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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