Many people use invisible fencing to keep their dogs in the yard.  There are many advantages for using an invisible fence (an underground electric fence).  It’s less expensive to install, maintains open views, and does not interfere with wild-life and vegetation. 
However there are also some strong disadvantages that warrant serious consideration.   Invisible fencing does nothing to keep out people or other animals including robbers, dog thieves, animal abusers, wolves or other prey animals, aggressive dog packs or children.  In certain areas of the country it’s highly likely your dog could be harmed or someone might steal your pet.  Areas with major universities that have research facilities often buy animals from certain vendors.  Supposedly most of these animals come from shelters, but often family pets are kidnapped and sold for research.  Also, if your pet is considered valuable in the eyes of a would-be thief, all the thief has to do is walk in your yard and change the dog collar.  Children and toddlers might walk into your yard and provoke your friendly pet.  Even though this should be the burden of the inattentive parent, you may wind up with a huge bill if your dog bites someone in your own yard.  (Note: the average settlement for dog bites is approximately $62,000).

If you decide to install an invisible fence I’d recommend the following:
1.  Talk to professionals who do not have a vested interest to get their opinion on the best types of fence for your dog.  These might include your veterinarian, dog trainers or grooms, and shelter volunteers.
2. Never leave your dog in a invisible fence when you are not home.  Let you pets enjoy their fenced in yard while you are close by.  That way you can keep an eye on your dog(s) while they enjoy the yard.
3. Learn the proper way to train you dog and do not experiment.  Improper training can cause severe injury to your pet.
4. Strongly consider your neighborhood first.  Are there any aggressive animals that could easily cause harm to your pet?  Are their young toddlers who are not well supervised?  Are their teenagers who would tease your dog?

Also, think about your pet and what’s best for him or her.  Does she need to be fenced or would she do better at a dog park.  If you pet is either dog or people aggressive I’d strongly discourage an invisible fence because dogs can get past the barriers if they really want to.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been talking alot about dog fighting and Pit Bulls.  Due to the type of emails I’m getting I’m posting the following article one more time.  Also for anyone who wants to learn more about dog fighting and how to prevent it, please visit the ASPCA’s or HSUS links which are at the bottom of today’s post.

On Thursdays I’ve been sharing my story about finding a Pit Bull who was used for fighting. “Pit Bulls for Dummies,” is an extremely helpful book. I used it when I first found Sabrina. It gave me a good understanding of the breed. Written by well known dog author D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D. , she shares information in a fun, easy to read style. She spares no details when it comes to the Pit Bulls gruesome history, but those who are squeamish can speed read that particular chapter. This book includes how to analyze a dog, deciding if it’s a right breed for you, training and health care tips, and other resources. It’s a must read for anyone who’s considering adopting or purchasing a pit bull.

http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/animal_fighting_the_final_round/dogfighting_fact_sheet/

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cruelty_dogfighting

Back to school shopping can be a wonderful time to educate your children about humane treatment of animals.  One of the worst and most offensive industries concerning animal welfare is the fur industry.  Although the United States has a ban on the use of cat or dog fur, it is allowed in several other countries including China, and dog and cat fur has been illegally imported and used for clothing in the United States.  The fur industry is barbaric and brutal.  In order to get a pelt that looks nice, healthy animals endure horrific violent deaths which may include being clubbed to death or multiple electrocutions.  As many as 45 million animals are used annually for fur, and many of these animals are raised inhumanely and endure tremendous suffering during their short lifespan.

Fortunately, there is an exciting movement within the retail industry to boycott the fur industry.  More and more retailers and designers are adopting fur-free policies.  They either sell no fur or they sell only faux fur (something made with synthetic products, not animals.)  The Humane Association of the United States maintains a list of “fur-free” retailers and designers.  The list includes popular stores such as The Gap, which includes Banana Republic, and Old Navy, J. Crew, Footlocker, and the Limited which includes Victoria Secret, Express, and La Senza.  Polo Ralph Lauren has stated that as of its holiday line in 2006, it will eliminate fur usage world-wide.  Many designers and fashion models are vehemently opposed to the use of fur and work to educate the public about the atrocities of the fur industry.

If you are shopping and notice a retailer is selling fur, please boycott the store.  Consider writing a letter the store manager letting them know you are boycotting the store because it sells real fur products and you find this unacceptable.   Use this as an opportunity to teach your children about compassion for all beings. 

The Fur Free Alliance (http://infurmation.com) is a worldwide coalition dedicated to terminating the use of fur.  In order to combat fashion designers that commit to fur- free designs, but then do not follow through, the Fur Free Alliance maintains a current list of fur-free designers. 

