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

Friday, August 31, 2018

Here's How to Adopt Dogs That Were "Too Nice" For TSA Training


It might be hard imagining innocent puppies doing anything wrong, but when it comes to service dogs, not all pups are cut out for high demands of the job. There is, however, an adoption program in place for those dogs that just don't have what it takes to work for the government—and sometimes, it's because they are "too nice."

According to the BBC, a canine was switched from the Queensland Dog Squad in Australia to a more suitable role at the Queensland's Government House as the official Vice-Regal dog—all because the pup was too nice and social. There are a few ways for Americans to adopt similar training dogs as well. The main way is through the TSA Canine Training Center Adoption Program, where you can adopt a pup without paying a fee. According to the TSA, these pups are untrained and aren't housebroken, which means you'll need these expert tips on crate training your puppy.

To read more on this story, click here: Here's How to Adopt Dogs That Were "Too Nice" For TSA Training


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Would You Give Up Your Dog to a New Home if He Bit Your Child?


Rehoming my Pug was a hard decision, but the right one; finding the right family was a struggle.

He moved so fast that I saw the gash on her eye before I even realized what had happened. My Pug had bitten my daughter, again.

Moments earlier I had been sitting on the couch, seven months pregnant, watching my dog chewing on a bone at one end of the carpet and my daughter playing with her tea set on the other side.Wow, I thought. What a nice, quiet evening.

Suddenly the toy teapot made a whistling noise and before I knew it my Pug had leapt up from his resting place, run across the carpet, and bit her on the face.

She cried, I cried, and in that moment I knew: It was time.

Our dog was the first baby of my husband and I. Adopted while we were still dating, he quickly became the fur kid at the center of our relationship. I was that momma who put a coat on him in the winter, dressed him up for Halloween, and even tucked him into his little bed at night. I attended Pug party events, threw him a birthday party, volunteered at a Pug rescue, and took great pride in this fur child of ours.

I loved him with all my heart, yet now my fur baby was injuring my human baby — for the third time.

To read more on this story, click here: Would You Give Up Your Dog to a New Home if He Bit Your Child?

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Drunken Veterinary Technician Gives His Sick Girlfriend a Drug Prescribed for Her Dog


A Florida Veterinary Technician has been arrested and charged with practicing medicine without a license after he allegedly gave his sick girlfriend a drug meant for her dog.

Cedrik Claude Merlet, 40, from Bradenton, was taken into custody Tuesday in connection to an incident that took place back in February.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Mr Merlet, a Veterinary Emergency Technician at a Bradenton clinic, hooked up his girlfriend to an IV during what he believed was an asthma attack.

Sheriff's deputies responded to Merlet's home in Bradenton just after midnight February 1 after receiving a report about a domestic incident.

The officers noted that the 40-year-old man smelled of alcohol and had slightly glassy and bloodshot eyes, according to Miami Herald.

Merlet, a French national, told the deputies that his girlfriend got extremely drunk during an alcohol-fueled party and began throwing up.

Merlet, who had worked as a paramedic in New Jersey before moving to Florida in 2006, apparently came to the conclusion that the woman was having an acute asthma attack.

In an effort to help her, the veterinary technician injected saline into his girlfriend, according to officials.

Merlet admitted to the deputies that he administered 2 milligrams of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, which was left over from a prescription for the girlfriend’s dog.

The drug is a corticosteroid used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions in cats and dogs, as well as certain cancers and Addison’s disease.

A version of the drug can also be prescribed to human patients suffering from severe allergic reactions, arthritis, blood disease, internal, eye and skin disorders, as well as breathing problems.

Merlet's girlfriend, who is not being named, has told sheriff's investigators she only vaguely remembered being injected with something.

According to deputies, Mr Merlet did not seek medical help for his girlfriend and failed to mention that he injected her with a corticosteroid when he called 911 to report a domestic incident.

Merlet, who has a young son, was arrested Tuesday morning and taken to Manatee County Jail. He was released the same day without a bond.

According to his profile on the website of his employer, Veterinary Emergency Center in Bradenton, Merlet is a native of France, where he served in the military and graduated from college with a bachelor’s' degree in biology before emigrating to the US.

After settling in NJ, Merlet worked as a rescue diver paramedic and the as a first responder for the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.


For man and beast: Dexamethasone sodium phosphate can be prescribed to human patients suffering from severe allergic reactions, arthritis, blood disease, internal, eye and skin disorders.

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Dog Circus Educates Japanese Youngsters on the Responsibilities of Pet Ownership


Tokyo, Japan - Japanese elementary school children enjoyed a dynamic performance by a troupe of 'unwanted dogs' on Wednesday when the Wow Wow Dog Circus came through town with the aim of educating youngsters on the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Jumping rope, balancing on balls and crossing narrow balance beams the furry friends brought smiles and laughter to the students of the local public school located in Tachikawa city on the outskirts of the greater Tokyo metropolitan area.

