nuts and Other Foods Your Dog Should Avoid and Raisins/Grapes, by the Merck Veterinary Manual.  Thank you to all who responded with this important information.

Fred The Greyhound (Click to enlarge)

Though Fred enjoys a little time in the sun, he reminds us of some potential dangers that the summer season may expose us to.  You may think I’m going to remind you NEVER to leave your dog in a car when you just need to hop out to run a quick errand, with or without the windows rolled down, because the inside of a car can reach temperatures of 110° in 10 minutes or less.  The inside of the car acts like a greenhouse…no place for an animal.  You may think I’m going to say that you need to provide your dog with water and shade when you bring her/him to the beach, and just because they act like they still want to chase that Frisbee they need a rest or they can suffer sun burn and heat exhaustion too.  But you already know this, don’t you?

Today I’m going to share a camera trick that you should employ when taking your camera on these hot summer outings.  Data shows that different cameras behave slightly differently in high and low temperature situations, but temps lower than about 20°F will impact your battery and you may need to toggle between batteries when you keep one in your warm pocket.  High temperatures, like those in a parked automobile, can reach 130° and higher, and your camera and computer equipment can literally burn up.  The danger zone begins at about 115°, which can occur inside a camera left in the sun.  What to do?  We want those photos of our pets and family having summer fun, right?  Have a cooler in your car with a small ice pack and put your camera in it.  It works!  Don’t place your camera right on the ice; wrap it in a towel.  This will protect it from baking temperatures and allow you to take your camera to all events and leave it secured and climate controlled in your car.  The cooler even disguises your valuables!

So get out there and let’s see your summer shots.  Post them here!

Brody The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Click to enlarge)

Meet Brody.  Twelve years of still active and willing.  Though diabetic (insulin twice a day) he looked spry to us when he arrived for his time in the lights.  If glancing quickly you may not see his gentleness, in spite of his exaggerated under-bite.  In this age of improving-daily veterinary practices and procedures, many more of us will be graced with our beloved animal friends much longer than ever before…but not all of us.

Surprisingly, veterinary medicine is still not universally accessible for all pets..  They have had the technology to improve and lengthen a dog’s life for quite some time, but the extreme expense of treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy has forced many of us to make an impossible choice.  Thousands of dollars is an insurmountable sum for many loving, but working class pet owners.

Today I do not criticize or judge; I lament these costs and wonder why we have allowed the seeming uncontrolled breeding of a species to the detriment of that species.  If there are too many dogs and cats to afford each of them adequate medical care, then why have we allowed their numbers to swell beyond what a person, family, community, country can care for?

Revolutionary thought coming, one from which a more practicable solution may arise.  Imagine what would happen if there was a moratorium on breeding puppies and kittens for five years.  Radical, for sure, but even if we could not trap/capture all ferals and stop their breeding, if we weren’t replacing them daily with puppies and kittens purposely bred in homes and kennels, within five years the population would be reduced significantly.  My breeder readers could take heart that in five years your puppies and kittens will be cherished and sought after.  As I do not have empirical data to support this claim, I will quite understand reader dissension, but it must be time for some new plan.

Insane: doing the same thing and expecting a different result.  We cannot continue to place this burden on the few no-kill shelters and independent rescuers acting on their own.  In some cases these rescuers deny their human family so they may help in this cause.  We have two choices.  Throw money at it or throw laws at it.  One thing I know, chugging along as we’ve been will not improve the lives of animals.

Luckily sweet Brody cares not a lick about this discussion.  His care is exceptional, and his sunset years will be spent receiving the advantages of all the medical advances.