Both the Fur Free Alliance and the Humane Associate Website (www.hsus/furfree) have videos, pictures and more information on the fur industry.  Parents should view the pictures and videos first to see if they would be appropriate for their children.   However, both website contain information about the fur industry and how you and your children can help improve animal welfare. 

I’ve been talking about Pit Bulls recently.  Hey who hasn’t been?  On Thursdays I’ve been sharing my story about finding a Pit Bull who was used for fighting.   “Pit Bulls for Dummies,” is an extremely helpful book.  I used it when I first found Sabrina.  It gave me a good understanding of the breed.  Written by well known dog author D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D. , she shares information in a fun, easy to read style.  She spares no details when it comes to the Pit Bulls gruesome history, but those who are squeamish can speed read that particular chapter.  This book includes how to analyze a dog, deciding if it’s a right breed for you, training and health care tips, and other resources.  It’s a must read for anyone who’s considering adopting or purchasing a pit bull.    

Ok, I hate to admit but I am a horrible housekeeper!  I tell myself it’s because I have too many pets and the vacuum cleaner is broke, but the truth is I’m lazy when it comes to cleaning.  With 6 indoor cats and a dog I need to clean my floors everyday if I don’t want pet hair to take over.  Fortunately, I discovered a wonderful product that can be used on dogs and cats. 

The Furminator (www.Furminator.com) is a comb that is guaranteed to reduce shedding by 90%.  It’s a comb/brush that is uniquely made to extract loose hair and help remove the undercoat.  On my long haired cat Circle I removed about ½ a grocery bag of loose hair and was able to gently remove some tangles.  One of my short-haired cats, Peanut, has dense undercoat.  I removed nearly a full bad of loose hair from him on his first brush.
 
If you hate cleaning as much as I do, have a pet with a dense coat, or a pet that struggles with heat, I’d strongly suggest you check out this product.  It retails around $30.  Normally, I’d balk at this kind of price for a comb or brush because I’m pretty frugal, but since I’ve had my furminator, I’m saving time on cleaning.   In other words, it’s well worth the price.

Note:  On the website www.Furminator.com, the demonstration video shows pets being quickly groomed with this product.  I’d encourage you to slow down and introduce this to your pets in a gentle manner.  I also suggest alternating hand strokes with brush strokes so your pet will love being groomed.  Both Peanut and Circle run towards me when they see me with my Furminator .  Also, remember results will vary based on animals and I cannot guarantee you’ll appreciate it as much as I do.  Though I have never used this on a rabbit, it seems like it would work well on bunnies with thick coats.

To purchase a Furminator, click on the icon below, then type Furminator.  You’ll actually get a great price by ordering through my website.Amazon offers a suprizine array of pet supplies

I love to take my dog with me whenever it’s cool enough to run errands.  Sabrina loves to ride in the car.  But did you know, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, a 60-pound dog free in the vehicle during a relatively low speed (30-mph) crash potentially becomes a projectile that could hit a windshield, dashboard, driver or another passenger with a force totaling 1,200 pounds.

The solution to this problem is quite easy. Simple harnesses that attach to seat belts, which still allow the dog enough leeway to sit or lie down, are available beginning as low as twenty dollars. A kennel crate is another alternative. Simply slip it onto the back seat or the luggage area of a van, and secure it in place using a leash as a strap and attaching it to the seatbelts.

Also, keep a leash handy.  If you ever have an emergency like a flat tire or engine failure, you’ll need it.  I usually, keep an extra leash in my vehicles at all times.  This helps me with my pet, and it’s also helped me rescue strays.

 If you have a suggestion regarding a pet safety restraint please let us know by entering a comment.

Just like us, pets may need to sleep in a bit more to recover from holiday fun.  If you hosted or attended a picnic and brought your pet, there’s a good chance your pet has eaten tablescrapes.  If your pet eats a food it’s not used to, they may get loose stools or vomit.  Provided it’s minimal, your pet will probably be ok provided it has some time to rest.  Make sure your pet is drinking water.  Dehydration is common and can cause health issues. 

To check for dehydration you can do a simple at home test.  Gently pull the skin of your pet away from the body 1/2″ for a small animal, 3/4″ on a large dog.  I like to do this around the sholder blade.  If the skin snaps back, you pet is most likely well hydrated.  If the skin is slow to slide back into place, your pet may be dehydrated.  If you suspect dehydration or another health issue, see your veteranarian right away.   The sooner you seek treatment, the more likely your pet will have a quick and full recovery. 