Beginning with a short 10 minute speech about dog shelters and statistics on the numbers of canines abandoned each year in Japan, organizers provided the young attendants with both education and entertainment.

Impressed by what he learned one 6th grader said he didn't approve of people who abandoned their pets.

"I really felt those people that abandon their dogs and don't take responsibility for them, that's not a good thing," 12-year-old Tokutaro Takahashi said.

His classmate, Keito Aoki who also had a chance to jump rope on stage with man's best friend agreed.

"For me it is unforgivable! From the moment you buy one, until it dies, that is our obligation," Aoki said.

The Wow Wow Dog Circus aims to educate young people about the responsibilities of pet ownership and encourage them both as children and later as adults to adopt animals from shelters in preference to buying them from pet shops.

"To understand the value of life, while they are still kids, to let them know what the situation in Japan is in the hope that they will pass on what they learned to others. That is the main focus of the program," said dog trainer Kayo Takeda.

In contrast to some other nations the concept of 'doggie adoption' or animal rescue is still relatively unknown in Japan. Most pet owners purchase animals from local pet shops or kennels.

"Compared to a country like Germany the number (of adoptions) is way too low, more and more we need to use the system (for adopting abandoned dogs).

The sales at pets shops are very high (in Japan), but overseas the thinking to adopt a dog is much more prevalent. I'd like to hope that Japan will move forward in that direction," Takeda told Reuters.

In Japan 100,000 dogs are abandoned and destroyed every year.



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What Not to Do When Visiting Someone Who Has Dogs


Maybe it’s the hair, the attention the animal seeks, or the barking when someone knocks on the door. Maybe your dog is a working dog, not a pet, and others judge the way you treat them. The truth is that not everyone is a dog lover, and not everyone who has dogs raises them in the same way. Other than extreme situations of abuse or neglect, there are just some things you don’t do when you are visiting someone who has a dog.

Punish Them
Just like it’s never a good idea to punish someone else’s child, it’s never a good idea to punish someone else’s dog. However, there are always extenuating circumstances. For instance, if a dog is running into a street, it’s okay to call after it to keep it safe. Other than those types of dangerous situations, it’s important not to overstep your boundaries by punishing someone else’s dog. You might not know the rules, you might be stepping on the owner’s toes, or you may be confusing the dog. Unless safety is a concern, or you have been tasked with puppy sitting, you shouldn’t go into someone’s home and punish their animals.

Feed Them Scraps
Some dogs have sensitive tummies. Whereas some dogs can eat scraps all day, some dogs have one scrap and spend the next day with diarrhea. For that reason, it’s important not to sneak scraps to any dog you are visiting unless the dog’s owner tells you it’s okay. Not only that, but some scraps are not good for dogs. There are plenty of foods that can be fatal to dogs, so it’s best not to chance feeding them something that can hurt them.

To read more on this story, click here: What Not to Do When Visiting Someone Who Has Dogs


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Robotic Squirrel Survives Sequester - Project Government Funded


While many government projects and programs are facing steep cuts due to the sequester, the National Science Foundation's animatronic squirrel remains fully funded. Jen Markham takes a look at the robotic rodent and explains its uses.





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Puppy in Boston Police Department Bulletproof Vest Melts Internet


A photo of a budding member of the Boston Police Department’s K-9 force sent a shockwave of ‘awws’ across the Internet Monday.

The photo, which was posted to Reddit, is from Massachusetts Vest-A-Dog, a non-profit that helps provide bulletproof vests, essential equipment, training, and purchase of dogs for police and law enforcement K-9 programs throughout the state.


“As K-9s are trained to give up their lives to protect their partners and all of us, we believe it is every bit as important to protect them,” according to www.mavestadog.org.


Boston Magazine reported that the German Shepherd puppy’s name is Tuco, named for the volatile “Breaking Bad” character named Tuco Salamanca.



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A Dog's Last Will and Testament



I did not write this poem, I am sharing. I must warn you that tissues are a requirement.







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Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year Old Dog in Lake Superior to Help with Arthritis Pain



It’s an image that’s hard to look at without smiling.

A dog sleeps in blissful repose, head rested against the neck and shoulder of a ponytailed man standing shoulder-deep in water. The man appears in profile, and he wears dark glasses, but his eyes seem to be closed. The smile on his face matches the dog’s contentment.

The photo has drawn the attention of thousands of people since being posted on Facebook last week. The story behind the photo is touching.

