Tag: pets

What we’ve been up to

by Pawrenting Tails, posted in training

Hello! It’s been a while since the last post. I’ve been trying to get back in the habit for at least a month, but life has been “life-ing.”

Shortly after my last post, I got COVID and was out of commission for about a week. Then there was catching up on work and life after being sick, home projects that took time, a road trip (with the pups!), and a bunch of other reasons why the blog went on the back burner.

I have several blog post ideas bouncing around my brain, but I have had some mental blocks to drafting them.

In the meantime, I wanted to post something to let you know that I haven’t given up on the blog.

First Rally Competition

Chip and Cookie participated in their first AKC rally competition this past weekend. We only entered on one day, but they were the only two competing in their class (novice A). They were disqualified during their first run of the day because their lead was too tight. They fared better in the second run – with Chip earning first place and Cookie getting second place (thanks to the judges’ pity points!).

Chip and Cookie's scores. To qualify, you need a score of 70 or more.
Chip and Cookie’s scores. To qualify, you need a score of 70 or more.

Chip’s Performance

I’m incredibly proud of Chip’s performance in both runs and outside the competition ring. Their crate was positioned near the entry to the competition ring, so dogs were constantly walking past his crate. He ignored or calmly observed them all. While in the ring, he generally listened to me, did what I asked (eventually), and didn’t bark (at the judge or the competitors sitting outside the ring). Last summer, Chip was in a training class for reactive dogs. The progress he’s made is TREMENDOUS. The official qualifying score and first place are the icing on the cake for us!

Chip’s “award-winning” rally run!

Cookie’s Turn

Cookie is an excellently trained, competitive, eager-to-please pup. She has repeatedly “told” us (in class, this trial, and elsewhere) that she’s done. She’s only interested in the “paycheck” (chicken or cheese). At 10, Cookie has earned the right to retire. So we’ll provide her with mental enrichment in other ways – practicing for fun at home, going on special outings, and bringing her along as Chip’s cheerleader.

Regardless of her score, she qualified as a comedienne in my book – sitting backward in the first run and jumping on me during the second. She channeled her inner mischievous puppy.

This is Cookie’s first run that disqualified her. The qualifying run wasn’t recorded, but take my word for it – it wasn’t much better.

Bottom line

Chip and Cookie awaiting the ribbon ceremony so they can go home and have dinner
Chip and Cookie await the ribbon ceremony so they can go home and have dinner.

I want to take the opportunity to thank the trainers that my husband and I had when we first started our dog sports journey 10 years ago with Cookie. They always emphasized having fun with our dogs, celebrating our runs (no matter how sloppy they may be), and always ending on a positive note. Some people focus too much on competing and earning titles and lose sight of these sports as opportunities for bonding and fun.

If you’re disappointed in your dog, you’re doing it wrong. And always listen to your dog before you listen to anyone else.

Spay & Neuter Awareness Month

by Pawrenting Tails, posted in health

February is spay and neuter awareness month. You may think you know everything there is to know about getting your pups fixed, but if you’re like me, I’m betting you don’t. There are some commonalities with cats, but never having had cats, I will speak only to dogs. Remember that this post is based on my experience and learning. Be sure to consult your veterinarian or other professionals before making a decision for your pup.

I Didn’t Know Diddly

Until the past two to three years I knew that getting dogs fixed was important in preventing unwanted litters of puppies. With thousands of dogs being euthanized annually due to limited homes and limited space in shelters, spaying and neutering dogs is key to reducing the number of healthy dogs euthanized. I knew that getting a dog from a shelter or other rescue meant that they would be fixed before coming home. While I didn’t know the details of the timing, I did know that dogs from breeders would get fixed months to a year after being brought home.

I never thought much of this, as spaying and neutering is a familiar and routine procedure. I assumed that it only carried the risk that comes with any kind of surgery.

My education

When Ziggy was diagnosed with cancer in late 2020, I began doing a lot of research – attending online conferences and reading articles. I started seeing a lot of references to a link between early spay/neuter and cancer. Many advocated delaying the surgeries until the dogs are around one year old to ensure they get the health benefits of their sex hormones.

While this advice struck me as common sense in retrospect, I was confused. If there was a link between early surgeries and cancer, why did rescue groups opt for early surgeries? In a nutshell: humans are irresponsible and suck.

In March 2022, I attended the Holistic Pet Care Summit. The module with veterinarian Dr. Tara Timpson, who worked at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, addressed my questions and confusion.

Once upon a time, dogs and puppies would be adopted out without being fixed. The organizations would encourage adopters to return for FREE surgery once the dogs mature to the appropriate age. But the lazy humans DIDN’T follow through on their commitment. While there’s nothing wrong with responsibly breeding dogs, people would be irresponsible with their intact dogs, resulting in unwanted litters of puppies – not enough homes and not enough space in shelter groups.

