Find Maddy!

Home on a Monday and I had just let Mischa out on the porch to eat her bone, when I heard my neighbor yelling out for her dog, Maddy. I had hoped she would find Maddy on their back porch, sitting there waiting to be let back in the house. The calls within seconds were becoming louder and more frantic, when I heard my neighbor say to Mischa on the porch “help me Mischa, find Maddy”. I knew that moment it was different from the others and called Mischa inside and told her to “find Maddy!” We went outside and immediately began to walk the neighborhood calling out for the lost little beagle. Mischa was walking and sniffing the ground and ignoring the other dogs around. When I went to turn up the hill Mischa pulled back on the leash. I thought she was being stubborn, but little did I know she had a plan to find her friend. Mischa began to walk in the opposite direction towards the property fence. There was an old door in the fence that was cracked open. Mischa led me through the fence into my neighbor’s yard.

She kept walking and sniffing the ground for about a mile while I called for the missing dog. Then out of nowhere I heard that distinctive beagle yell. It was Maddy! Mischa walked all the way to the end of the street. Just then a man came walking out and asked if I was looking for a dog. He said he heard the dog barking in the back and allowed me access to his property. Mischa and I walked all the way to back of his property and called for little Maddy. We did not hear anything, but Mischa kept pulling into a patch of dense woods where I could not go. I was afraid to let her off the leash in fear that she would lose herself. I pulled her back and said let’s go.

I thought Maddy had moved once she heard us calling her, so I returned to the main road. Once we were up there we heard her again, by this time I had called her owner to meet me and she had arrived in the car. We went down to where we heard Maddy, back to that man’s property and she was found only about 15 feet from where Mischa had been trying to pull into the woods the first time. Maddy’s leash was stuck on an old stone wall and she was immobile. Maddy was about a mile away from the house when she was found. Mischa had never been trained to search and rescue, but that day she understood what she needed to do. Once we were back in our yard Mischa began to run around with a big smile on her face as to tell the world “I found Maddy and she’s safe!” I am so proud to be a pit bull parent….

Interview with Animal Farm Foundation Volunteer

For this interview with an Animal Farm Foundation volunteer I wanted to explore the experience of helping out at the Foundation and gain knowledge of the process and techniques used. The reason I chose a volunteer is I hope to inspire others to take action and to volunteer with shelter dogs, especially Pit Bulls.

The truth is many organizations could not survive without their faithful volunteers. Many times volunteers out number the paid staff. It is important to remember that volunteers do their work out of good will and deserve much respect. While many Executive Directors receive the credit for excellent work, it is the actual volunteer/workers that are the true hero's. They are truly an asset to any organization.

The way I connected with volunteer Vivian is through the Foundation. She has been a top volunteer for a while and has a lot of experience working with Pit Bulls. Previously, I have discussed the Animal Farm Foundation in my blog and wrote about their website and work they do with Pit Bulls. To view the blog on the Foundation click here. Below is the interview with Vivian. Thanks to Vivian for making time to educate me and you on the process of volunteering at the Foundation.

If you are interested in volunteering for the AFF after reading this interview, please click here.

Q: How long have you volunteered for the Animal Farm Foundation?

A: From March 2009 to September 2011

Q: What was the process you went through to become a volunteer?

A: Filled out an application

Q: How long have you been volunteering?

A: I’ve always done some sort of volunteering on and off in my life.  I think the first volunteering I did was as a teenager for Meals on Wheels.

Q: How do you feel about the volunteer program at the Animal Farm Foundation?

A: I think they have one of the better volunteer programs that I have dealt with.  They foster a relationship with their volunteers by providing training and education and giving acknowledgement and praise for the services volunteers provide.  They work with the volunteer as an individual to make the best use of that person’s time and abilities.

Q: Can you explain your role as a volunteer in the dogs training, life, adoption, etc?

A: I began volunteering at AFF as a way to use my community service leave by spending a day per week over a few months. During that time I did a lot of dog walking!  I would walk 4 dogs a day, one at a time for a mile or so each, giving them the opportunity to get out of the kennel, have some leash training and human companionship.  I also did some computer work for them consolidating and updating contact lists, etc.  They also hold training classes for the shelter dogs and I would work with one of the dogs in the class.  Lastly, if I had extra time, I would spend some snuggle time with one of the dogs.

