The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Update! Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year-Old Dog in Lake Superior is Now Receiving Donations



John Unger, Schoep update: Donations galore after Lake Superior dog Facebook photo, YouTube video

They say dogs are man's best friend.

John Unger and Schoep of Bayfield, Wisconsin are proof of that.

Their friendship started when Unger adopted Schoep from a shelter as a puppy 19 years ago.

It turns out Schoep wasn't the only one who needed to be rescued.

"He's been my guardian for a number of years," Unger said.

Time has given them memories, but it has also taken a toll on Schoep's body.

"This joint right here kind of freezes up," Unger said pointing to Schoep's hind leg.

Arthritis and hip dysplasia have settled into Schoep's joints.

The only comfort now is a routine that keeps Schoep off his feet.

Unger takes Schoep out into Lake Superior for a dip as often as they can.

Unger gently places his arm under Schoep as they float together in the water.



With no pressure on his body, Schoep quickly falls asleep in Unger's arms.

Schoep's eyes close as his head rests on Unger's chest.

Sometimes they stay that way for hours.

"This is living," Unger said as they floated in Lake Superior Thursday evening.

Unger is careful with every minute.

He's not sure how much longer Schoep will be around.

He wanted just one picture of them in the water to capture their friendship.

He asked Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, owner of Stonehouse Photo in Bayfield, to take a few pictures.

She posted one picture of Unger and Schoep on Facebook, and it went viral within a few hours.

It has now been viewed more than 2 million times.

Unger said he is overwhelmed by all the attention.

He just wanted to capture one moment with his best friend; instead he captured the world.



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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Loyal Stray Dog in China, Wins Chinese Hearts after Following Cyclists for 1,000 Miles and Over 12 Mountains



A stray dog showed incredible loyalty, willpower and endurance, after she ran an extraordinary 1833 kilometers (1,056 miles) between China and Tibet. The small dog followed a team of cross-country cyclists after they fed her. She ran with them for 24 days, traveling from Kangding Sichuan province in China, to Lhasa in Tibet.

After they reached their destination, one of the cyclists decided to adopt the dog.

Zhang Heng, 22, told the China Daily he took up the grueling, mountainous bike race as a graduation trip to see if he could make it.

When he made a stop in Sichuan province, a small, hungry white dog approached him. "She was lying, tired, on the street," Zhang said. "So we fed her, and then she followed our team."

The little dog stayed by his team’s side night and day. At first they thought she was simply following them for the adventure. Then, Zhang said, "We felt she might want to come along with us, so we decided to bring her along to the end."

The team decided to name the dog Xiao Sa (a combination of "little" and the second syllable of Lhasa.)

The team fixed a small basket on a bike for Little Sa to carry her when she became tired and wanted to rest. However, most of the time, she insisted on running. Little Sa could run 50 to 60 kilometers a day. Cyclist Wang Zi remarked, "...She ran all the time, making me feel that she never feels tired."

As the race progressed, the number of cyclists dropped from 300 to six. Little Sa encouraged all of the remaining riders every day, as they climbed 10 grueling mountains, each higher than 4,000 meters.

"Many people stopped cycling in some sections, then took the bus, but the dog made it," Zang said. When biking downhill, Zhang put Little Sa on the back of his bike to protect her from the speeding bikes.

Little Sa would sometimes stop at milestones along the road, waiting for cyclists to catch up. When Zhang fell behind, she would put her paws on him to encourage him to keep going.

One cyclist said, "She's very smart and knows the route, because she never got lost even when we passed through mountains."

When they finally reached their destination, Zhang said he saw Little Sa as "a buddy and a friend".

"Little Sa's perseverance moved us a lot. With her encouragement we finally reached the Potala Palace." Zhang said. "I would like to take the dog home and take care of her. She has been a stray on the road for a long time. She needs a home."






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Monday, May 28, 2012

Tips on Pet Safety Around the Cookout



The summer is here...and it's time for cooking out, time for an afternoon filled with family, fun, and great food. However, if you are a dog owner these fun filled parties can be dangerous for your dog. Most people wouldn't think a family cookout could pose a danger to your dog, but there are some very real dangers you have to watch out for. Here are some tips to ensure your dog and guest are safe during a cookout.

No feeding the dog
  • Inform your guest that they should not feed your pet. It can becoming tempting to hand Fido a piece of chicken off of their plate. However, there are a large number of human foods, and ingredients that aren't good for dogs. They can cause anything from a mild stomach upset to death, so it's extremely important not to allow your dog to eat anything other than dog food. Pancreatitis, is a serious and potentially fatal inflammation of the pancreas, is often caused when pets eat "greasy, spicy, fatty foods--exactly what people eat at barbecues.
  • Try and keep your dog away from the area where people are eating. Make sure that the guest inform their children not to feed the dog. 
  • Even if you are conscientious about not giving your pet barbecue food, you can't control your guests, especially children. It's almost impossible to resist when a dog begs, especially if it's not your dog. Keep children away from the dog.
  • If you are having guest at your home who are not familiar with your dog, it is best to keep your dog away from the cookout. Children, just being children will want to play and feed the dog. Keeping the dog and kids separate is easier than explaining why your dog bit their child.

