The Dog Stop Blog Spot

I'm back

2006-09-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while..... feeling discouraged at the lack of interest alot of people have in health; for themselves and their pets. It seems our society is more interested in illness than in maintaining wellness.
While many live with a lingering fear of disease, they do little, if anything, to promote and maintain health until crisis hits.
Our bodies are created by
Nature: designed to be fueled by
Nature. Simple. The further we remove ourselves from our roots, the closer to decomposition we place ourselves.
Cancer is now the #1 cause of death for
American children under the age of 15. Does anyone find this unacceptable? While this is appalling, it certainly is not shocking. Think about it, what are we eating? Where does our food supply come from? Do you know the big names in
American agriculture? Heres a few....Monsanto, Union Carbide, Dow, Chevron, Shell, Du Pont, Uniroyal....
Are you creeped out yet? Good, we all should be. These companies are making billions of dollars while poisoning our air, water and soil, poisoning us, wildlife, the planet! We need to feed our heads before feeding our families. Get informed, buy organic and make conscious choices.
For those of you interested, this week we'll look at the 3 most common cause of illness in this country.

Be well,

Amy

Ticks Lyme Disease , What can you do?

2006-06-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ticks are tiny arachnids that have been here for billions of years and will likely be here long after we're gone. Some ticks do carry disease, as do some people. Personally I am more concerned with who is handling my food at the market than I am with a tick. Certainly not concerned to the point that I feel incited to wage chemical warfare on insects, people, or any other species I gratefully share the planet with. Sound dramatic? Chemical warfare is exactly what you're engaging in when you put poisons such as Frontline on your dog.

We DO NOT use Frontline or any other chemical on ourselves or our dogs.The manufacturers of these products lead you to believe their potions are safe. The packaging warns you to avoid contact with your own skin; keep away from children. UMPH !

The idea is you apply the chemical to your dogs skin,where it is stored. The natural oils and the dogs hair spread the pesticide over the animals entire body,with effectiveness lasting for up to a month. ( they suggest you reapply at this time )

What we apply to our skin goes directly into our bloodstream, hence the new popularity with transdermal patches ( such as those used for nicotene addiction, birth control and pain).

Before you use these chemicals, please get informed

www.aprm.org/publications/resources/Fleachemfin.pdf

Lyme vaccine: It is not surprising that the overwhelming rise in Lyme diagnoses in canines directly coincides with the introduction of the Lyme vaccine. Every dog we've cared for that has been diagnosed with Lymes has also been vaccinated against it. Think about that, investgate.

Our best defense against any disease is to keep our immune system strong through a healthful life style, which includes a nutritous diet, supplementation, fresh air, exercise and a positive state of mind.

To avoid ticks stay away from grassy meadows and woodland areas. We simply remove ticks as we find them. Simple. Ticks are fussy, they can take hours to find just the right spot to nestle in to. If they do have opprotunity to attach it takes 24-48 hours to transmit disease. This should give you plenty of time to remove any ticks you've picked up. But, ticks scare you? There are bigger things to worry about, such as; blood poisoning,leukemia, cancer, neurological disorders, hot spots, allergies, vomitting, seizures... all very real consequences of pesticides.

Don't think for a second that because you're purchasing a product at the local grocery or veterinary office it is safe. U S law does NOT require chemical companies to conduct basic health and safety testing of their products. 80% of all applications to produce a new chemical are approved by the US EPA with NO health or safety data.80% of these are approved in 3 weeks.

In the wild animals utilize plant compounds such as cittronellol, camphor and menthol as skin rubs to repell insects.Studies have shown mites become resistant to chemical treatments, however essential oils remain effective. The volitile oils in lavender and violets have been found more effective than DEET.

We use Flea Flicker by Aroma Dog, there are also many other natural products out there.

Get out into nature, there is much learn.

Peace

Is your dog well adjusted?

