“Hiking 101: Hike responsibly with dogs - Examiner” plus 3 more

Hiking 101: Hike responsibly with dogs - Examiner
Protect your pets from winter weather - Edmonton Journal
Native pets - Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Pet owners fear missing animals might be used as ... - SCNow

Hiking 101: Hike responsibly with dogs - Examiner

Posted: 11 Apr 2010 05:06 PM PDT

Comment

Hiking with your dog is a privilege and a joy but it is not a right. No matter if you are hiking popular public trail systems or alone in the backcountry, it is important to have control of your dog.

In national parks and other public trail systems, there are often rules and restrictions regarding pets. Dogs could be banned from great hiking areas due to misbehavior or irresponsible dog owners. Courtesy to other trail users, always having your dog under your direct control, and safe, responsible hiking will ensure that dogs are welcome on local trails.

Hiking with dogs in the backcountry is not discussed very often but it should be.

Dogs and wildlife can be a dangerous mix. When hiking anywhere that wildlife live, procreate and roam it is important to keep control of dogs. Always have a leash and if you can't call your dog back from a chase, USE your leash. Not only is your dog a threat to wildlife but wildlife is a threat to you if your dog provokes it.

Dog owners/handlers must take responsibility and the initiative to control their dogs. Every season has its challenges for wildlife; spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Spring: This is when they are getting ready to give birth after surviving winter. They are very vulnerable. They are looking for nutrition, heavy with pregnancy, and very protective of their "space." Running them at this time could provoke them, injure them or even cause harm to the fetus.

Summer: After they have given birth they are very protective of their young. One thinks of bears in this situation. Bears and dogs don't mix well at any time, but especially when a sow has cubs with her. She probably wouldn't attack you or your dog unless provoked, but if your dog barks or chases a bear, she may charge the dog and either injure the dog or follow it back to you; and then you are all in trouble. The same is true for moose, elk and deer. They can lash out with their hooves and cause a lot of damage, even death.

Fall: deer, elk and moose are far more aggressive in the fall rut when hormones are raging. They are easily provoked and will wildly defend themselves. They will charge a dog if it chases them or poses a threat by running towards them.

Winter: Animals are struggling to stay warm and find enough food to survive. Depending on snow depth, they can't flee as easily and are more vulnerable to prey.

Year-round be aware of coyotes and cougars, too. Encounters of these animals are rare, but coyote packs could lure a dog in and then attack it. Cougars are stealthy and could consider a dog running at large an easy meal.

Two other smaller but good reasons for a leash are porcupines and skunks. Porcupine quills are very painful when going into a muzzle and even more painful when they are pulled out. And getting the smell of skunk spray out of your dogs coat is a difficult task. Why not just avoid these problems by using a leash.

When recreating on or near rivers or streams don't forget the wild birds. They are particularly vulnerable when nesting in the spring.

Don't be afraid to hike the mountains and backcountry with your dog. Negative encounters are rare especially if you use common sense. Both you and your dog will get fit using nature's Stairmaster and experience amazing sights, sounds and smells (especially your dog).

Be respectful of wildlife and hike responsibly by keeping your dog on a leash and practicing good trail manners while venturing into some spectacular places.

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Protect your pets from winter weather - Edmonton Journal

Posted: 11 Apr 2010 05:06 PM PDT

Fido pauses at the door, reluctant to go outside. Fluffy stares longingly at the window, or spends hours grooming, furiously biting at the fur on her belly. Whether it's combating cabin fever or protecting pets against the elements, our four-legged friends require special care during winter.

While it's true dogs and cats descend from wild animals, domesticated pets exist in a very different environment. Even a breed of dog that generally performs well in low temperatures, like a husky, will not have the same resistance to the snow and cold as sled dogs in Nunavut, which tend to live outdoors.

Pet-industry experts say breed often determines whether you need to dress your dog for the elements.

"It really depends on what kind of activity you're doing with your dog," says animal behaviour consultant Jessica O'Neill (www.foreverfriendsdogtraining.ca).

Walking on sidewalks may be the worst, she says, as salt causes soreness around the dog's pads. A warm, moist pad can freeze on contact with very cold surfaces.

Veterinarian Dr. Ed Beltran adds that the hair between the pads can trap snow and combine with body heat to form balls of ice. "Walking around on that can be very uncomfortable."

If Fido lifts his feet, or seems less enthusiastic about going outside, he would probably benefit from bundling up.

O'Neill says dog shoes, known as booties, are a good solution.

"There are a number of different companies that make them, so it's important to try to find a good fit," she says. "But it is a difficult area to fit."

Ginette Wilson of Ottawa's Critter Jungle agrees.

"It's like buying a bra. They have to come in and try them on."

Critter Jungle sells reusable rubber booties made by Pawz ($15), Ruff Wear boots for hiking and off-leash running ($65 to $80), and Muttluks ($45 to $60), which are best for street walking.

