Monday, March 26, 2012

Watering your dog on walks

On a recent visit to Madrid, I learned just how much the Spanish love their dogs. People and their pooches were everywhere on the city sidewalks. Then there is Parque Del Retiro - an incredible city park that is dog friendly. Working with a client and her service dog included training (and playing) at the park.

If you take your dog on walks outdoors, check out the following video. This is the simplest way ever to water your dog. Since you should have poop bags with you wherever you go to clean up after Fido, this video demonstrates using a fresh one as a water bowl. Brilliant. Wish I'd thought of it!


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Free Eye Exams for Working Dogs

Thanks to ACVO/Meriel for once again providing free eye exams for our working dogs in the month of May. Registration begins April 1 for dogs in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Not just for dogs who assist individuals with disabilities, included are:
  • Detection dogs
  • Police dogs
  • Search and rescue dogs
  • Therapy dogs (registered through the Delta Society or similar)
Dogs must be active duty and graduated or currently in a formal training program (national, regional or local).


Thursday, March 8, 2012

An Old Dog

A post on Facebook the other day caught my eye. A person dumped his 11-year-old dog at a kill shelter. Rather than living out her life being loved and cared for, Angel died in that shelter. Not accidentally. She was euthanized. Killed because she was old. Killed because the shelter was overcrowded. And killed because a sympathetic rescue group could not get there in time to save her.

Dogs are not disposable. If you cannot commit to taking care of a dog through his or her senior years, don't get one. Get a Chia pet.