After spending time there and getting to know some of the dogs I discovered that one particular dog had been there over a year, probably because she needed to find a home without other animals.  I had a particular fondness for this dog, as did many of the staff, and asked if I could begin to bring her along to work with me one day a week to give her time away from the kennel and work on her training in an environment that would give her more exposure to people.  Not long after that she was adopted and I continued bringing a dog to work one day a week.  At first it was a different dog each week which was more difficult because it was an introduction to something new for them each week requiring more time and energy from me, taking me away from my work.  I then requested to work with the same dog each week until they were adopted and that worked better. I also fostered dogs at home some of the time.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer at this organization?

A: I was interested in Pit Bull rescue, they are conveniently located, and they were willing to work with my skills and availability.

Q: What best do you like about the volunteer work?

A: I like the satisfaction of knowing that I can lend a helping hand to someone whether they are human or animal. 

Q: Did it require special training, classes, or certification to work with the dogs?

A: I didn’t have to go through formal training, but I chose to learn their methods of working with the dogs so that the dogs had consistency.  AFF also invited the volunteers to attend any programs for other organizations and the community that were held at their facility.  It also helped that I have a lifetime of working with and training dogs.

Q. Do you own your own Pit Bull?

A: Yes, and he is a rescue from Philadelphia.

Q: What has been your experience with the dogs from the Foundation?

A: They have all been great dogs to work with and on more than one occasion it was difficult not to adopt one for myself.  I have never worked with a dog that made me uncomfortable, but I have worked with some dogs that had some issues to work around.

Q: Where are some of the places you take the dogs?

A: Mostly to work. Some of the dogs that we fostered at home went hiking with us and joined us when we were out in the community.

Q: What is the most challenging about the volunteer work at the Animal Farm Foundation?

A: Dealing with my allergy to dogs.

Q: Do you have any advice for Pit Bull owners or important things to know as an owner?

A: I personally feel that every dog owner, not just Pit Bull owners, should have a well mannered, well trained dog.  A dog that has a job and knows what their role is in the household is a happy dog.  Having a well mannered dog is even more important for owners of Pit Bulls because of the exploitation these dogs have had to endure.  I encourage owners to strive to have their dog be an ambassador to the breed and work to end discrimination against these dogs.  I’m not trying to say that every dog will be the socially perfect, but if you have a dog with less desirable traits for social situations then owners need to be sure that the dog isn’t put into a situation that makes him uncomfortable or where other people or dogs could be at risk.

Pit Bulls are great dogs but they are not for everyone, as with any other breed of dog the personality of the owner should be compatible with the personality of the dog.  Each dog should be looked at as an individual.

The Pit Bulls Lovers Blog

The Pit Bulls Lovers Blog was established in 2004 by Jason Mann. Jason gives excellent real life advice on everything that has to do with Pits from training tips to owning a Pit Bull and the responsibility that comes along with it. His blog offers many links to other blogs and websites that have a Pit Bull theme. He is a top blogger that has advertising on his page. One post in particular I really enjoyed about responsible ownership because of his no holds bar attitude. This is extremely important to all Pit Bull owners to have a well behaved trusted Pit Bull. Like the saying says one bad apple spoils the bunch. This has been true for all Pits in the media.

Jason, I would like to thank you for all of your effort to promote responsible ownership. The post is a thoughtful and provocative list of responsible dog ownership. I believe that it is our duty to change the image of the Pit-Bull breed by presenting well behaved dogs in our communities. Having my dog as a trusted valued member of the community is important. Mischa and I work hard to be ambassadors for all Pits. It is a passion of mine to educate neighbors and friends on what a joy the breed brings to my life and others. Training is ongoing and not one day passes where there was no lesson learned. Reaching out to local organizations can be a source of help as well. Many ASPCA’s have a referral list of local organizations that may work with Pit owners for free training and behavior modification. Responsible dog ownership is about taking action!
As an excellent source of information for Pit Bull owners, I can see why it can help define their destiny as responsible owners. It offers support to inexperienced pit owners and is a great place to start if you are entertaining the thought of purchasing or adopting a Pit Bull.

How to Ride Safe in the Car

Many people when getting ready to go on a trip to the local store or friend’s house bring their dogs along for the ride. One thing to remember is to make sure your dog is secured in the car or truck. This will protect your dog, family, and yourself from possible injury if an accident occurs. Here are some tips on how to ride safely in the car. Make sure your dog is comfortably restrained in the backseat of the car at all times using a safety harness or other protective device. It is important that the dog does not ride in the front seat for safety reasons. This also will cause fewer distractions to the driver. Also, if you drive a hatchback of some sort, remember that the very back of the car is vulnerable. Known as the crumble zone, this is not a safe place to keep the dog. Many like to travel with their dog in a crate, but remember to secure the crate with straps to protect it from becoming a projectile. A pet tube can also be used to protect the dog in the back seat. This can also help a dog who is prone to bark at objects or other animals outside the car. With many options out on the market to keep your pet safe and pending legislation in many states to secure pets while in a vehicle, it is a good time to start.

