Year: 2017

Maddie’s Tale: Life as a Breeding Dog

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Meet Maddie. She is our newest guest, and she has a story to tell. (It has a happy ending….)

Maddie asks you to close your eyes and imagine your beloved dog living his or her entire life in a small cage with little or no human companionship, without toys or treats, without soft, warm beds or any of the comforts that we all give to our pets. Imagine they are living outside, without ever feeling grass under their feet, and it’s hot, or it’s cold, it’s raining, or it’s snowing. Concrete. Mud. Dirty water. Imagine your dog living like this with little or no hope of ever becoming a beloved family pet.  Imagine they are bred repeatedly until they can no longer reproduce, and then they are destroyed or discarded. Until last week, this was Maddie’s so-called life.

This is life for many breeding dogs.

Breeding dogs can spend their entire lives confined in cages without sufficient protection from heat, cold, rain, or snow. Many live in dirty, unsanitary conditions. Mothers  are bred every heat cycle and then disposed of when they can no longer produce. All of the caged dogs pictured in this post were surrendered to a small Louisiana animal shelter by a breeder who was “downsizing”. There were 16 dogs thrown away. The youngest were 1 year olds and the oldest was between 13 and 14 years of age. Some of them have untreated heartworms. Only the oldest dog had a name. It is not clear if the breeder had even bothered to name these dogs, or if she just couldn’t be bothered to put their names on the surrender forms. Oh, by the way, this breeder is AKC licensed. I think we have a problem.

Maddie knows what you might be thinking, not all breeders are bad. I would never support such a breeder. Of course not, but how many are bad? How many are really awful, and how would you even know about dogs like Maddie?

Breeders must be regulated, right? There must be rules to keep awful treatment of dogs from happening, right? Well, guess what?

Keeping breeding dogs in these deplorable conditions is legal.

The only way to stop it, short of changing the laws and pushing for real and consistent enforcement, is by refusing to buy the puppies that keep these breeders in business.

There are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills (both licensed and unlicensed) in the US with more than 2 million puppies bred each year. At the same time, an estimated 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters annually. See: Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) 2014 Puppy Mill Facts and Figures report (available here) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Pet Statistics (link here).

Any backyard or large scale breeder with five or more breeding females is legally required to be licensed with the US Department of Agriculture. The USDA regulates commercial dog breeding and is responsible for enforcing the standards governing the care of dogs in commercial breeding facilities as set forth in the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), but just because a breeder is USDA licensed/government inspected doesn’t mean much. These are still puppy mills, housing tens to hundreds of breeding dogs in small cages for the duration of their useful breeding lives. This is legal under USDA regulations. In fact, USDA regulations require only minimal standards of food, water and shelter.

The AWA and the derivative USDA regulations and enforcement are not sufficient to protect dogs in commercial breeding facilities, because AWA’s standards are too undefined to ensure humane care and treatment, and the USDA is not appropriately resourced to enforce its own regulations under the law.

What is allowed under the AWA? 

According to The Puppy Mill Project, many of the AWA’s requirements are vague and require only minimal standards in housing and care of breeding dogs. Worse, the the AWA leaves it up to the profit-motivated breeders to determine what constitutes an adequate level of care for the dogs.  There is no limit placed on the number of dogs allowed and no minimum requirement for the number of staff that must be available to care for the dogs. The dogs may be caged 24 hours a day for their entire lives, confined in spaces only six inches larger than their bodies, (not including the tail), only being removed to be bred.  Breeding females at the first and every subsequent heat cycle is permitted. Dogs may be kept in stacked cages, and may be forced to relieve themselves in their cages. Wire or mesh flooring is allowed. Human interaction with the dogs is not required, and unwanted animals may be killed, sold, or as these dogs in the photographs were, dumped at the local animal shelter.

This is where Maddie lived.

Thanks to many concerned volunteers and rescue organizations, Maddie and the other dogs you see here are now in rescue foster homes.