Professional photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson took it off Bayfield’s Reiten Beach in Lake Superior on Tuesday. The man is her friend John Unger. The dog, an aging, arthritic shepherd mix, is named Schoep, after a brand of ice cream that’s popular in southern Wisconsin (the dog likes vanilla).

Unger and his then-fianceé found the dog 18 years ago at a humane society in Ozaukee County, Wis., when it was an 8-month-old puppy.

“We knew we wanted to work with an animal who was abused,” Unger said. “I just had a vision of working with an animal to bring out his full potential.”

Testing suggested that the dog had been beaten by a male, and it took Unger another eight months to fully earn his trust.

The relationship with his fianceé didn’t work out. They shared custody of Schoep for a while, but he has been Unger’s full time since his former fianceé moved to Colorado 13 or 14 years ago.

But the breakup with his fianceé caused Unger to enter a depression. One night, he said, he went to a breakwater in Lake Michigan off Milwaukee with thoughts of suicide.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night). He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it. … I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my ass.”

Unger has no other pets, but he said that while growing up he dreamed of having a house full of dogs. Like him, Hudson is a dog-lover. Self-employed as StonehousePhoto, she includes dogs in much of her work. “My dream … is to only take photos with dogs in them,” she said in a telephone interview on Friday.

It’s the right community for people who love dogs, Hudson said.

“Bayfield is a dog town,” she said. “We all love dogs. A lot of us have them, and basically we keep track of each other and our dogs.”

She hadn’t seen Unger for a couple of months and thought his dog might have died. But last week, Unger approached her with a request. “He said it’s been so warm in the lake I’ve been able to take Schoep into the water,” Hudson related. “He’s so relaxed he just falls right asleep.”

Unger, who found his way to Bayfield about six years ago, had a photo of himself with his dog in mind for several years. But that mission took on added urgency last week he said. Noticing Schoep limping, Unger took his dog to a veterinarian in Ashland. The vet prescribed pain-relief medication, but Unger doesn’t yet know how effective it will be. If Schoep isn’t able to get up without pain, it will be time to put him down, Unger said.

Unger stopped the conversation to regain his composure.

“What was going through my mind when Hannah was taking those pictures was that this may be the last time I’m going to be swimming with him,” Unger said.

When Hudson got to the beach on Tuesday, Unger and Schoep already had been in the water for about 10 minutes, so she only had about five minutes to take the photos. She didn’t know the results until she looked at them on her computer later on Tuesday, and she didn’t have time to post them to her Facebook page until Wednesday evening.

It didn’t take long for the image to go viral.

“About six hours later I was in complete awe that it had been shared, I think it was, 200 times,” Hudson said.

But that was barely the beginning. By Sunday evening, the photo had been shared 86,000 times, “liked” 150,000 times and viewed in excess of 1.8 million times. The more-than-17,000 Facebook comments on the photo include words such as “touching,” “tender,” “loving,” “breathtaking” and “precious.”

Hudson, 34, who didn’t charge Unger and doesn’t expect to make any money from the photo, accomplished what she set out to do. “A lot of the time if I find an interesting, cool story that’s positive about animals, I’ll just do it,” she said.

Unger, 49, works as a caretaker on the farm where he lives outside of Bayfield. He got his first computer in February and admits to being befuddled by the Internet. He has seen the responses to Hudson’s photo, but isn’t quite sure how to respond.

“He is not really keyed in to the Internet world,” Hudson said. “That’s what makes this all even more fun. Because I think he’s getting e-mails from women asking if he’s single.”

Unger — who is single — said the overtures haven’t been quite so blatant as that, but he has picked up hints of interest from some women online.

Which is fine, Unger said.

“Boy, is it tough to meet women up here,” he said, laughing. “So this might open up a new road.”

The photo of Unger and Schoep is the second photo taken by Hudson to cause a sensation since she started her business in 2005. The first was of a bear crossing the ice on the lake in front of the Madeline Island ferry. “I tend to be in amazing spots at the oddest times,” she said. “It’s Lake Superior, and weird stuff happens.”

Hudson’s husband, Jim, 34, also works on his own. A former police officer, he left the force 10 years ago to be a full-time fisherman. “We call it breathing into the bag of self-employment,” Hudson said. “But he’s having fun and we can do it and make a living and stay in Bayfield, which is very important to us.”

Hudson is having fun in her work, too, especially when dogs are involved.

“I have a blast,” she said. “I can’t believe I get to do this.”


         Arthritis Dog Photo Goes Viral: John Unger and his Dog, Schoep Share Tender Moments







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What to Do if Your Dog Ate Chocolate


If your dog ate chocolate, we'll tell you what can happen, and when to call your vet. Take a look at this video.