2006-02-27T19:15:00.000-08:00

Up until I discovered chiropractic care a few years ago, I frequently suffered from back stiffness, colds, bronchitis, and migraines. Chiropractic care is often overlooked and misunderstood, especially when it comes to our companion animals. Many diseases, aches and behavioral problems are the result of misaligned bodily stuctures, ( especially in the neck, back, and joints). When the spine is out of line, excessive pressure is placed on the spinal nerves; these nerves regulate all of the body's functions. Misalignment blocks the flow of nerve impulses, blood circulation, and the natural flow of life energy.
Our rotty/hound , Wolfie, recently started whining ( more than usual ) and stretching his head and neck up and to the right while yawning in an exaggerated fashion. Having done this myself in an attempt to self adjust my neck, I knew he needed a chiropractor. I made some phone calls and Dr. Sue Ferguson was recomended with each call. Wolfie received his first adjustment yesterday and he is so happy and relaxed. Since we adopted him he has always been a whiner, needy, and a bit grumpy. Today was the first day Wolfie hasn't cried about something. It just goes to show, not every stiff joint is lymes disease, and not all behavioral problems are training issues. We always just assumed this was his normal behavior; the poor guy has probably been in pain for years.
Your dog may be trying to tell you she's out of adjustment, here are a few things to look for: sudden behavioral changes, head cocked to one side, exaggerated stretching of the neck, head down,walking on tip toes, reluctance to sit or sitting with the hind legs off to one side.
Chiropractic may not cure all that ails you, but it should certainly be a part of your health maitenance. Invasive surgery and toxic prescription drugs should be last resorts. Longevity and wellness occur naturally when we combine sound nutrition, common sense, and an accute awareness of our needs and the needs of our companion animals.
To learn more about chiropractic care, visit www.animalchiropractic.org
Our dogs recomend Dr. Ferguson; she can be reached at 978-851-9055, Furway Animal Chiropractic Clinic.

Jack

2006-02-14T18:05:00.000-08:00

Jack

We adopted Jack in December of '99. We were living in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts at the time and Angel Memorial Hopsital was right down the street. That's where we adopted him. Jack is a shepard mix. At Angel Memorial they thought he was a shepard/sharpei mix. We'll never really know, but that doesn't matter a bit!

We feel very lucky to have Jack. We couldn't have found a better dog. He is sensitive, yet fun and playful. He is obedient and loving and really good with children.

Jack LOVES The Dog Stop! It's the perfect vacation for him when when we go away as a family. He loves to be with the other dogs at The Dog Stop. He expends so much energy there that when he comes home he sleeps for a full day!

Amy suggested that we write about our adoption of Jack so that other people might be encouraged to adopt a dog. We highly recommend adoption! I grew up in Vermont and actually bred show quality Golden Retreiver puppies to pay for college. My connections could have found me a pure-bred georgeous dog, but, to be honest, I prefer a mutt instead!

We looked at potential dogs for about two months before we decided on Jack. If you decide to adopt a dog, it is important to find a personality that is the right mix for your home situation. You will know when you find the right dog to adopt--it's one of those gut feelings...! Try to find out as much as you can about the dog's past. For example, we found out that Jack was put up for adoption because his previous owners had just too many dogs to handle. We also were told that Jack had separation anxiety (which he still does) and that he LOVES to sleep in a grown-up bed (which he still does!). Knowing just a little bit about his past was very helpful. We were not told that he had been abused, but we definately know that he had been hit with a rolled up newspaper because he cowers in the corner if you even pick up a newspaper of magazine. We are sensitive to his fears, and feel so badly that someone had hurt him in the past.

Jack was our first "child". Now we have two boys age 2& 4. Jack is really good with the boys, and a very big part of our family!

I hope this helps anyone who is considering adopting a dog. I hope adoption will enrich your life in the same way Jack has enriched ours!

Betsy
(Jack's mom)

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Skye and Pearl

2006-02-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

My wife and I have adopted two dogs over the past year. Our first was a 3 month old Husky/Pit bull mix, Skye. She is a beautiful dog with brown and black coloring and she has one blue eye, hence the name Skye. She is a great dog. Loves to run and play with other dogs at the park and is very maternal with younger puppies. When she was about a year old we decided to get her a companion.

We found a ten month old Pitt bull mix, Pearl, and they got along great. We actually picked Pearl because they had identical coloring, minus the blue eye. Pearl was a little timid at first, but Skye quickly welcomed her and her confidence began to grow. Pearl loves to cuddle and be next to you, her tongue never stops trying to lick you.

Both dogs are very gentle with children and get along great with our two year old nephew. They can get a little rough playing with each other, but it never gets serious. At night they both climb onto the dog bed next to our bed and they fall asleep next to each other. At some point in the night, without fail, they hop up on our bed and sandwich themselves between us. Skye usually stays at the foot of the bed, but Pearl likes to get under the covers. Still don’t know how she manages this.

All in all they are great dogs and we love having them.