So the rescue groups were confronted with a choice: do we risk high kill rates of otherwise healthy dogs due to lack of space? Or do we operate on them young, risking illness later in life?

Beyond Cancer

Early spay and neutering is linked to more than cancer.

Source: Dr. Judy Morgan

After Ziggy died in March 2022, Cookie started experiencing incontinence in her sleep. My worrisome brain went straight to cancer. After a couple of tests to rule out more serious illness, our vet advised that the incontinence was likely caused by early spay. While there is medication available to help with incontinence, it comes with its own risks (like all medications). We opted to keep Cookie off of the medication and manage the incontinence with diapers, supplements, and more frequent walks and potty breaks (even in the middle of the night).

Source: Dr. Judy Morgan

Options

There are multiple surgical solutions for preventing an unwanted litter – two for males and four for females. If you bring an unfixed dog into your home, consult with your veterinarian to consider which option is best for your pup based on age and lifestyle. Each has its own risk factors, so evaluating the options with your veterinarian is important.

Source: Dr. Judy Morgan
Source: Dr. Judy Morgan

If you rescue, you may feel as if you have no options. You could try contacting potential rescue groups to learn what procedure is done on their pups prior to adoption and whether they may be open to letting you choose the procedure. I haven’t tried this, nor have I heard anecdotes from anyone who may have tried it.

You can also work to make changes to veterinary education. Dr. Karen Becker has a petition to include all procedures as part of the veterinary curriculum. On the petition page, you can learn more about the limited curriculum veterinarians receive on spay and neuter surgeries

The Bottom Line

You may not always have a choice in when or what kind of spay/neuter surgery your pup gets, but if you do, evaluate all the options with your veterinarian and decide what is best for your dog. And if you can’t, you CAN advocate for changes in veterinary education, and when

Ready, set, go: Getting started in dog sports!

by Pawrenting Tails, posted in training

Now that you know that there are so many dog sports to choose from, how do you pick?

General Research

Reading about the experience of other pawrents, or talking to friends with experience in dog sports, can be one way to familiarize yourself with the sport. So can watching YouTube videos of classes or competitions.

The websites of the various venues can also provide a wealth of information, including connecting you with dog clubs in your area that host competitions and/or classes.

Here are the websites of various groups I’ve referenced this past month.

find classes

Ziggy and Cookie waiting their turns in an agility class, circa 2019.
Ziggy and Cookie waiting their turns in an agility class, circa 2019.

Research dog trainers or dog clubs in your area. Sign up for classes to better gauge what the sport will entail long term. If you take a class and the sport interests you, but you’re unsure, consider trying classes with another instructor. Everyone has different teaching styles and personalities. Look for someone you’re comfortable with and that prioritizes the well-being of your dog.

Assess Personality & Interest

Cookie at a CPE agility competition in March 2019
Cookie at a CPE agility competition in March 2019
Ziggy competing in Barn Hunt instinct 2019. Credit: Pix N Pages
Ziggy competing in Barn Hunt instinct 2019. Credit: Pix N Pages
Chip goofing off at graduation time for his CGC certificate, November 2023
Chip goofing off at graduation time for his CGC certificate, November 2023

A good place to begin is assessing you and your dog’s personalities and interests. Is your dog high-energy? Agility may be a great fit. Does your dog have a knack for sniffing? Perhaps barn hunt or nose work would interest them. Can’t keep your pup out of the pool? Give dock diving a try!

If you recently adopted your dog, or perhaps your dog is still a puppy, you may not know their interests. Obedience is always a great place to start, even if you don’t compete, because obeying basic commands will be important in any sport, if for no other reason than good behavior in classes and competitions.

Safety

Safety and physical well-being is also important. This may be true of all sports, but the one that I’m most familiar with is agility. The high speeds, twists, and turns can put a strain on your dog’s body. If you’ve never used any agility equipment before, don’t introduce your dog to them without guidance from an instructor. Young pups are developing their bones and muscles. Introducing them to tight weave poles too young can cause long-term damage. This is an excellent article about preventing orthopedic injuries in dogs that compete in sports.

Budget Considerations

Depending on your goals for your dog, some sports are more expensive than others when you add up classes, entry fees for competitions, travel expenses, and any equipment you may choose to purchase for at-home training.

Start slow and make sure you want to commit to the sport before investing heavily.

Bottom Line

There countless canine sports available to try. Take your time to find one that best suits you and your pup. And, remember, the competition and titles are a distant second to having fun and bonding with your pup!