Keep the dog away from the grill
  • Most dogs are controlled by their nose. The smell of the food cooking can excite a dog and they may hang around or run into the grill.
  • Keep your pet away from matches, citronella candles and lighter fluid, which if eaten can irritate the stomach, lungs and central nervous system. Before you light that hot grill make sure your four legged family member is out of harms way.
  • Barbecues on Memorial Day and other holidays often lead to trash bags full of bones and other unsafe items that are extremely attractive to pets. Keep pets away from the garbage.
Even though it seems like a bummer, your pet is better off in a bedroom, with an air conditioner, some cold water, and the door closed, safe and sound, away from all that food and temptation.

With a little thought and careful consideration a summer cookout can be fun for every member of the family including the furry ones.

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Friday, May 25, 2012

Couple Splits Over 550 House Cats



A man from southern Israel divorced his wife this week because she had brought 550 cats into their home.

The husband, apparently not a cat lover, told the Rabbinical Court in Beersheba that he was unable to sleep in his bedroom because the surface of the marital bed was constantly covered with cats who refused to lie on the floor.

The man, in his divorce request, complained that the cats also blocked his access to the bathroom and did not allow him to prepare meals in the kitchen, the Hebrew daily Maariv reported Wednesday. When he sat to eat, cats jumped onto the table and stole his food.

The couple attempted reconciliation at the behest of the rabbinical court. The wife, however, was unable to part from her cats… and preferred to part from her husband.


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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Tips on Introducing Your New Adopted Puppy/Dog to Your Home



First let me congratulate you for adopting a pet, and saving a life! The animal shelters are full of homeless animals that need forever homes...and you chose to give one a forever home! Congratulations!

There is nothing more exciting then bringing home your new dog or puppy.   Here are a few simple tips you can use in order to make the transition smooth:

  • Ask the shelter what type of dog food they were using so you can retain a little bit of consistency for him. keeping the food the same, it gives him something familiar to sink his teeth into.   
  • If you decide to change his brand of food, introduce it to him gradually after the initial week, so his digestive system can get used to it.
  • If you already have other dogs in the home, feed your dogs at different locations so they are not fighting over their food.
  • Be sure to set up your new dog’s safe retreat area prior to bringing him home.  Put his toys, bowls, and blanket there too.  
  • When you bring him home, show him his special new area and let him get used to it at his own pace.  Consider setting up this special place for him in the family room or kitchen so he’s near where the action is versus the garage or basement.  
  • Dogs are social and so it’s important for him to know that people are around!
  • Introduce him to the entire family by letting everyone hold and gently play with him.  Keep a watchful eye on younger children as their excitement could be overwhelming to some dogs.
  • Your dog may be especially lonely at night when the house is quite and dark.  Consider putting his crate into your bedroom so he knows you’re nearby.
  • Keep a leash nearby as your dog will most likely need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  You don’t want to be scurrying around in the dark looking for the leash!
  • If you’re bringing home a dog where there are already two resident dogs, you may notice them exhibiting pack behavior where they may begin ganging up on the newcomer.  If this happens, assert yourself and immediately stop this behavior.
  • If you have a resident dog and introduce a newcomer, don’t forget to shower love and affection upon the resident dog too.  If you don’t, it could produce an anxiety and jealous ridden dog who will then exhibit aggressive behavior toward the newcomer.
  • Introduce a newcomer to resident dog in a neutral location, such as a fenced in area.  Supervise the dogs’ interactions with each other.  When the dogs are interacting, give a lot of praise for your dog’s good behavior and make sure you’re stern when he isn’t good.
  • Make sure you have different spots for your dogs to retreat to when they are tired and need to relax.  You don’t want your resident dog fighting over his territory when he’s already trying to adjust to a newcomer!
  • At the end of the day, it’s important to stick with a routine so he knows what to expect and when.

And the best advice of all is to shower your new dog, and any resident dogs with plenty of love and attention as he’s now a part of your family!


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Legal Rights of Dog Bite Victims in the USA



Most states and the District of Columbia impose liability on a dog owner for all dog bites even if the dog previously was a "good dog." The victim is compensated through the dog owner's homeowners or renters insurance. A minority of states observe the "one bite rule" which shields a dog owner from liability unless he knew that it tended to bite, or caused the bite negligently or intentionally, or violated a leash law or other animal control law.


For more information on the legal rights of dog bite victims, visit the websites below:
Legal Rights of Dog Bite Victims in the USA
If Your Dog Bites Someone
One Bite Rule


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