However, finding the right product is only half the battle. O'Neill says most dogs resist wearing shoes, and suggests a gradual approach: Put on one bootie, wait a minute, and reward the dog with treats and praise. Work up to four booties, but if your pet whines or seems uncomfortable, stop and return to the task another day.

There are options, however, to store-bought booties. Beltran says cutting the pad hair back can prevent the problem; coating the area with Vaseline before heading outside also provides protection.

Though paws present the biggest problem, Beltran says older dogs, and those with health problems, benefit from some extra insulation around the abdomen.

"It's classically in the winter months when kidney problems come up," Beltran says.

When it comes to cats, most pet experts agree that they're generally smart enough to stay inside when it's very cold. However, bladder problems often appear during the winter, so owners should be on the lookout for sandy deposits in the urine of their feline friends.

Cats are also prone to depression, Beltran says, particularly if they are used to spending a lot of time outdoors. Watch for excessive grooming, and be ready to play a bit more with Fluffy.

Indeed, making sure pets get enough stimulation in winter is a task in itself.

For people who tend to stay inside during winter, O'Neill suggests taking an obedience class; for a fun alternative, try the new freestyle classes offered by O'Neill and other area trainers. It's a mix of agility and obedience, set to music.

While winter brings new challenges for pet owners, it's not all bad. Beltran notes that the cold weather kills many parasites -- making it a great time for a fecal exam -- and the snow helps owners to identify urine discoloration. He also encourages a bit of overfeeding in the winter --for both dogs and their masters.

Ottawa Citizen

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Native pets - Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Posted: 11 Apr 2010 04:02 PM PDT

Forget about cats or dogs as domestic pets, what about a native animal? It's an idea being floated by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. The idea is to help save endangered wildlife and create a new start-up business for our ailing rural economy. A soon-to-be-released feasibility study is tipped to recommend a trial using two species, the Eastern Quoll, one of Australia's native cats, and the tiny and incredibly cute Mitchell's Hopping Mouse. But there are critics of the move. Possibly the most controversial part of any new 'native pet business' is the thinking behind it, applying market forces to the problem of extinction.

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Pet owners fear missing animals might be used as ... - SCNow

Posted: 11 Apr 2010 06:18 PM PDT

Alice Ammons said she immediately feared someone intended to use her 13-year-old black lab, Spook, for practice for fighting dogs.

She said she can't see any other reason someone would steal such an old dog.

Usually, Spook never went farther than from the back yard, but when he went out March 20, he didn't come back.

"I walked out there and he was gone. They just don't disappear like that," Ammons said.

That night, she slept with the door open surrounded by pictures of the 100-pound dog.

Ammons and other dog owners in the Pee Dee are concerned their missing dogs are being used to train dogs for illegal dogfighting rings. Although some say "bait dogs" are an urban legend, some residents whose dogs go missing under suspicious circumstances think otherwise.

But what looks like a string of dog thefts may be par for the course with the onset of warmer weather.

A letter to the editor from Ammons prompted the Morning News to look into the disappearances.

More than 25 dogs are missing from homes in the Pee Dee, mostly in rural areas, since the end of February. Most of the dogs are small breed dogs weighing 20 pounds or less or puppies. Others were dogs associated with aggression — pit bulls, chows and German shepherds — and older dogs with physical disabilities.

By the time Ammons finishestelling her story, she's in tears.

"Those are the ones that get targeted because they are so docile," she said. "It's hard for me to think he lived for 13 years and ended up like that. That's just so cruel and vicious."

Spook, it turns out, was caught by animal control officers after wandering into someone's yard andreturned to Ammons on April 1.

Her story had a happy ending, but other pet owners haven't been so lucky. Their first thoughts also went to dogfighting, and their dogs disappeared under even more peculiar circumstances.

Melinda James, who lives in Mechanicsville, had a dog go missing 12 years ago and takes the disappearances in her neighborhood very seriously. She spends her free time searching for dogs that have gone missing and concentrates her searches in rural areas.

"I went down roads that most people don't know exist looking for my dog. I found people's houses in places you would never expect people would live and they would meet you with a shotgun in their hand and tell you that you couldn't go any further," she said.

James lives just minutes outside of Darlington where one year ago, 10 pit pulls were seized and four men were arrested in connection with a dogfighting operation.

James said people have even offered her money for the 140-pound Rottweiler/sharpei mix she has now. She keeps this dog inside, but with the doggy door locked.

Disappearing in groups
Barbara Lynch said both of her dogs disappeared in one day from her home near the Roche Carolina plant in Mars Bluff. She said they could have both escaped, but she suspects someone could have taken them. Both the dogs were 5 and were locked in a yard.

Her missing dogs are Lucky, a plott hound and Sugarbell, a Walker hound with only three legs.

Like Ammons, Lynch's first thoughts were dogfighting. "I don't know what someone would want to take someone else's dogs for," she said.

