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January 24, 2003 - Volume 36 Materials in this newsletter are the sole possession of the authors and Dog Company. Please do not copy or use in any fashion without written permission |
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Vaccination Newsflash Dog /Cat Immunizations I would like to make you aware that all 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating we dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an ethical & economic challenge to vets, and there will be skeptics. Some organizations have come up with a political compromise suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss of income vs. those concerned about potential side effects. Politics, traditions, or the doctor's economic well-being should not be a factor in medical decisions. New Principles of Immunology Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia. There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines. Puppies receive antibodies through their mother's milk. This natural protection can last 8 -14 weeks. Puppies & kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced. Vaccination at 6 weeks will, however, delay the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system. A series of vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age. Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at 1 year 4 mo) will provide lifetime immunity. (Information supplied from [CIMDA support] Re: J Dodd's vaccine protocol) Woof ... "Sweep" ^..^~~!
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Classified Wanted: Your 'articles', your 'For Sales', your 'Want Ads', your birthday wishes, your letters to Mam'selle, your names, your ......... ????? By Wed. Feb. 5 .... for the next Woof, please...... mailto:peni@dogcompany.com Wanted: Hello: My name is "Willow; " I am 5 months old, a small ''beautiful white" poodle X. It is breaking my heart to leave my mom, but her Parkinson's has advanced quickly and it is hard for her to keep her balance and it's very tiring to try and keep up with her own needs. So you know how very hard it is for her to meet the needs of a puppy. I try hard to meet her needs for a companion but I am just not ready (if ever) for this type of work. I need someone who is able to take me for long walks, play non stop (ya, right ) or has kids to play with me and love me up. You know how demanding we puppies can be. I am in dog obedience (and doing very well ); you can continue with our training so we can build a bond together. I do have my personal effects and they will, of course, come with me! My Mom has asked that you please call Peni - 656-1659. Peni will make all the arrangements for us to meet. (Disclaimer: Advertisements posted by the Woof are done as a service, not as an endorsement. Please communicate directly with the ad contact for further information on any items.)
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ASK MAM'SELLE Dear Mam'selle, Dear Pom,
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Phydeau Phun Dear God,
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Tips & Tales by Miss Trouble I've joined another club - this one's a walking club. You might think that's an odd club for a dog, but hey, it's kind of fun. I can remember a long time ago when I was just a baby and Peni was teaching Mom and I different things. We went on a couple of these kind of walks with Sweep and Peni then. There were always a bunch of us, all trailing these long, long leashes; that way, if I got too far ahead or went off the trail or did anything else I wasn't supposed to do, Mom could step on my line and stop me. There was one big problem with those long lines though.... everyone and every pup could and did step on them! I'd be chugging along, having a great time, smelling and sniffing and checking everything out and ..... ooooops! busted!!! or at least hauled to a screeching halt. I'd turn and look and there would be some fur face with a doggy grin on his face standing on my line! I swear they did it deliberately. I can remember one time too, when another pup, I've forgotten his name, decided that he would carry my leash for me. That caused a bit of excitement too. Picture two dogs trotting down the trail with a line stretched between them.... we managed to snag quite a few legs. Well, I've come along way since those baby days. Mom trusts me to come when I'm called, and to wait, and to stay pretty close to her, so I'm able to go on the trails without the long line. Sweep, Poutine, and sometimes Jiggs and Slick are on the walk too, so I try to copy them... they're my role models. Wonder why border collies are so darn smart? Part of this walking business is learning to get along with everyone else. I'm still learning about that - I can get pretty frightened when I meet up with someone new. It used to be that I'd threaten to make a snack out of anyone who was smaller than me, but I'm much more mellow now.... (really, Cricket.. I am!) And if the stranger were bigger than me, well - what's a chicken? That's what Mom called me. Like when I met Kaleb! Now that pup is big!! Funny thing though, it turned out that he was frightened of me too. When we realized neither of us was going to hurt the other, we got along fine. So now I'm doing better; I can say hello, then turn and walk away. Sometimes I even try to really make friends and play. I think Mom is proud of me when I behave like that. These walks are fun - we pups get to visit, and smell, and play, and run - what more could we want? We go in all kinds of weather even when it's raining. Like just the other day, it was really pouring down... you know, raining cats and dogs? Sue got so wet and miserable she decided she'd had enough and didn't want to walk any more. Her Dad carried her for a little bit. And Kona? Well, she gave a new meaning to the words "mud bath"; at least she did do the rinse cycle in a puddle. Too bad we didn't get a few more of these walks... after all, we're only going to the park three times a week! Don't get me wrong. I do get to go for walks with Mom and Dad the other days, but these trail walks are the bestest!!
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Woofs of Wisdom In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him.