  

 

These kind of places breed puppies for profit with no concern for health or temperament. Puppies are often taken early from their mothers and sold, to minimize costs and maximize profits, and they can develop health and behavioral problems as a result. Any money spent on veterinary care, quality food, shelter, or staff to care for the dogs cuts into the breeder’s bottom line. If breeding dogs receive veterinary care, it is often done by the untrained breeders themselves to cut costs. There is no guarantee that these breeders will go to the expense of providing humane euthanasia when they are done using these dogs.

 

The USDA is overburdened, understaffed, inspections are infrequent, and USDA inspectors have a record of leniency towards commercial breeders. There are reportedly hundreds of USDA-licensed breeders in operation with long lists of violations of these minimal standards, but it is rare for the USDA to revoke a commercial breeder’s license or fine a breeder that has repeated violations on record. (USDA report available here.)

— You can visit the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s compilation of state animal laws available here.

Wait, what about the responsible – reputable breeders?

There are some. Responsible breeders breed only a small number of dogs, they likely are often too small to require USDA-licensure. Responsible breeders are knowledgeable about their breeds’ genetic and health issues. They test and screen their breeding dogs to try to improve the breed stock and ensure healthy puppies. They care about their dogs as much as they care about the profit of their small business.

Responsible breeders take proper care of their breeding dogs and puppies, providing appropriate food, water, shelter, sanitary living conditions and veterinary care for all of their animals. They invite buyers to meet the breeding parents and see their living conditions.

Interested in buying from a breeder? If at all possible, you want to meet your puppy’s mother and father to in order judge their potential temperament and health. If the dam and sire are healthy and have nice temperaments, your puppy probably will too. If the breeder hesitates to let you meet the breeding pair or to see where they are living, be cautious. Think about where Maddie came from: I found her breeder’s website, and it looked legitimate. It didn’t show the photos of the poor kennel conditions I shared with you above.

I am in touch with several of the fosters of those breeding dogs pictured above. These are male and female dogs who are living inside of a home for the first time in their lives. So, they aren’t house trained. They don’t know how to go up and down stairs. They are not used to human interaction and shy away from being touched. They have no idea what to do with toys or treats, let alone how to interact with other dogs or humans. They don’t really even know how to play yet. They are terrified. They tend to stay in one small area of the house and have to be carried in and out. They don’t know to relieve themselves on the grass, they do it on concrete. That is what they are used to. Some of the males have untreated heartworms. Now, let me ask you a question: do you want to buy a $1,000 puppy born from one of these dogs?

Before you decide, let me explain that how breeders raise puppies before they go to their new families has a strong influence on the puppy’s temperament. Responsible breeders make sure that mothers are bred a limited amount of times and receive appropriate veterinary care. Responsible breeders properly socialize their puppies and ensure that puppies are with their mothers for an adequate amount of time in the crucial early weeks of mental and physical development. Puppies learn a lot about healthy social interaction from their littermates and mother. Behavioral science tells us that the most valuable time for a puppy to learn from its environment is from birth to 16 weeks. Without positive experiences during this key development window, a dog can develop negative behaviors: aggression, destructive behaviors, fear and anxiety around humans and other dogs. These behaviors can be lifelong and may be difficult to change. If breeding mothers are unhealthy and/or depressed, they are unable to give their puppies what they need. Their puppies can have major behavioral issues. Maybe they haven’t met many people and dogs and weren’t handled much. They might have difficulty adapting to their new homes. Without early social interaction, a dog will remain uncomfortable with human interaction, can be anxious, and will be more likely to respond aggressively towards a human.

If you were thinking about ordering a puppy online, maybe put your wallet away. Responsible breeders do not sell their puppies over the Internet to just anyone. You would be much better off visiting a breeder near you. Ask to see the dam and the sire of your puppy. See how they interact with your breeder. Are they friendly and healthy looking? Ask questions.

A good breeder will be asking potential buyers lots of questions because they only place their puppies in safe and appropriate homes. The breeder should ask you if you’ve ever owned a dog, about your family, and who will be the primary caregiver of the puppy. They should be accessible and open with their contact information, references from previous buyers, and, if you can’t visit, photos of the puppy with its mother and its living conditions. If you are shelling out a lot of money for a purebred dog, you can and should ask to see certification that both parents of your puppy have been genetically tested for breed-related problems. Do your homework.