In Florence, Jessica Gatling said her family dog disappeared around the time a black sport utility vehicle was seen in the driveway. In Coward, Ashley Parrot's chihuahua, King, and the neighbor's poodle both disappeared the same week in February. At the Marion County Animal Shelter, a lock was cut and three puppies — a German shepherd, a boxer and a pit bull — were stolen March 23.

In a area at West Smith Street and Cale Yarborough Highway in Timmonsville, resident Sharon Ard, said the dogs of four neighbors all went missing over two days.

Sharon and Jeff Ard had two bulldog mixes. She made a short trip to her workplace and in 15 minutes, the female of the pair of 3-month-old pups was missing. When the Ards couldn't find her around the yard, they moved the search to the rest of the neighborhood.

"That's when we ran into the lady from up the road and she said she was looking for her dog, too," Sharon Ard said. Their neighbor was looking for her Jack Russell terrier that went missing from a pen in the backyard the same day.

Ard's home is just feet from the highway were a free-roaming dog could easily run into traffic, but she said she found out later two more neighbors were missing their dogs.

Where some dogs go

Tucked behind Florence National Cemetery on Stockade Road, the Florence Area Humane Society animal shelter is quietly outgrowing its space while trying to raise money to move into a better-equipped facility. In the spring, the shelter takes in five to 10 dogs daily. By the end of the monthm that number will probably be closer to 10 to 15.

Energetic dogs are more likely to escape from yards, even ones that are fenced in. And although many dogs that end up at the animal shelter are escape artists, other disappearances can be attributed to the change in seasons, shelter manager Katy Hollingsworth said.

"The dogs go into heat and it's nice weather so they get out and start running," she said. "Even the dogs that are fixed will sometimes still smell the females in heat. Unfortunately, sometimes people don't come back here to look for their dogs once they get out."

James is skeptical.

"I've lived out here for 24 years and it's a fact that at certain times of the year dogs go missing. I believe with all my heart that these dogs are being scooped up and used as bait for dog " she said.

The bait dog issue

In an online article about bait dogs, certified dog trainer and behavioral consultant Mary Harwelik said pit bull culture often includes stories of bait dogs — young, weak or inexperienced dogs used to teach dogs how to fight. Pit bull culture often includes elements of myth, she warned.

Based on rules that govern animal conditioning, Harwelik said, bait dogs wouldn't be a very effective way to train a dog for dogfighting.

"A dog when repeatedly placed into certain situations and encouraged to fight through goading, tormenting or other means of environmental pressure will likely have increased fighting behavior in the future under similar circumstances," she wrote.

"There is a big difference between fighting a weaker opponent that does not fight back, and fighting a well matching opponent in the pit. When it comes time for a real match, the shock of being up against an opponent that fights back could very well send a dog running for the hills — even if that dog had been 'trained' on 'bait dogs.'"

Harwelik said the idea probably came from old magazines and books that showed dogs being encouraged to run on treadmills with a small animal caged in front of the him. She suggests people may have misinterpreted "rolling," a technique in which a young dog is placed with an older dog in a pit to give him experience.

Most of the dogfighting operations uncovered in South Carolina haven't yielded small breed animals, said Alicia Domina, director of New Hope Pitt Bull Rescue in Goose Creek.

"Several, however, have yielded dead carcasses of similar sized dogs, presumably other pit bull terriers, on the properties that were raided," she said. "We believe that most individuals engaging in these activities use dogs already on their property or in their possession from litters they have produced."

Pit bulls are the primary dogs sought for dogfighting, but dogs are also stolen for breeding or to resell if they can pass for purebred.

Keeping dogs safe
Dog theft is rare and there have not been any significant reports lately, Florence County Sheriff's Capt. Mike Nunn said.

"Usually, dogs and other pets are considered property, and their theft would be handled as such, which depending on the value of the dog, could either be petty or grand larceny," he said.
Logistically, the small breed dogs and puppies are easier to steal and easier to transport, Hollingsworth said.

"Although dogfighting is a scary, ugly thing, when a dog goes missing, it shouldn't be assumed that it was stolen by a dogfighter," Domina said.

Local shelters said one of the best ways for pet owners to keep track of their pets is to microchip them and, if they go missing, check the shelters. Stealing a dog that can be positively identified with microchips or identification tags earns a fine from $500 to $1000, 30 days to six months in prison or both.

Shelters throughout the Pee Dee network when it comes to locating missing pets. When someone contacts the humane society about a missing pet it, only takes an e-mail to get in touch with other local shelters. Hollingsworth said the FAHS has actually reunited many owners with pets that way.

"Spaying and neutering can also help deter the roaming habits of some animals, so it's highly advisable to take advantage of the resources available to get pets altered before they go out looking for a mate when the time comes," Domina said.

And even if no one else is actively looking for lost dogs, one person definitely will be.

James said she is happy for Alice Ammons and Spook's happy ending, and it gives her the kind of hope it takes to keep looking for missing dogs.

"People have told me, 'Melinda, you better be careful. People will kill you over that.' If I can make a difference, I want to make a difference," she said.

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