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Thursday, August 30, 2018

Did You Know that Fleas and Ticks Are a Year Round Threat for Your Pet?


Hadley, Massachusetts - It’s important for pet owners to protect our dogs and cats from fleas and ticks which run rampant in the warmer months. But cold weather doesn’t necessarily mean the end of these pet-pestering parasites.

Dr. Ted Diamond of Valley Veterinary Hospital explained that fleas can be a threat year round.

“They can live all winter long on dogs and cats outside. Then when they come in the house they drop all their eggs and larvae around your house. So fleas can frequently be found in winter because they are left over from the fall,” Dr. Diamond said.

Ticks can be even a bigger problem. They don’t die off during the winter, but rather they hibernate.

“When it’s very cold they go into a hibernation, they’re not very active. They are not going to be attaching to your pets. But at the first increase in temperature like yesterday, they immediately come out of their coma and the first dog that comes by they will attach to,” says Dr. Diamond.

And according to Dr. Diamond your pets lifestyle can also play a role in how susceptible they are to fleas and ticks.

Dogs who are active and run in the woods, socialize at dog parks or doggie day care, even those that share their home with a cat are more prone to picking up parasites like fleas and ticks.

Dogs that are couch potatoes, aren’t out much and aren’t socialized are less likely to pick up the insects.

Dr. Diamond says that the best way to keep your pets protected is to keep them on a year round flea and tick preventative medication. He adds that over the last few years these medications have become less toxic and more effective, making them safer for you and your pet as long as they are used as your Valley Veterinary Hospital recommends.

For more information on ticks, please visit: TickEncounter Resource Center - Frequently Asked Questions: Seasonal Information

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5 Big Reasons You Should Definitely Let Your Dog Sleep in Your Bed


A recent study by the National Institutes of Health, called Are Pets in the Bedroom a Problem?, came to a surprising conclusion: most people who share their beds with pets experience more benefits than drawbacks from the practice.

If you don’t suffer from allergies or a compromised immune system, the two major drawbacks to sharing a bed with your dog are hygiene and sleep disruption.

As long as you can tolerate the smell and hair, and your dog doesn’t wake you up with noise or movement, then co-sleeping with your dog is a win/win.

Sharing a bed with your dog is relaxing and comfortable, and science backs this up. Oh, and it’s good for your dog, too—which is one more reason we love in-home pet sitting (you don’t have to sacrifice the cozy factor!).

The rhythmic sound of your dog’s gentle snoring, breathing, and heartbeat can lower your heart rate. Research backs this up, in fact.

A lowered heart rate is generally correlated with less stress and more relaxation. In other words: better sleep!

To read more on this story, click here: 5 Big Reasons You Should Definitely Let Your Dog Sleep in Your Bed


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Top Performing Dog Car Harness – Designed to Safely Transport Pets


If you are transporting your dog in your car, his or her safety needs to be one of the first things you consider. The best dog car harness and seat belts are those that will keep your dog safe, no matter what life throws at you.

Even if you are in an accident, a dog harness for the car should keep your dog in place.

When used properly and correctly, you don’t have to fear taking your dog on long distance road trips or onto the highways. In fact, it can calm both you and your dog.

Even more importantly, however, you need to consider how much safer a dog harness or dog seat belt will make you. Essentially, they tether your dog to the car, making it impossible for him or her to run around and wreak havoc on your car.

Keeping your dog in place means that
  • Your children will be safe
  • Your passengers won’t be distracted
  • You can put all of your focus on the road in front of you
The best dog harnesses have passed all of the tests and reviews in both fronts: keeping the inside of your car safe and keeping your dog safe at the same time.

They are comfortable enough that the dog won’t mind being in one, made of materials that won’t irritate your dog’s skin or catch on his hair. However, they are also strong, able to withstand the pulling and torque of a dog who wants to break free.

To read more on this story, click here: Top Performing Dog Car Harness – Designed to Safely Transport Pets


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Chinese Man Spends $400K to Purchase Dog Slaughterhouse and Set Up Shelter


When Wang Yan lost his dog in 2012, he searched everywhere – even a slaughterhouse – to find his furry friend.

Once he saw what was happening within the building’s walls, however, knew he had to take action and he build a shelter…

There are a number of people choosing to use their wealth for a good purpose.

For example, Johnny Depp intends to purchase the site of Wounded Knee Massacre and gift it back to the Native American people, and a 95-year-old Jewish Holocaust survivor is funding the rescue of 2,000 Middle-Eastern Christians.

Such stories give one hope in humanity, and this latest news is no different.

To read more on this story, click here: Chinese Man Spends $400K to Purchase Dog Slaughterhouse and Set Up Shelter

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