You can check the USDA inspection record of a particular breeder on the USDA website. I found instructions via http://www.thepuppymillproject.org/puppy-mill-faqs/ 

What about the American Kennel Club (AKC)? What does it mean if the breeder assures me that my puppy is registered or has papers?

Don’t be fooled into thinking that legal, licensed breeders with registration papers are a guarantee of a healthy puppy. American Kennel Club (AKC) or registration papers do not mean much with respect to the quality or conditions of the breeding of a dog. It is simply a record of a puppy’s parents and certifies that both parents were of the same breed. Registration papers do nothing to ensure that an individual puppy (or the breeding parents) are healthy or free of genetic defects (orthopedic, eye or heart problems), or that they were raised in a humane, clean environment. No one requires breeders to be knowledgeable about their breed, to health-test their breeding stock, or to socialize their puppies. USDA regulations don’t even address socialization or the health, temperament or quality of the breeding parents.

Besides, puppy mills routinely sell puppies with papers from various kennel clubs and kennel clubs have a long history of supporting the commercial dog breeding industry while opposing legislation that would improve conditions for dogs living in puppy mills, even making profits registering and then selling puppy mill dogs. You can read more here. A New York Times exposé into the AKC’s inspection program revealed that many AKC certified breeders subjected their dogs to puppy mill-like conditions.

So, the rescue people are against breeders, but, if the breeders stop, won’t there be a puppy shortage? Nope. Again, there are millions of dogs in shelters and rescues in need of homes, including puppies!  Seriously, there are endless puppies. There are thousands of puppies available every day on Petfinder.com. I just got a request to some foster 6 week old lab puppies – a dozen of them were just dumped at a shelter (and puppies do not do well in a shelter. They have no immune system. It’s awful.)

Some people argue that there is no such a thing as a “responsible” breeder because they are merely adding to the overpopulation problem. Breeder puppies take homes away from animals that are waiting in shelters, animals that are being euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. ASPCA estimates that  1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters every year for lack of space, resources, and willing adoptive homes. Even worse, the Humane Society of the United States estimates that 4 to 5 million dogs are put down every year, and only 5% of those for medical reasons. Why? There are no homes for them.

Purebred Dogs vs. Mutts

Why do you want a purebred dog? People are willing to pay exorbitant amounts for a purebred dog, expecting that their puppy has been raised in a clean and nurturing environment and will grow up to have a friendly disposition and minimal health problems. As far as behavior and disposition go, there really is no way to tell. It’s dependent on the individual dog and its environment. Many people believe that purebreds are healthier. Though they may have a known lineage, it’s not true that they are healthier. Mixed breed dogs tend to have less inherited genetic health problems and purebred dogs actually tend to have more health problems. Reputable breeders will provide genetic health testing to make sure your dog is not likely to carry any inherited genetic problems. Again, responsible breeders are concerned with the betterment of the breed. However, purebred dogs might be inbred. Intentional breeding for positive traits may unintentionally exacerbate negative traits. Profit usually wins out in these things.

The shelter dog is often perceived as unpredictable and/or inferior to one that is bought from a breeder. Keep in mind that even though some dogs are relinquished to shelters because of a problem behavior, most are surrendered due to a change in the family situation. The ones that have behavior problems usually just need a bit of training. If owners would train their dogs to behave (and their children to behave), our shelters would be emptier. And if it makes you sad to think of seeing all of the homeless dogs at the shelter, remember how happy it makes them to see and interact with people! You might be surprised.

Animal shelters charge adoption fees. Isn’t that the same as buying an animal?

Still want a purebred dog? Be aware that buying a puppy from a breeder can be expensive, and you will be responsible for all its vetting.

Shelter adoption fees cover the cost of food, medicine, spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, microchipping. Your money is going to help animals. When you give your money to breeders, they use it to breed,  and sadly all too often, abuse more animals. When you give it to a rescue group or shelter, it goes to save more homeless animals.

