Rose Cottage Ltd

I wrote a post back in June about what seemed to be a really bad year for ticks and fleas. My dog Cato was just miserable and I was also finding fleas on myself. Misery shared is no solution let me tell you.

In desperation, I contacted my/Cato’s trainer to ask for advice. She recommended Capstar. Here’s a image link via Amazon for anyone who wants to order. Make sure you order the pills right for your dog’s size…

Even though this is the last week of Summer 2013, fleas in particular will still be active. The trick with Capstar is to use it properly. You don’t just give one pill and “BOOM” all fleas are gone.

My process was to treat the home and yard environment for about a week before giving Capstar. I also timed it to be given about 2 days after I’d applied the liquid Frontline. You’ll still need Frontline or whatever you are using on a monthly basis to kill fleas. In a really bad infestation you can go to a once every 3 week cycle – without harming your pet.

So you treat the home and yard – hopefully setting up a “die” zone for fleas, you have the liquid anti-flea medication applied, and THEN you give a Capstar. Why?

Capstar kills the fleas and ticks on your dog for around 24 hours. If they manage to just jump off to a untreated area, 25 hours later they jump right back on your dog. You are then thinking Capstar does not work. It does – when used as part of a process – not the whole solution.

I still don’t know why the products we’ve been using against fleas for years no longer seem enough. But when the dog is miserable, so am I – and Capstar adds the needed quick fix to ensure you and your dog have a flea-free year. I had to go through the process with 2 Capstar pills – about 2 weeks apart but, as you can see from his photo – he’s not scratching!

I have to keep my distance a bit from the goslings. They are getting used to seeing me and know that I will throw food for them so they come running – which does NOT make the parents very happy.

I took this first picture from around the corner of the house before they saw me…

Then I was spied…

…and off and running they came. This is making for some tough strategic planning around the house and yard when it is time for Cato to head outside. And a belated happy first birthday to him this past weekend. He’s being very good with the goslings – Lord, thank you for the assistance!

After losing my dog CoCo back in July, puppy Cato was adopted from the local county animal shelter. It has proven to be quite a transition from a 10+ year old dog that was well-trained and well-behaved to a what has turned out to be a VERY headstrong puppy!

Here’s Cato’s “First day at my new home” puppy pose:

Don’t let that angelic face fool you!

Since then I’ve bought a few things for him – to try to keep him occupied. Rawhide chews, bones, treats, Kongs, rope pull-toys, tennis balls, a new Frisbee and, a squeaky, furry squirrel. I finally got smart along around month #2, admitted defeat, and bought a crate. I had never had a crate for any of the dogs I’ve owned and had not had a really good impression of one. I was wrong.

For this particular puppy, having a crate is a MUST – and I think he actually likes it and thinks of it as his “down time” place. I work at home and having to get up every few minutes to see what he was doing was ruining production! He moves fast and would take advantage of any moment I dared to concentrate on computer work to disappear into another room. This usually meant trouble of some sort. We’ve now reached a sort of compromise. And that’s a good thing because this boy is getting B-I-G!

He weighed around 13 pounds the day he was adopted. Now, he’s just under 40 pounds at 4 and a half months old and you can definitely see his Weimaraner heritage.

For anyone who thinks a dog crate is a bad idea or that the dog “shouldn’t” be crated well, I felt the same. However, suddenly having too much space to investigate (and in their mind protect) can get too much for a new dog. Think of the crate as a place where they feel YOU are in charge of things – which is what you want anyway. I’m not a dog expert but I can tell you that when a young dog gets overexcited and out-of-control, having a secure “time-out” location is good – for both of you.

If you’re considering a crate, here is a link to what I got for Cato – it’s inexpensive, and sturdy: Best Pet Black 49″ Triple-door Suitcase Style Folding Dog Crate with Free Pan. Order a little floor mat for the crate to make it more inviting. Cato goes in and in a few minutes, is usually asleep.

Cato is off to the vet next month for his neutering. I haven’t told him yet…

October is officially recognized as Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month and the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is urging animal lovers across the country to commemorate the occasion by doing their part to help raise awareness for homeless animals.

There is an estimated 3 to 4 million dogs living in shelters that really need a good home. Anyone who purchases a dog from a store is not only encouraging over-breeding for profit, but missing out on the chance to find a great dog who is just waiting for a bit of your time and attention.

Cato, pictured here, was adopted from a local animal shelter in July 2012. He and his sister were the remaining puppies left from the litter – his mother, (also at the shelter) having been bred over and over again in a totally unacceptable manner. With so many animals needing a home and shelters working so hard to provide the connection, Cato and I hope you will sign the petition to stop the sale of puppies through malls and stores.

Please sign the petition!

I realize that not everyone who loves dogs is in the position to be able to own one. If you can’t adopt, please consider even a small donation of money or food and supplies to your county’s animal shelter. They, (dogs and shelters) can really use the help.

Thank you.

I hate to tell “tales” on Cato, but as a young puppy with sharp teeth and claws, he tends to get in what I call a “play frenzy” every once and awhile. Unfortunately, his idea of “play” and mine are frequently two different things.

It’s also very hard to get him calmed down once one of these moments occurs. If I had anything planned to do that takes concentration I can forget it. Yesterday morning I was on a conference call for about 45 minutes and with Cato in play mode – was about at my wit’s end. But, what doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger and I found out that some music, when played around an excitable dog, DOES CALM THEM DOWN. In the case of “Music My Pet” – linked to the right, the result was nearly instantaneous!