This week I purchased a FURemover brush.  It’s an electro-static rubber brush.  It can be used on furniture, rugs, and pets.  You can use it wet or dry.  I hate house cleaning–especially vacuuming.  For a few years I’ve been using an electro static broom to sweep my hardwood floors and it works well.  When I saw the $6 brush, I thought-hey, why not. 
There’s no magic cure for people like me who hate to clean.  However, after a single use with the FURemover my chairs and couch they looked much better than they’ve been in quite some time.  All of my cats seem to enjoy being brushed with the soft rubber tips.  It did remove a good amount of pet hair both off my cats and furniture.  Unlike a lint brush, you don’t have to peal fresh strips of paper for each use. 
So far, I like this handy little brush better than anything else I’ve used to clean pet hair off my clothes and furniture.  I purchased it at Bed, Bath and Beyond and hope to have these items available on my website soon so you can purchase them right here.   Also, if you plan on using this on your pets on a regular bases as well as furniture, I think it might be better to have two different colored brushes; one for pets and one for household items. 

I was never a big meat eater, so when I decided to eliminate mamal products from my diet, it was not difficult.  However, there was one food I always missed.  Growing up in a traditional meat-eating American home, my mom used to make the best barbarque spare ribs. I loved them.  The few times I’ve strayed from my vegetarian food plan, it was because I couldn’t resist my hankering for an order of ribs.

Last week I tried Gardenburger’s “BBQ Riblets.  They are made with mostly soy and wheat gluten.  I was shocked at how delicious they are.  The texture, though not like meat, was quite good.  If you like barbeque on the sweet side, like I do, I think you’ll enjoy the sauce tremedously.  If you have low sodium requirements or like a dry non-sweet sauce, you may not enjoy them as much as me.

I have a healthy appetite.  One serving may appear small, but it’s filling.  They take about 3 minutes in the microwave.  The box let’s you know it’s just 250 calories per serving, and each serving has 5  grams of dietary fiber.  Throw in a potato or yam and some greens and you’ve got a great meal. And of coarse, it’s animal free!  For more information please go to www.gardenburger.com 

There are different types of animal abuse and neglect. Many animals are abused and neglected simple due to overpopulation. According to statistics from the Humane Association of the United States, we kill over 4 million companion animals each year. Most of these animals are adoptable. At one time, this statistic was 17 million so we have made substantial progress but need to work smarter and harder so that we can end unintentional abuse and neglect. Getting people to take responsibility to spay and neuter pets is critical. Think about the prolific nature of animals. A single cat and her first year kittens can produce upwards of 150 cats within a three year period. The statistics for dogs is nearly equivalent. This overpopulation creates an imbalance in supply and demand and leaves many adoptable pets homeless.

Intentional abuse includes starvation, mutilation, death, bludgeoning, etc. Any time you see a pet with unusual injuries, protruding rib cages, or you spy someone causing harm to the animal call authorities. I’ve personally stopped several incidences of young men beating animals by stopping my car, and shouting out the car window. I called authorities as well. If your area does not have special number to call to report animal abuse, call your local police. In many areas animal abuse is a felony. Also, the university of Washington veterinary school has a project called the “Link”. They are researching the link between animal abuse and abuse to humans. In Wisconsin, Senator Fred Risser, is working to pass a bill that will extend domestic abuse restraining orders and injunctions to include abuse to animals and threats of abuse to animals.

Neglect is more complex and can include intentional or unintentional harm to pets. This may include abandonment, failure to provided food, water or shelter, excessive ground staking, denying the pet social interaction, untreated medical conditions, failure to groom, etc. Neglect such as abandonment can lead to death.

Other types of neglect have a direct correlation to poverty and disease. Sometimes people who live on the edge financially can no longer feed their pet when they lose a job, go through a divorce, have unexpected medical conditions, or their housing cost goes up. Other people who get sick, or suffer from debilitation diseases such as major depression, full body paralysis, etc., may have times when they forget to feed and water their animals or when they are physically unable to get out of bed and care for their pet. By getting to know our neighbors and being willing to help each other, we can help each other with pet care, and may be able to help our neighbors and friends keep an animal they love. This type of neglect can usually be corrected if neighbors, friends, and relatives, are willing to pitch in.

Intentional neglect includes abandoning an animal, dumping them on the streets or in the country, failure to provide food, water, shelter, and medical care when the animal’s guardian (or owner) has the resources to do so, casual or excessive animal breeding, keeping animals in inhumane conditions.

Occasionally, this type of neglect may be stopped by caring neighbors, so it’s always worth a try. Gather one or two other neighbors who are also concerned, figure out what you will say to the person ahead of time, and then approach the person neglecting their pet. Try to express your concern rather than judgment. Sometimes, people are ignorant and they’ll come around. Most people want to be liked by their neighbors. If they don’t respond, if the animal(s) are in very poor condition, or if you do not feel safe speaking to the person who is neglecting their pet, call the authorities.