The cost of adopting from a shelter is much lower than the cost of purchasing a puppy from a breeder. If you get your dog from a rescue, they will already have all of their vetting completed, including a microchip and spay or neuter, and may even be house and crate trained. The rescue or foster will be able to tell you all about the dog’s personality (so, no surprises when you bring the dog home). And rescue groups will generally take the dog back if it is not a good match. They are interested in finding the best home for the dog and the best dog for each adopter.

Any type of animal you’re looking for can be found at animal shelters and rescues, just waiting to be adopted. Like Maddie!

 

Why Choose a Rescue Dog? 

When you rescue a dog, you are saving two lives – the life of the dog you adopt and the space that opens up for another dog in the shelter or rescue. The love and gratitude you will receive from a shelter dog is unlike any other. If you follow my blog or my social media, you can see that. You may not know exactly what breed the dog you pick is mixed with, but DNA tests are widely available, and kind of fun. I have a great rescue dog that is a Lab, Chow, Dachshund, English Bulldog mix! (Thank you Wisdom Panel!)

This is Bailey.

 

I’m so happy that Maddie is here with us. She is very happy to have a home with us, until she finds her forever home. Her whole body wags with joy. She has learned how to use the stairs and the soft dog beds. She likes too be warm and dry at night. She loves to play with my lab Pen. She likes to be around people and dogs.

Maddie is 9 years old, she worked for a breeder. She is retired now and thoroughly enjoying it.

Maddie will be spayed and available for adoption through NOLA Lab Rescue. Four other labs from Maddie’s breeder are also available through NOLA Lab Rescue.

 

 

 

 

Christmas Hope

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Recently, my 10 year old daughter was asked, what do you want for Christmas? –A puppy! she replied.  The thing is, I’m not sure if she was serious, or if she has mastered the adult sarcasm in the family. We have had over thirty dogs here in the last year, and most of them would count as a puppy. We’ve even had a few of the newly weaned, just taken from the momma dog type. We love puppies. I tell people: they are a total pain in the ass. Because they are. They are untrained pee machines. But I’m like the puppy-grandma, I get to love on them and cuddle on them for a short time, all the while knowing we will be sending them on to a forever home soon, making another family very happy. Knowing they are temporary changes your attitude about the rough parts. Maybe the reason that I am good at fostering and letting go is that I have changed countries, continents, jobs, schools, and friends so often that my mantra is: I can handle anything, because soon enough everything will change and I’ll be starting over. You would be amazed at what you can deal with if you maintain this attitude. Pretty much everything in life is temporary in one way or another, so appreciate the good parts, the bad parts will pass.

I hope we will be lucky enough to foster some tiny puppies over the Christmas holiday.  The fact that grandparents are asking about Christmas gifts reminds me that I really need to stop procrastinating Christmas planning. This year we are having a very modest Christmas. I am seriously on a minimalist mission to get rid of stuff. Having a house with 6 to 8 dogs and their cages and dog beds is making me very happy, but all of the life clutter around them is stressing me out. What is the point of amassing more stuff?

I’m not a total Scrooge. I have a bad habit of overdoing gifts for my family. I love giving people things that make them happy! My family is getting harder and harder to shop for though. Now that the kids are 10 and 13, they just aren’t into toys. Ask them what they want and you get a blank stare, or nothing; my son actually said nothing. I think it’s great. I’m super happy that they aren’t materialistic to the point of having detailed lists. I still want to find them a gift that makes them smile though. Maybe our gift should actually be giving. Maybe it will make them smile if I give them each a gift card, and we go to the store and buy toys and treats to deliver to the homeless animals at the shelter, and toys and clothes for kids in need.

I want all the dogs for Christmas! If you’ve followed my blog, you know that I love beautiful dogs. I would like to foster one of every shape and size, I would like to love on them and cuddle them, photograph them, and send them happily off to their forever families. I want a St. Bernard and a Berner and miniature Dachshund. I love them all. I love the mutts too. My dog Bailey is a weird mix of Chow, Lab, Dachshund and English Bulldog. He’s funny looking. I think he’s beautiful. Ollie is a Chihuahua mixed with so many things that the DNA test was inconclusive. He’s funny looking too, like a hound/Greyhound.