Dan & Jaime Haugh

Another successful adoption

2006-02-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

My husband and I were already enjoying a wonderful golden-doodle puppy named Lily. I would take Lily out with me most of t he time, but I felt she needed a friend to do “doggie stuff” with. I began browsing www.petfinder.com. After a couple of months I saw a beautiful six-month -old puppy and instantly fell in love. He looked like a little bear. Although his information indicated some issues, I contacted the shelter and filled out an application. Before I knew it, we were accepted to adopt. Kolton came to our home with a lot of issues. He arrived at the shelter in Massachusetts from a shelter in Kentucky where he was abused. He hated men. When I first met Kolton, he was so frighten he wouldn’t even walk. When I picked him up, he urinated on me when I took him to my car to take him home. When we arrived home he didn’t want to do anything but lay on the floor. If anyone approached him, he would just lie down on his back and urinate. With lots of patience, love and training he has made great strides. Most of the time he is a loving and sweet dog, however, on occasion, he does need direction when becoming aggressive with other dogs, and sometimes, Amy tells us, he is a bully once in a while and has to go to “time out” while he is at The Dog Stop. Kolton adores my husband and me and he gets along well with his sister, Lily, the two are inseparable. Although he continues to have issues with fear, we continue to work to correct his behavior. Before heading off to daycare, we ask Lily and Kolton if they want to go see their friends and it is very clear that our dogs are very excited to go play for the day. Kolton’s tail wags so fast it looks like his behind is going to take off. We cannot imagine our lives with out our wonderful and loving dog Kolton. And to think that we actually saved his life makes our lives much better.

February 2, 2006

2006-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Groundhog Day, we'd like to introduce you to Harrison, an unlikely member of our pack. You guessed it, Harrison is a groundhog, ( aka: woodchuck, chuck, whistle pig, bulldozer, Marmota monax).

We met Harrison last summer in what was left of our garden. He and his friends just about wiped out all of our vegatables. They were gracious enough to leave us the eggplants, habaneros and Thai chili peppers. With the garden now bare , one outgoing, fearless woodchuck set up residence in the stone wall next to our parking area.

He excavated 700 pounds of soil building his new burrow. His new " digs " include 2 entrance ways, numerous " drop holes ", 1 bedroom, 2 baths and a couple of storage rooms. His bedroom is lined with grass and leaves and is located about 3 feet above the entrance, in the back of the burrow. A meticulous housekeeper, he cleans his bathrooms often by burying the excretment. He is also a fanatic about his front door. Each time he goes out for a jaunt, he carefully sweeps the entrance. This is his security system; paw prints = intruders.

In letting go of our disappointment over the loss of our garden, we were able to accept our new neighbor, enjoy his friendship and expand our family. We no longer start our day by yelling , " Get out of the garden" . Now we sit on the rocks outside Harrison's front door, enjoying a cup of tea while he munches on trail mix.
By accepting Harrison into our pack, the dogs no longer feel the need to scare him away, ( obviously they were never really good at that anyway).

To learn about our natural world we encourage you to read The Wild Woods Guide : From Minnesota to Maine, the Nature and Lore of the Great North Woods by Doug Bennet & Tim Tiner..... worth every page.

Celebrate today by getting to know someone in your community.
Peace

Jazzy's Adoption

2006-01-31T18:20:00.000-08:00

Jazzy’s Tail

I found Jazz one day while browsing on line. His photo was posted on a site called A2Z rescue and I took one look at the sadness in those eyes and new we needed each other. I had lost my best friend, Jake, four years earlier to cancer. It was the saddest day of my life and I feared getting another dog because I never wanted to have to say goodbye again. I read Jazzy’s story and new he was the little man who would make my heart smile again - and he has. Jazz was left by his owners – chained to a tree – no food or water. They Moved!

I can tell you there is no greater loyalty than that of a rescue animal. Jazz is the happiest little guy and he just LOVES his life. He cannot wait each day to go and hang out with his bestest pal Coach at the Dogstop!! He adores and respects his daycare Mom, Amy, too. Amy has a gift with dogs and she has been a wonderful teacher and friend to all of the rescue dogs that pass through her gate. Jazzy adores her and has learned a great deal from her. Her constant encouragement is one of the reasons Jazzy and I met!

Jazzy a/k/a “Handsome Harry from Hooterville” shares his home with his Mom and Dad and five horses (Gypsy, Lil Joey, Andy, Buckwheat and Rocky) and two felines – Slinky and Smokey. Jazz has filled an emptiness in my heart that only could be filled by the unconditional love of “man’s best friend”. Unless you have loved a dog or been loved by one….there is no comparison!

We are blessed to have found such a great kid. I encourage anyone out there who is looking for a dog to ADOPT….especially if you have lost a dear friend as I did. You will never replace a loved one ; but Jazzy has certainly helped to heal my heart! I love you Magoo!

High Flyin' Sammy , another happy adoption

2006-01-30T17:17:00.000-08:00

This is Sampson. We adopted him from the Animal Rescue League in Salem MA. He was very young but already had quite a history. He was kept in closet by his original owner before someone was kind enough to turn him over to the rescue league. He was afraid of everything! His first day at the Dog Stop four years ago we literally had to carry him in, it was pretty much the same way second day, too. After a lot of love and work Sampson has thrived! Amy and everyone at the Dog Stop have contributed so much to Sampson's health and mental wellbeing.
He's almost 7 years old, he's a self feeder and doesn't require a leash. He is great with his human brother and sister who adore him.

What to feed the dog?