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Sailing The Seasonal Seas You never quite know what your humans are going to do next. I knew it was the holiday season, as an assortment of strange decorations had found their way out of boxes and into the various nooks and crannies around the house. And Mom was spending an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen baking up a storm. (I was a bit ticked off that there were no home-baked holiday goodies for me coming out of the oven -- but I got lucky at Agility Club when Stacey brought in liver stars for all of us! Maybe Mom will take the hint and either spend some more time in the kitchen -- or buy some more of those goodies from Stacey. Stacey even has a website about her cookies -- www.doodledogtreats.com). But I'm getting ahead of myself. Back in early December, on a day when we're usually out running errands, we ended up just around the corner -- at the dock where my Mom's office keeps their boat. I wasn't too wild about being out on the dock, but got distracted now and again by making inquiring noises at the assorted gulls and ducks that flew and floated by. I wasn't quite sure why we were there, but there were a bunch of other folks there too, and wouldn't you know? They had more of those Christmas decorations. I thought it was only trees that you decorate, but here in Sidney, apparently you also decorate your boat. And as they were busy putting up lights and garlands, I thought I heard them say that they were going to take the boat out at night and sail it past everyone watching from the shore. Hmm. And apparently a lot of other folks were going to do the same thing. Hmmm. They said it was called the "Sidney Sail Past". |
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Around about 5 p.m. as it started to get dark, we checked out the lights to make sure that they looked as spiffy as we thought, everyone put on Santa hats and we headed out from the dock. I didn't get a hat, but I was wearing my very own PFD (that's a Pooch Flotation Device). I thought I looked pretty snazzy. I guess they were afraid that I might decide to take an impromptu walk off the back deck, so they made sure I was safe and sound. Not that I would have considered going anywhere -- because you couldn't see where you were going! Fog, fog and more fog. You could barely see the boats ahead and behind you in the Sail Past parade -- despite all the Christmas lights outlining masts, decks, windows and just about everything else. Nonetheless, it was really very pretty out there, in a fuzzy sort of way, with all the lights being softly diffused by the fog. On our boat, the Pacific Legacy, we had a bit of a different problem seeing our own lights. That was because they mostly weren't on. They'd stay on for a little while, then this really obnoxious warning sound would come on (meaning, according to the skipper, that the boat batteries were very low), and we'd have to shut all our decorative lights off. Apparently this caused much consternation to the boats following us, as one minute we'd be there, then the next, we wouldn't, and then a few minutes later we were back. We finally just shut down the lights until we knew that we were almost in front of the judges (and the thousands of other folks lining the Sidney waterfront). Then we flashed ourselves into a brilliant display of illuminatory excess for a few minutes and then dissolved away into the fog and turned them off again. For good. |
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We didn't win any prizes (I think the judges didn't get a really good look at us), but we did learn that we should use a generator to power the light display next year, just to be sure that we stay visible for the whole trip. Things might have been OK this year but we think that there was a problem with our shore power connection and that we were actually running the batteries down while we working on the decorations, rather than charging the batteries. Oh well. But it was a pretty nifty experience for a little dog, being out there on the boat, in the dark and the fog. Maybe next year they'll give me a Santa hat (or at least an elf hat). And maybe they'll even light up my PFD!
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Did You Know? You can change a dog's name and he will come to it within two days, but he will never forget the other name.
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Royalty Report Shanu, the Shiba Inu here, (otherwise known as "The Emperor of Japan" to my loyal subjects). I thought I might share with you readers what the last six months of my life have been like. It all started back in July - I can remember it well. My parents took me to Iroquois Park to meet Peni for the first time. My parents said I had been acting up and they hoped Peni would be able to help them. They said I was getting more aggressive with off-leash dogs that we met at the park, and even with my mom; I think they called my nuclear meltdowns "Shanu-byls." I was also becoming less tolerant of people coming into my kingdom without my prior consent. I know that my parents were getting more and more upset by my behaviour but I wasn't sure why they were concerned. In my brilliant mind, everything was going exactly as planned. I was well on my way to controlling the WORLD (insert diabolical laugh). Peni took control right from the start and boy, did I resent that (at first). Peni and I saw a lot of each other. It was a summer filled with agility, "off-leash" walks in Centennial Park, dog walks to Sidney and one-on-one training with Peni. My parents said that they could slowly see a change in my behaviour; I seemed to be listening more (particularly to my mom), and I was calmer. My "Shanu-byls" are now a lot less frequent and less reactive! I am getting better with meeting other dogs, although I still make it quite clear that I don't like dogs stepping out of line or getting too close to my royalness. I am still the Emperor after all! I've even made a friend - Jack. You won't believe it but he's another Shiba! We have a great time together, acting like we're going to rip each other to little furry bits. We understand each other so well and it's nice to be able to spend time with another (potential) sovereign. Well, gotta go refine my social skills and keep an eye on my empire!
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What's in a Name Vacuum .... for the dog that devours anything that falls to the ground
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Slick's Flicks GRRR ... Wuff! Yep, it's time to pop the popcorn ( I like mine with a bit of butter) and a big bowl of water. Family Flicks........ Cinderella (cartoon version) "little chick flick" Adult Movies.............. Bloodwork (Clint Eastwood) has a surprise ending. Geeesh.......... I can smell the popcorn now! REMEMBER TO LICK UP ALL THE CRUMBS OFF THE FLOOR |
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Cleo's Corner Cats reign supreme! In households with felines, not only are we allowed on the furniture (and often dogs aren't), but our humans attempt to imitate us. No contest here.
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