 

My latest fosters are both beautiful. Otis is a gorgeous full blooded chocolate Labrador Retriever who is is only with us a very short time. He has an adopter ready for him.

The other new foster is Hope. I have no idea what breed mix Hope is. She looks like a herding type dog. She is a beautiful white. You wouldn’t look at her and see any kind of perfection. Hope was born partially deaf and partially blind. She has a milky, glass eye. She can see some movement. I’m not sure how well she can hear. Hope has spent her life living in an outside pen. Otis, on the other hand, is well trained and healthy and has been an inside dog. Hope is afraid just being inside of the house. It feels strange to her, the hardwood floors, the cushions. I’m happy to give Otis a place to stay between families. He knocked over a rambunctious toddler and was given up. That sucks, but this boy has lived a pretty good life. Hope hasn’t. She is kind of a mess. She has bad scars where dogs have attacked her. She needs to have several fractured teeth extracted. She has heartworms that have gone untreated.

Hope needs a forever family. First, she needs to learn to be an inside dog. She needs to learn to trust people again. She needs some serious decompression time. I’m so glad that Hope is with us for the holidays. I can’t think of a better way to spend Christmas than loving on her. She is so very beautiful to me. I told Hope that her bad parts have passed, they are behind her. The good part of life starts here and now.

 

Maybe I think they are ALL beautiful? That’s because of the joy they bring me. Look at that beautiful smile on Hope’s face as she hugs my daughter. I’m glad that I’m giving this sort of a life to my children. I’m proud of the way that they have stepped up and take responsibility for our many four-legged guests.

I have been given so much in life. I grew up in a nice house in nice neighborhood, and I’ve never been hungry or cold. I’ve been safe, coddled even. (Thank you Mom and Dad!) Now that I am all grown up and settled in a warm, safe home of my own, now that I have two healthy, wonderful children, and I have travelled all over the world, now I want to give more than I receive. That’s why I love rescue. These dogs give me so much day after day, that it’s hard to believe that I am actually  giving more than I receive. I think that’s why I am drawn to dogs like Tres and Hope. Dogs that have big needs, needs that I think I can meet. It feels really good to help them.

Still thinking about what my modest family Christmas is going to look like. I’ve ordered blankets and durable dog chew toys to take to the shelter with the kids. Of course, the freak snow days came and went and the blankets have not arrived yet. Ugh. Waiting…In the meantime, I’m not totally preachy and unmaterialistic…..I’ve come across these cute pillows. These all made me smile. Perhaps you have someone in your life who needs a gift like these? (You know, if they can’t rescue a puppy for some reason.)

ASPCA Pillows

https://www.pbteen.com/shop/girls-bedding/teen-decorative-pillows/

How cute are these?

 

 

I dare you not to smile at some of these…

Happy Holidays! I am very hopeful for a wonderful New Year, and many, many more guests at The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs.

There’s a Place for Us

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Rita Hayworth loved Marlon Brando so much that it almost killed her. During their torrid 8 year affair, she suffered his philandering, his emotional abuse, and a botched abortion. Keeping that in mind, I am not a fan of Brando. I recently pulled two gorgeous 1 year old dogs from the shelter named Brando and Rita Hayworth. It is unclear if they are siblings or just pack mates. They were surrendered together when their owner passed away just before Thanksgiving. They were scared and depressed and not adjusting to the shelter. Who can blame them?

Another foster that I know had just asked me to keep a look out for a young yellow lab female for her. Voila, Rita appeared. The shelter thought that Rita had recently had a litter of puppies, it appeared that she was leaking milk. The man that surrendered her said there were no puppies. It seemed suspicious. Rita seemed sad. So did Brando

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Rita was picked up by her foster-fail momma and I kept Brando here. He wasn’t answering to that name. He completely ignored it, so I began to call him Teddy. He looks just like an enormous Teddy Bear. Rita has become Roo. It turns out that this girl did not have a litter of puppies. When taken to the vet to be checked over and spayed, we discovered that she had a massive Uterine infection. Poor girl was feeling miserable. Thank God we got her taken care of. Had she remained in the shelter, the infection would have spread and it could have been much worse for her. She is now in her forever home and healing nicely.

