Dog Care Topics Index

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This page contains the links for information related to living with dogs, understanding them , and taking care of them in a responsible and loving manner in a spirit of guardianship.

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Contents :

• Canine Nature : Dog evolution, behavior, etc
• Responsible Guardianship : responsibility for your dog's lifetime.
• ideas on Legal Reforms to promote Responsible Guardianship
• Management and Living Together : methods, tips, and tricks for taking care of your dog and living together.
• Health Issues : veterinary guides, specific health issues, persona accounts, and end of life issues.

• Canine Nature Dog evolution, behavior, etc.

 

• DOGS, A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, & Evolution
• Where Are the Wolves of Yesteryear ?, thoughts in response to an article on descent of dogs from wolves and archeological finds in the Dec 2016 Discovery magazine.
• Dog Language by Roger Abrantes (book review : superbly illustrated book)
• The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell, PhD (review of superb book on how our natural human behaviors can cause us to mis-communicate with our dogs; how the 2 species are alike and how they are different). (added 6/09/03)
• The Play's the Thing : speculations on why dogs play
• The "D" word, discussion of why "dominance" is NOT a dirty word, why we must recognize the canine need for social hierarchy and put ourselves at the top of it.

 
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• Responsible Guardianship

 

• DogSmart (book on issues you have to think through before taking a dog into your life)
• Responsible Dog Ownership by Kathy Diamond Davis (book review)
• Guilt-Free Dog Ownership, by Diana Delmar (about being responsible when no one is home 9 to 5)
• "A Dog is NOT" (list of what a dog is and is not; reminder on responsible ownership)
• Match-Making Dogs to People : factors to be considered, especially in shelter or rescue match-making
• Backyard Breeders' Excuse List (excuses for bad breeding practices compiled by Denna Pace)
• From an Old Dog (a dog asks his humans to slow down to share time and attention with him, by J D Ellis)
• If he Were a Child.... by Nancy Campbell (about providing veterinary care ; and indictment of owners who are unwilling to pay for nescessary and available care for their pets)
• A Dog is a Car is a Computer is a Tennis Racquet -- NOT !, rebuttal to an article attacking use of terms like "adopt", "rescue", etc and attacking shelters and rescues generally.
• Then Give Me Another Word for It , rebuttal to article attacking use of terms indicating that the dog is a member of the family.
• Similar and Different, a discussion of how dogs are both similar and different to humans, "superior" in some abilities, "inferior " in some abilities, and just plain weird in some behaviors. This was written as a response to an article by a vet who considered terms like "pet parent" to be a "trap" because they distract attention from those differences that are reasons we value dogs and love them. I say that the similarities are just as important as the differences , just as love-causing, and that the parental analogy is not inappropriate, expressing a part of the whole picture.
• "Owner" or "Guardian" or perhaps "Protector" ?, a response to an article by Jon Katz.
• The Dog Who Never Returned , on the fates of dogs allowed "freedom" to roam. Why you should not do this.

 
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• ideas on Legal Reforms to promote responsible guardianship

 

• Where are Shelter intakes coming from ? a call for a scheme of permanent identification for dogs and cats and DMV type registration of ownership and original source (breeder, pet shop), so that we can find out where the majority of shelter intakes and deaths are coming from. Without knowing the source of the problem , it is impossible to design a solution or legislate towards a remedy.
• Rational Approach to Licensing Pets, Pet Owners, and Breeders. This is a long analysis of some alternatives that might be more reasonable than those currently proposed . Current proposals over-emphasize spay/neuter and ignore owner education and need for dogs to be trained for good public and private behavior. I am proposeing to license owners and breeders based on educational attainments and track record of not causing trouble. I am proposing to license dogs based as much on their proof of basic training as on their spay/neuter status.
• On the Relationship of Domestic Pets and Humans as being a Symbiosis , ie that the relationship between dogs and people is normally mutually beneficial and likewise that between cats and humans and that any legislation that purports to promote dog and cat welfare must recognize this and promote and protect that relationship. Dogs and cats should not be exterminated nor turned loose to "go back to the wild."
• Fanatics : Owner's Rights, Animal Rights, a discussion of fanaticism at both ends of the spectrum : at one end, those who feel animals are property and no laws should limit the owner's actions ; at the other end, those who feel animals should not be owned at all.

 
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• Management and Living Together : methods, tips, and tricks to live together more pleasantly and safely and to fulfil your responsibilities.
  I've tried to group these into sub-categories, but sometimes it is hard to figure out where an item belongs.