Animal Farm Foundation

The Animal Farm Foundation is located in Dutchess County of New York State. The  link will take you to a Foundation that is well known for their work with Pit-Bull type dogs. The links on the home page will show the work they do which includes rescue, training, and re-homing the Pit Bull dogs to loving homes. Working hard to match the dogs with the right owners to create a lasting relationship keeps their adoption rates high. By adding videos of the dogs along with attractive pictures under the available dogs link is a creative idea. Under the about us section the Foundation tells a story where they receive their dogs from. Some of the dogs come from abuse cases and shelters. Under the about us and home page they have narratives that explain how they work training the dogs by taking them out into the community and having volunteers take the dogs home. This helps the dogs experience life as it would be with an active owner. Under the education link, the Foundation showcases their work in our communities to educate people on responsible dog ownership and dispel myths on Pit-Bulls. They even offer free classes to the community of Pit-Bull owners in our area. They work feverishly with other shelters and professionals on Pit-Bull adoption strategies, public relations, and dog training. Under the grants tab they have a list of grant programs for low cost spay and neuter for Pits as well as AKC Good Citizen incentives. The Foundation offers training to Pit-Bulls for becoming service dogs to help people in need. Media has long painted the Pit-Bull as a demon breed and one organization that leads the charge in the Hudson Valley to change the Pit-Bull image is the Animal Farm Foundation. They have an organized website with a portal to like them on Facebook. Amazingly, they have over 14,000 likes to their community page.

Easy Homemade Treats

Treating your dogs to a special homemade treat is not only a way to show your love and devotion, but a way to show that you care about their well being. With so many processed treats on the market, it is hard to keep track of ingredients. Plus, all natural treats can be very pricey. Taking time to make your own treats will make your four legged companion happy and save you some money.

Making homemade treats is an experiment, and like every experiment there is trial and error. My advice is to start with something easy like frozen yogurt pops. Try to build off of what your dog likes already and slowly add new ingredients as you get more comfortable with the recipes. For Mischa, she loves peanut butter, so I made her some homemade peanut butter dog biscuits, which were very easy to make. They even create great gifts for people that have dogs around holidays and doggy birthdays. There are many great recipes on the Internet for dog treats. Just remember to watch sugar and sodium levels. If you don't cook or bake don't worry. There are many treats for dogs you can make that do not require an oven. One of my favorite things to make in the summer time is flavored ice cubes. They are easy to make and are a refreshing treat for your dog. Making them takes five minutes. Flavor some water with low sodium chicken or beef broth and throw it in the freezer. Mischa even likes plain ice cubes if I don't have any on hand. You can purchase a bright colored ice tray so your family knows that there is something special in the freezer for your dog.  

Trimming Nails

Mischa's nails grow fairly rapidly and taking her to the groomer every two weeks is no longer in my budget and I have decided to practice nail trimming with her. I quickly found that this is not easy or fun to do. It requires a boat load of patience and determination. First, I make sure she is calm and lying down. Taking her for a long walk or having a play date will drain the dogs energy. Second, I present the clippers to her letting her smell them and check them out. Using the standard clippers works fine and they are widely available at all pet stores. Third, about 15 minutes later I return to her with the clippers and some treats. After I present the clippers, I give her a treat to reinforce that the clippers are a positive thing and when they come out she gets a treat. Fourth, about 15 minutes later I return to her with the clippers and treats repeating step three. Then I proceed to start with her back paws and only clipped one nail. Then I praised her and gave her a treat, then walked away.

Below I have included a short video on proper nail trimming and locating the quick.

The next day, I repeated steps one through three and at step four was able to cut ten nails before she started to fuss too much. I am always careful not to cut too much nail or hit the quick, which is a vein in the nail. If your dog has black nails it is best to trim more frequently and only take a little at a time off. Just snipping a little at the end of the nail will work. Working with your dog will create trust and in the end it will prove to be time well spent. Some dogs will not need this much reinforcement but it is always good practice to introduce new equipment to them with something positive. Remember, lots of praise and a reward for your brave companion.