2006-01-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

Unbiased nutritional information is hard to find and difficult to navigate your way through. We need to start with common sense. Health is maintained through sound nutrition, emotional balance, and a natural lifestyle.
Our health is determined by our immune system, which is dependent on our diet. Our bodies are made up of living cells, which are made from the food we eat.Almost all dietary and health problems stem from a nutrtionally DEAD DIET. Cooking food destroys vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes.

I would like to tell you that we feed our dogs and ourselves a totally raw food diet, but we're not all the way there yet.The difficulty in obtaining fresh organic meats and produce is frustrating at best. Why is it the grocery store sells so little FOOD?!

Our dogs, including Dog Stop members, are fed Solid Gold Hund-n-Flocken with Sea Meal supplement.Sea Meal is a nutritional supplement made of sea vegatation and flax meal.Sea Meal is rich in digestive enzymes, vitamins and minerals.

I chose Solid Gold because I trust their products, ethics and commitment to quality. They have been making organic, human grade, all natural dog food since 1974.

In addition to the Hund-n-flocken and Sea Meal, I add flax seed oil, msm, vitamin c, yucca and tripe or fresh organic meat to our dogs evening meal. Sound expensive? Not at all. These guys are never sick, itchy, runny, smelly- no ear infections, fatty tumors, hot spots or dental problems.

They sustain their share of playground injuries, which I typically treat topically with Aroma Dogs Quick- Fix or tea tree oil. ( also how I treat my own playground injuries )

When Wolfie moved in with us he often used only 3 legs- he has ( maybe had ) slight arthritis and torn cruciate ligaments. Trakker often had seizures and had a leaking problem ( he doesn't like me talking about that ). Trakker has no more "leaks" and very few seizures. Wolfie is four legged and pain free, Diet alone has revitalized their health. Trakker is on a grain free diet.

Please seek out natural alternatives for you and the animals that depend on you. They're counting on you.

p.s.

Innova now sells a grain free food formulted for dogs suffering from seizures.

Thanks for listening,

Amy

Today's pictures 1/24/06

2006-01-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a beautiful winter day today.Madison, our newest member experienced her first snow ever this week. She had a blast romping and rolling with her new freinds . Madison is a Southern Belle, originally from Georgia, until she was adopted through the Plymouth Pound. She now has a great family who has made the commitment to love and care for her. Plus she gets to go to "school" with her new friends here at The Dog Stop while her parents are at work. Madison has scored Big!

Adoption: a dog's second chance

2006-01-19T19:13:00.000-08:00

"Willow Gagne
If you or someone you know is looking to add a new dog to the family, please consider adoption. Our shelters are filled with dogs and puppies DYING for a loving home. 5 MILLION dogs a year are put to their death. They have commited no crimes, they were simply unwanted.Their last relationship didn't work out,this does not mean that they're bad dogs or unlovable. Many of our Dog Stop members are former shelter dogs. We love them,and their new families love them. Here are their stories. We hope after meeting these great " kids " you to will consider saving a precious life. Thank you for letting us share.

Willow is a Jack Russell-Beagle mix dog. We adopted her at the North East Animal Shelter. She came from Puerto-Rico where they were going to put her and her four brothers and sisters down.

Willows mother got electrocuted during the first few days after birth. A representative from the SATO program worked at the shelter and took the five puppies’ home and bottle fed them until they were old enough to get a rabies shot, which is twelve weeks. Once they reached twelve weeks they flew to Massachusetts. We adopted her from the North East Animal Shelter the day she arrived.

She’s been a blessing to our family ever since. She is always full of energy but does love to nap too! Our family is glad to have adopted her from the animal shelter because we know that we have given her a nice home with plenty of love and space to run around.

She loves to run around and play with bigger dogs especially at The Dog Stop. She is one of the smallest dogs there but she defiantly doesn’t act like it. She will be running around with them acting like she is just as big even thought she is only a little pup. She’s always excited’s to turn the corner to see Amy there waiting for her arrival.

- Nicole Gagne"

Happy Dog Tales

2005-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

As the owner of a doggie day care, and a dog owner myself, I am frequently asked for advice on dog training. Many of my customers bring their dogs to obedience classes as puppies and then assume that the process is complete, and that their job is done.

Puppy kindergarten and obedience classes are great for socialization and basic training techniques. However, building a solid relationship with your dog is a lifelong commitment, and these classes should be viewed as a first step along the path.

I have found Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer, by Adam Katz, to be an excellent guide. This book will help you develop the training skills you will need to strengthen the bond between you and your dog. Whether you have just started out with your first puppy or have had dogs your whole life, you will find this book to be a resource you refer back to again and again. Becoming fluent in your dog's language requires effort. Let this book help you. Your dog will thank you.

Amy Murphy
Owner of the Dog Stop Doggie Day Care