 

• Adopter's Guidebook , written as advice for foster homes and adopters, but also a good short guide to many dog-keeping issues, revised 8/05.
• Match-Making Dogs to People : factors to be considered, especially in shelter or rescue match-making
• C.T., Phone Home (keeping identification on your dog)
• Lost and Found , what to do if you find a dog or lose a dog
• The Dog Who Never Returned , on the fates of dogs allowed "freedom" to roam.
• Dog Meets Dog, methods of introducing a new dog (new foster dog or new adoption) to one's already resident dogs
• Practical Grooming of the Bouvier (family companion or working dog grooming)
• Pet Bouv Grooming diagram. A pictorial guide to my own practice for practical grooming of pet or working Bouviers. Companion to text article "Practical Grooming".
• Grooming Tools, illustrating the basic tools needed to groom a Bouvier. Most of these apply to other long haired dogs and some to short haired dogs.
• "Toy Story", photo and description of some of my dogs' favorite dog toys for chewing and throwing, with advice and cautions on their use.
• Going for a Walk : how to begin a walk calmly with loose leashes.
• Walking Dogs Off Leash : sequel to Going for a Walk (on leash)
• California Duke and the River of Doom. One of Duke's adventures during his senior years. An off-leash dog gets into a danger I had not anticipated. I was able to rescue him.
• Nordic Walking : walking with poles (as if doing cross country skiing) , with dogs leashed to waist-belt.
• "but I can't walk faster than this", about ways to give your dog a walk that is faster paced than you yourself are comfortable walking.
• Fiat Lux (let there be light), a little advice about the need for some lighting at night when there are dogs in bed or on the floor.
• Holiday Hazzards, a list of various pet hazzards associate with holidays, posted Dec 30, 2014.
• Body Space, the Finessful Frontier , a discussion of concepts of "flight zone", "fight zone" , and "body space" and some methods for using the handler's body space in teaching dog "Move", "Move Over", "Off", "Get Back", and "Wait".
• Jogger Cart : use of a child-jogger cart to take a mobility impaired dog for a walk.
• Dogs in Bed, a discussion of why and when it's OK to let your dog sleep with you.
• Doggie Stairs or "Stairways to the Cars", on the use of portable dog stairs to help a dog get into the car, and the advantages of stairs over ramps for car entry.
• Motel Manners (rules of conduct when traveling with your dog)
• Dear President-Elect , a discussion of adopting a dog when someone in your household is allergic to dogs. Originally written as a letter to President Elect Barack Obama.
• shows about dogs on television, because this is how many people get their information and misinformation.

 

• house and yard space management and escape issues
• Do Fence Me In ! (necessity of secure dog fencing)
• The Dog Who Never Returned , on the fates of dogs allowed "freedom" to roam.
• Escape Artist Dogs (teaching "Wait" at door, gate, etc and preventing escapes generally)
• Lost and Found , what to do if you find a dog or lose a dog
• Dogs Running at Large : concerning the irresponsibility of owners who allow their dogs to run free in the neighborhood. This is in response to a letter from a cat owner complaining about a Bouvier owner who allows his two Bouvs to run at large repeatedly. I also discuss the cat owner's responsibilities towards the cat.
• How Much Room Does a Dog Need? about indoor and outdoor space requirements for large dogs
• On Dog Doors, concerning the advantages and disadvantages of having a dog door from your house to your safely fenced yard.
• How to create a "pee post", with illustration of a fire hydrant fountain.
• Stacked Stretchgates (using two stretchgates to make double height barrier)
• The Hanging Gardens of Bouvier, photo and description of gardening in containers hung from trees or clothes-line. This keeps your plants out of reach of your dogs, with benefits to both dogs and plants.

 

• more SAFETY issues
• Rural Dog's Survival Guide (humorously written , about the dangers of rural life, especially for dogs allowed too much freedom.
• Comfort and Safety of Aging Dog
• Dogs Getting into Garbage (dogs helping themselves to food)
• Hand-warmer Warning : guest article warning against the dangers of dogs eating contents of chemical hand-warmers.
• Rabbits, Chickens, and Cats    article about dogs chasing cats and livestock
• A Better Mousetrap, a mouse eliminator tool that is safer to use around dogs than is poison or ordinary mousetraps and that is more humane than glue traps.
• My First Bite (warning against risks of getting bitten accidentally when interfering in a fight between dogs)
• When Dogs Collide , how to distinguish play fighting and dominance squabbles from serious fights and how to deal with recurrent fights.
• summer issues, heat issues
• "Summertime, and the Living Ain't Easy" (care of the Bouvier in summer heat)
• Heat Stroke : prevention, field treatment , and clinic treatment, by two vets.
• Death in a Hot Car : the deadly danger of leaving a dog in a car trusting the A/C to keep running.
• Car Window Guard (barrier for open car window)
• winter issues, cold weather issues
• Woodstove Barrier (preventing contact between dog and hot woodstove or similar hazzard)
• lifestyle and other family members
• Should You Let Other People "Handle" Your Dog ? (to what extent should your dog obey people other than his primary handler +/- family members ?)
• Keeping Your Roommate & Landlord Content with Your Dog avoiding letting your dog be a nuisance
• Pet Safety for Kids : guest article by Patty Letawsky giving rhymed rules for children on how to behave around dogs and cats.
• Four books about Dogs and Children (book reviews)
• Who are the Killer Dogs' Victims ? (untrained unsupervised children)
• Keeping Your Dogs Through Divorce (testimonial from someone who refused to give up dogs despite difficulties ; how rescue can help dog remain with divorcing owner)
• When I'm Eighty-Four (song about aging with dogs)
• Playing Tug : discussion of how to safely play tug with a dog, using the game to teach the dog to let go on cue, plus a short movie clip of me playing tug with Bouvier Grover, just for his enjoyment.

