to kill a Mockingbird

These are nasty, NASTY little birds. As soon as I hit the yard they are after my tail. My TAIL!! Iris and I are just nosing around, looking for just the right place to do our business, when out of the blue......they are strafing us!! This is MY YARD! We have not done anything at all to annoy these annoying feathered creatures. "A sin to kill a Mockingbird"........we will just have to see about that!!!

Summertime Safety

 Summertime, and the living is easy! Here are some ways to keep me safe.

Make sure I have dog tags with my name, address, and phone number. I also have a microchip, so if I do get lost, the animal control officer can scan me and get me reunited with Mom and Dad ASAP!

Never leave me in the car, even if it is “just for a minute.”  Cars heat up very fast, even if it is only 70 degrees outside. Remember that you might be comfortable, but I am wearing a fur coat and my body temperature does not adjust to temperature changes as quickly as yours does.

Signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid pulse, unsteady walk, deep red or purple tongue, vomiting, diarrhea. You must lower the body temperature immediately by:  1) moving the pet to the shade and gradually pour cool (not cold) water over its body to gradually lower the body temperature. 2) Apply icepacks or cold towels to the pet’s head, neck, and chest area only. 3) Let the pet lick ice cubes or ice cream but limit access to cold water. 4) Take the pet immediately to a veterinarian. This could save its life. If you see an animal in a car exhibiting signs of heat stress, call your local animal control or police department immediately!

Walk me in the early morning or in the evening, when it is cooler. If I am a partner in your walking or jogging exercise routine, please bring along some water and a soft bowl (available at pet stores) for me.

If I am outside a lot during the day, please make sure I have a shady place to rest and access to fresh water.  Do not tie me up or chain me. That would be cruel.

If you want to take me boating or to the beach, please consider buying me a life jacket. Believe it or not, some dogs cannot swim at all! Please don’t throw them in. Even though I am a Lab and live for the water, I can get tired or injured and that life jacket might save my life.  And again, bring me my own water and bowl.  You will want to hose me off with fresh water when you leave. Please towel-dry my coat and wipe out and dry my ears.

Summer is often a time when people fertilize their lawns and work in their gardens.  Keep me away from plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides. These can be fatal if I ingest them. Also, over 700 plants are potentially poisonous to me including azaleas, daffodils, lantana, and oleander.

Antifreeze may leak from a car in the summer or anytime during the year. Antifreeze tastes sweet to me, but can be toxic in small amounts. Please be aware of leaking antifreeze and keep containers of it out of reach.

If you are traveling with me, it is a good idea to have the name and address of a Vet where you are visiting, in case I need medical attention.

Fireworks. I don’t like thunder and lightening, so why would you think I would enjoy fireworks? Please leave me at home with a good bone and some country music.

Iris Returns!!

Well, I thought it was just a visit, but my sister Iris has been here two weeks now, and it looks permanent. We get along ok, as long as she doesn't chew my stuffed toys. They are for squeaking only! And, wonder of wonder.....now I like rawhide bones again! Especially if Iris has partially chewed one already! I LOVE to go for walks on the leash with Mom and Dad, but I have to say that Iris needs to learn some self control. I mean, she wants to charge across the street and sniff and play with all these little yip yip dogs that are out walking with their owners. Mom must not care for it either, because she has hired a "dog whisperer" for Iris. The first day Iris went, she came home with a shiny, new metal collar and she was dog tired. Now Mom takes her for at least one solo walk and later we all walk together. Now, I prefer to take the lead, but Iris does not like to be in back and she sure lets you know that. What a WHINER! But, I allow her a little Alpha time, just to be fair. Yup, I am a good dog!!

Buckle Up For Safety

I have talked about this before, but since the travel months are rapidly approaching, I thought I would address it once again. If you have ever thought about buying a seatbelt for your dog, the answer is of course you should. There are only advantages to buying and using a canine auto restraint system. Your dog deserves the same kind of protection that you afford yourself and your family.  There are several reasons to use a canine auto restraint system.
Prevent driver distraction.
This is the most important reason. You don’t want your dog roaming your car. Your attention needs to be focused on driving. Small dogs can be caught under the pedals and all dogs can leap at the driver. And please, don’t ever drive with your dog in your lap. If the airbag deploys in a crash….your dog would be killed instantly. It’s simply not worth the risk of having your dog unrestrained in the car.
Protect your dog.
Your dog deserves the same protection as you and your family.  In a 30-mph collision, occupants of the vehicle can exert a force 20 times that of their body weight! Canine restraint systems protect by absorbing some of this force and distributing the load evenly across the stronger areas of the body, protecting the head, neck, and body from injury. A canine restraint system that reduces this potential impact force can make the difference between life and death, and help prevent serious injury.
Protect yourself, your family, and other passengers in your vehicle.
In an accident, a dog can be thrown with hundreds or even thousands of pounds of force into other occupants of the vehicle, easily causing life-threatening injuries. A good canine restraint system can help minimize this danger.
Prevent your dog from jumping out of the car.
Even well behaved dogs can become distracted. The worst place to lose your dog would be far from home on vacation. Dogs can be seriously injured or killed jumping from even a slow moving vehicle.
Protects rescue workers from being attacked.
If an accident does happen, a dog can be disorientated and confused. The dog may even attack rescue personal attempting to help you. This can be avoided by using a canine auto restraint system.

Many local pet stores carry some type of canine auto restraint system and many more are available on the Internet. So, please do the right thing and buckle up your furry friend for safety!

I am visiting my very best friend Sasha in South Carolina. It is so very cool to have a change of scenery. Sasha lives on a lake so there are bunches of new smells around. My nose is constantly on the ground. Sasha's mom is one of my fav humans. She likes to give me treats, and not carrots either. REAL DOG TREATS! I am in heaven here. Hope we get to hang here for a while!!