In the meantime, everyone is falling in love with Teddy, with the exception of my foster Artie, who would rather Teddy leave us. These two do not get along. Teddy went almost immediately into a wonderful adoptive home with a woman and the 15 year old dog that she rescued after it was thrown from a moving vehicle. I did the home visit and little, senior Sophie seemed cautious, but friendly towards Teddy. I think she was fine with him until she realized that he was staying, and not just there for a visit. Little Sophie went on a hunger strike in protest and was hiding in the crate all day, and although the woman loved Teddy and he was completely calm, after several days of this, we decided that it was too much stress for Sophie. Teddy came back home with me. We always want every member of the family to be onboard with an adoption.

Teddy is still sad. His tail wags, we cuddle, but he is sad. That’s why I had an idea. Roo’s foster fail momma said that she would be interested in a playmate for Roo. What better than to reunite Teddy and Roo? At the shelter, they brought her to him when he was depressed and it cheered him up. So, paws crossed, Teddy will go to Roo’s new home tonight and I’m hoping for a 2nd foster fail. If not, there is plenty of interest in Teddy, but I think they would heal better together. What if Rita Hayworth and Brando had a second chance at happily ever after?

It would make a good story…

 

 

Home is where Henry is

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Today was the day. I woke up at o-dark-thirty, grabbed a large coffee, put Henry in a harness and we headed out towards Jackson, MS. His rescue has a volunteer transport lined up and he needed to be dropped off at the vet for his health certificate. Henry, who has been with us since last March, and was not successfully adopted, would be going to a new foster home in California.

I’m still not sure why this darling beagle was not adopted. One look at those big brown eyes and he owned me.

Its nearly a 3 hour drive to Jackson. I only made it an hour. Henry, who loves car rides and and stands on his hind paws with the wind in his face, was curled into a tight ball in the back seat, whining. I told him I loved him and he was going on a long trip to a new home. He whimpered. I swear that they understand what is happening. Maybe they don’t understand my words, but they understand my emotions. He knew. His favorite stuffed Moose was on the back seat next to him. He looked at it. Looked at me. He knew it shouldn’t be there. He alternated between quiet and whining. I rolled down the windows. He stayed curled in a ball.

I recently drove Tres all of the way to Ohio, and I didn’t cry until I had handed him over and got back into the car. I knew he was going to a good home. He was happy the whole trip. This wasn’t like that. Henry was scared. I was crying. I was crying enough that I had to pull over. I was crying enough that I had to call my husband. I had to turn around and drive Henry home. He is home. We love him and he is staying. It wasn’t planned. I thought I could say goodbye. He couldn’t. I couldn’t.

A lot of people say that they can’t foster because they would want to keep them all. I was ready to let Henry go. He was nearly adopted in New Orleans. It didn’t work out, but it was a good home. I would have been happy for him, happy for the family. I can do that. It just wan’t meant to be with Henry. He was meant to be with us. We got home and he was so happy. The other dogs were so happy to see him! So, now I have four permanent residents. Pen, Ollie, Bailey & Henry.

That was all before 9am…

Meet Artie! Artie is a highly unexpected guest, (because I am getting Brando on Thursday afternoon).

Mr Artie was abandoned and found himself at the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter. He was rescued to a foster home a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, his little foster brother vetoed him (and picked a fight), and Artie vetoed apartment life. He is active, and needs a yard to run around in. Artie needed a place to stay, immediately. So, here he is. I have chased him with a camera all day. He was in constant motion. Anxious, but happy to run and play. Tonight, he is cuddled up on the couch with my husband. Calm. He is playful, and gentle, and loves car rides and being outside. Artie is a 4 year old Springer Spaniel/Collie mix. He is very sweet with my kids. He will sit for a treat. I don’t know how this darling lost his family, but he deserves only the best in life. He is 50 lbs of fluff and love.