 
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• Health Issues

 

• veterinary overviews
• Veterinary textbooks plus related choices for the layperson (dog owner, etc).


• Pet First Aid, by Dr Bobbie Mammoto, DVM, MPH (book on first aid for dogs and cats.)
• Speaking for Spot, by Dr Nancy Kay, DVM : book review of a book that teaches you to be an articulate medical advocate for your dog and a capable partner to your vet in caring for your dog. and check out Dr Kay's web site
• book review : The Feel Better Book For Cats and Dogs, by Randi E Golub, CVT. very highly recommended !
• When to go to the Vet (book review "Taking Care of Your Dog")
• Two Books on Veterinary Medications (a layperson's book and a veterinary reference book with details about medications commonly used in vet med)
• particular issues : prevention issues, specific disease categories, techniques.
• Duke nearly died. Duke's emergency midnight visit to the VMTH that saved his life.
• How to Give Pills (and liquid medication) to Dogs (and cats) : article plus movie clips.
• Pills as a Deadly Danger to Dogs (deadly dangers of leaving human or pet medications where a dog or cat might be able to reach them and eat them) by Sue Matthews and with added contributions from others.
• How to Give Eye Medications, description and illustrations.
• information on Bloat (Gastric Dilation and Volvus) by an experienced Bouvier person whose dog bloated plus comments by an experienced Emergency vet.
• Living with Hip Dysplasia (personal story -- medically outdated but still relevant)
• Dogs Living with Cancer (book review)
• "Lumps and Bumps Map", a diagram you can use to record identifying features of your dog or to record lumps and swellings , etc, to bring to attention of your vet and record results of veterinary exams.
• How to Help a Dog Adjust to Loss of an Eye , guest article on helping a dog adjust to loss of an entire eye or loss of vision in one eye. Bouviers are at risk for loss of vision due to Glaucoma. updated 2019 to add Annie's experience.
• How Long does a Bitch remain in Estrus ?, guest article in which an experienced breeder answers a question from a novice.
• Health Risks to Unspayed Bitches & Unneutered Males
• Why Your Bitch Should be Spayed
• Why Your Male Dog Should be Neutered
• How Breeders Can Ensure Spaying and Neutering of Puppies
• Fleas and Hot Spots, describing some of the older but still useful techniques for controlling fleas and treating hot spots.
• First Person account of Glaucoma http://www.bogartsdaddy.com/bouvier/Health/glaucoma-1st-person-barbara-wyatt.htm . Note : years later Wyatt lost his second eye to glaucoma, but adjusted well to blindness.
• Lady Bug's page , my darling Kelpie who came to me by accident. includes the story of her survival from severe Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia.


• end of life issues : please think of these long beforeyou need to make decisions !!!
• Preparing for the Loss of Your Pet, by Dr Myrna Milani DVM (book helping you to think about the unthinkable long before the crisis occurs)
• My Life Was My Bitch, the story of the final mortal days of Chelsea Queen of Creation.
• Grieving , an article about some of the components of grieving for the death (or anticipated loss) of a beloved dog and about some of the ways you can help yourself to cope.
• A Prayer for My Dog (hymn to a terminally ill dog)
• Bouvier Requiem (a love song about euthanasia)
• The Heart asks Pleasure first, by Emily Dickenson , which speaks eloquently about end of life issues ; highly rrelevant to euthanasia.
• Ceremony for Dying , by Ursula LeGuin , ceremonial verse for euthanasia.
• Princess's epitaph and prayer for the dying.
• "The House Dog's Grave" by Robinson Jeffers
• Boatswain's monument verse. This is a longer and less well known memorial verse by Byron to his Newfoundland "Boatswain."
• On Her Lost Dogs, a tribute to dogs I have loved and lost.
• Piola's Song : the peaceful end of life , about the difficulty of making that decision .
• Expectations, the Pythagorean Bouvier Contemplates Death , a song about reincarnation
• Grover's Elegy , written a year after his death
• Funeral Oration for Caesar, a Giant Schnauzer
• Obituary for Murphy and Leo, deceased Sept 2, 2019, also Annie, Murphy's niece and friend who survived him only 6 weeks.
• The Last Walk, by Jessica Pierce,a very thoughtful and thorough book about the againg and progress towards death of your dog
• Walk With An Old Dog, verse by Gayl Jokiel, a dog lover's address to a beloved elderly dog.
• Old Dogs ("Autumn Sun")verse about caring for an old dog in the autumn of life. author unknown
• A Pet's Farewell, in verse, what your elderly dog might say to you about your future memories of this loved friend. author unknown
• The Loss of a Heart Dog, the spirit of a deceased much loved dog tries to console his person.
• Dogs Getting Into Heaven, a Twilight Zone episode and a Hindu classic tale.
• Necropsy : the Dead Teaching the Living
• www.petloss.com/ , a wonderful site for those mourning a pet. Some good advice articles , list of helpful books, heartfelt poetry , and opportunities to participate in a chat room and a regularly scheduled candle ceremony.

 
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