Here’s a 10-minute YouTube sample if you need emergency assistance like I did yesterday!

I’ve already ordered the CD. Cato and I will be heading out for our next Vet appointment before the end of the month and I plan to have everything I need to make the car ride and the Vet visit a success – for both of us!

Just be warned…this music is so calming, you may soon find yourself asleep at the keyboard!

I wrote a post Tuesday about the joys (and trials) of having a new puppy. Yesterday was Cato’s first big trip to the Vet and I’m happy to report that the leather seats in my Mini Cooper remain intact!

I did have a conversation with the Vet about feeding and bloat and the preferred bowls to use to avoid this often fatal situation. First, a definition of bloat so over to Wikipedia:

“Gastric dilatation volvulus or bloat is a medical condition in which the stomach becomes overstretched by excessive gas content. It is also commonly referred to as torsion and gastric torsion when the stomach is also twisted. The word bloat is often used as a general term to cover gas distension of the stomach with or without twisting. The name comes from the Middle English blout, meaning soft or puffed, which is from the Old Norse blautr, meaning soft or soaked.

In dogs, gas accumulation in the stomach is usually associated with volvulus of the stomach, which prevents gas from escaping. Deep-chested breeds are especially at risk. Mortality rates in dogs range from 10 to 60 percent, even with treatment. With surgery, the mortality rate is 15 to 33 percent.”

Yikes.

I had used a raised, or elevated bowl for CoCo ever since I first got him in 2002. At the time, elevating the bowl was supposed to be better for the dog’s ability to swallow and to aid in digestion. It sounded good then and according to my vet, it’s still a good thing.

So then I asked the Vet about “slow-feed” bowls. I wasn’t sure if this was just the latest “new” thing or not. Apparently, depending on your dog’s type, and whether or not his or her breed is deep-chested, these slow-feed bowls CAN keep your dog from eating too fast, swallowing too much air, and possibly developing bloat.

My Vet also said that dogs that eat fast – even if they are not one of the deep-chested breeds like Mastiffs or Great Danes, can still benefit from eating slower – bloat or not.

I had figured out around Day Three with Cato that he is definitely a “chow-hound” who likes to gobble his food. I’m not sure WHO he thinks will eat it if he doesn’t, but he does eat fast, and eats everything in his bowl. This may change once he gets a bit older and I may move him to the elevated bowls but last weekend I ordered one of the slow-feed bowls as well.

It arrived today and as you can see from the image, Cato was more than willing to be a “spokesmodel” for the product! He seemed to circle the bowl a bit more than usual to make sure he left nothing behind. This alone slowed down his eating process.

Cato is a Weimaraner/Lab mix – Weimaraners being one of the top 5 breeds prone to bloat – I figured for around $20, it was worth it to purchase this slow-feed bowl. This particular model has a little rubber edge to it which will also keep it from sliding all around the floor while he eats – which is comical to me, but probably annoying to him!

Find out more about bloat and breed susceptibility.

Now that Cato, (10 weeks old) is getting stronger he is starting to test access to my sofa. I’ve never minded my dog sitting on the sofa with me, but with his sharp little claws and those tiny puppy teeth, I fear a minute’s inattention on my part may spell doom.

Plow & Hearth to the rescue!

This Personalized Pet Loveseat Cover should do the trick and there is a size for sofas as well. Colors available are: Blue, Chocolate and Taupe.

Sizes:
~ Loveseat Measures 87-1/2″W x 46-3/4″D
~ Couch Measures 112″W x 36-3/4″D

Machine-washable and you can even have it personalized with your pet’s name (up to 10 letters) FREE!

For around $60 for the loveseat size and $80 for the sofa cover, this is a smart investment in the future of my puppy AND my sofa!

More soon on the feeding bowl controversy. Ten years ago, raised bowls were supposed to be better. Now I’m hearing “slow feed” bowls will keep dogs from gulping their food and potentially developing a deadly situation called “bloat.”

In the 10 years I had my last dog, CoCo, I became completely spoiled at this dog-owner gig. CoCo was so low-maintenance and our schedules and routines were so ingrained after a decade that I think I forgot how well behaved and smart he really was.

After the death of CoCo, on to the scene comes Puppy Cato and after two weeks, I am longing for the (hoped for) time he will have learned the ways of his new world.

Don’t get me wrong – Cato is a smart and fairly well-behaved puppy and a great addition to the house after the loss of CoCo.

However, I forgot that puppies don’t just have teeth, they have NEEDLE-SHARP teeth – and they like to chew – on anything and everything – including my arm! I went into the bank last week and had to wonder if they thought I had either just filmed a slasher movie or if I might be a needle-using drug addict with some really bad aim!

Cato also doesn’t yet understand the difference between “inside” and “outside.” Well, he does about 50% of the time, I just never know which 50% I am dealing with for which “event.” He’s getting better and I’m consistently using one door as “outside” for his bathroom moments. He seems to be getting the idea that heading towards the room with that door just might get him outside in time to do what nature commands.

I’ve had to puppy-proof my home again after 10 years of blissful ignorance. The good news is that in the 10 years since I got CoCo, there have been some products developed to make this initial puppy time much easier. During this week I’ll be shining a light on several that I wish I’d had before Cato’s arrival. Most are speeding my way today!

More tomorrow on some products that will make new puppy initiation a little less stressful for all involved.