The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs is full again, just the way we like it.

I may never go to the bathroom alone again…

 

 

A Refuge From the Storm

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I joke with people that I am learning Louisiana geography through animal rescue. It’s true. I have driven all over rural southern Louisiana to visit animal shelters and spring dogs from doggy jails. A few weeks ago I drove up to Folsom, Louisiana, which is about an hour north of New Orleans.  It was a lovely day for a drive across the lake. Fun fact: with a length of 24 miles, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the world’s longest bridge over water. I have driven it many times this year while taking Tres, my former tripod foster, to his specialized physical therapy sessions. (If you have ever driven it in driving rain with very low visibility, you will know why I strongly prefer these sunny, clear days.)

Why Folsom? Prior to Hurricane Harvey, all of the Take Paws Rescue animals were housed in volunteer foster homes like mine. Last August, Take Paws Rescue,  partnered with The Inner Pup of New Orleans (TIPNO), to convert a 5,000 square-foot workshop on a 17 acre residential homestead in Folsom, LA into a temporary home for dogs that have been rescued from the flooded shelters of Hurricane Harvey in St. Landry, Vermillion and Iberia Parishes of Louisiana, as well as flooded areas of Texas. Originally purchased as a refuge from city life for the Goldring family (the founders of TIPNO) and their personal dogs, the family generously offered the space for immediate rescue use after Harvey. The heartbreaking truth is that already over crowded shelters would have to euthanize animals in order to make room unless rescues and adopters stepped in to take the animals.  Sadly, in this region, there are always more animals in need than there are rescues and resources to save them. Rescue organizations outside of the immediate area also offered to host these displaced companions if they had space, but this was insufficient to meet the overwhelming and immediate demand.

 

Why are there so many dogs in need? Sadly, as many as eighty percent of dogs in rescue shelters in Louisiana are euthanized.  This kill rate is one of the highest in the United States and unfortunately represents the culture of how supposed companion animals are regarded in the U.S. South. In search of longer-term solutions to pet overpopulation, Take Paws Rescue is partnered with TIPNO, whose mission is to create a network of accessible, affordable resources, enlightened attitudes, and accountability so that families embrace pets, and to end the cycle of abuse, neglect and overpopulation through community education and prevention programs.

In the short–term, Take Paws moves animals into foster and forever homes as quickly as possible, but there are always more dogs in need than there are open foster homes. The TIPNO Takes Paws refuge allows us to save the lives of more animals by pulling them out of overcrowded and underfunded animal shelters, getting them all necessary veterinary care, spaying and neutering, and listing them for adoption with fully vetted applicants. The refuge is a wonderful facility with plenty of room for the dogs to run and play outside. It is a place to heal on the way to their forever homes!

Look who I met at Folsom, Buddy and Boss, our latest guests at The Cecchine Hotel for dogs. Since August of 2017, the TIPNO Takes Paws refuge has housed 175 dogs and going forward we expect to house as many as 30 to 40 dogs per month. We believe it is important to maintain a surge capacity so that we will be ready for the next natural disaster emergency that our region will inevitably face.

Our team has many volunteers, but the demand to provide the best care for these displaced pets is nearly overwhelming. As well as fostering, I am currently seeking grants and writing funding proposals for for the TIPNO Takes Paws Refuge.

To help as many pets as we can, we are in need of: 

-A bathing station for pets – and a bathroom for the people staff!

-A vehicle to safely move animals to and from veterinary care, which is vital to them being healthy enough to be adopted

-Medical supplies(including heartworm and flea and tick protection) and funding for veterinary care

-Pet food (We go through at least 20 bags of dog food every month), treats, and toys

-Cleaning supplies

-Bedding and blankets to keep the pets safe and comfortable, as well as heaters and fans

 

We always need more short-term fosters:  http://takepawsrescue.org/foster/

 

Want to DONATE to Take Paws Rescue (via Paypal)?

or you can send checks to:

The Inner Pup of New Orleans
 5208 magazine Street, Suite 357
 New Orleans, LA 70115

I will happily accept donated items and drive them to our pups in need in Folsom. 
Just get in touch with me at: daniellececchine@icloud.com

BOTH GROUPS ARE 501C3 NONPROFITS AND YOUR DONATION IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE

 

Boss (black and white) and Buddy(brown and white) are both doing really well. Boss has found his forever home and Buddy (with his free hugs) has found his way into my heart. He will be tough to say farewell to.

Buddy is currently accepting applications for a lifetime of free hugs at: http://takepawsrescue.org/adopt/

 

ADOPT DON’T SHOP

But wait – there’s more: Bella & Millie & Zoe

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I saw this picture on a shelter website and I fell in love. It happens that way.

So, I contacted the rescue, and then I contacted the shelter manager. And, you know how when you are shopping on Amazon, they recommend other items? If you like that, you’ll love this!  Well, the shelter manager was quick to let me know that this darling came in with two others, probably siblings. Rescuers don’t like to leave family behind. If we take puppies, we take mom. If we take one puppy, we also take its siblings. I was ready to take two of the three girls if I could find a foster for the third, and then we hit a snag. Another rescue that I work with had just pulled a mama and her litter of pups from this same shelter and they had kennel cough. Kennel cough is highly contagious. It is treatable, but dangerous in puppies. Left untreated, it can become pneumonia. One of the rescued puppies that had it was being hospitalized.  An outbreak of kennel cough at the shelter. This was a problem.

If you take your dog to boarding or daycare they require a bordatella vaccination because of the easy contagion. All of my dogs are vaccinated.  Just like the flu shot that we all get every year, the bordatella vaccine doesn’t cover all of the strands of kennel cough, just the two most common ones. After the giardia outbreaks of the past summer, and the joys and expense of treating every dog here for it, I am being cautious. Mya has a suppressed immune system and I am particularly concerned about exposing her. I ended up pulling the little black one, Bella, from the shelter and leaving the other two behind. I had only found 1 foster willing to deal with a quarantine situation. Bella was the sickest and most stressed in the shelter. She has a little cough. The vet tech working at the shelter said that all three dogs had tested positive for heartworm, and Bella was highly positive, so I got her out first. I asked if they were treating the 3 for kennel cough or heartworm. No, she said. We don’t have the funding for meds and we don’t give them anything unless it gets really bad. So, every dog that is brought in is given a bordatella vaccination, but thats it. They are all exposed, and not treated. It breaks my heart.

I spent a week begging for fosters for the other two. The problem is, there are just so many dogs in need, and never enough fosters. Taking in a contagious dog isn’t an easy thing. I understand. But I wasn’t going to give up on these puppies. I share my fostering stories constantly, and introvert that I am, I ask total strangers if they would like to become fosters. It has been such an amazing positive experience for me. If you show interest, I ask if you want to try it. I followed up with a woman who commented on a Facebook post about these puppies. I talked with my waitress who was really enthusiastic about fostering one of them. Unfortunately, they both said they would love to, and then didn’t fill out the necessary application to become a foster. In the meantime, I felt awful about leaving the other two dogs behind. Really awful. I finally got to the point where I couldn’t just leave them there. I had an interested adopter for one and a potential foster for one and so I went and got them both. I’m so glad that I did! There have been a few coughs and sneezes, but nothing bad. They are all three house and crate trained and as sweet as can be. They all have adopters lined up. Best news is, we took them to the vet this morning to get spayed and I asked them to repeat the heartworm test – all 3 came back negative! I am overwhelmingly happy about this!!! Best news ever!

These 3 puppies were lost, or thrown away, and then locked up in puppy prison. I am so happy to be able to get them out and into forever homes. They are going to make three families very happy! The is why I rescue. I spread love.

Look at them now.

Goodbye puppies, Goodbye things

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Things have been, well, crazy. There are a lot of things, and well, we need fewer things. I’m thinking about minimalism. Not hardcore, nearly empty house, bare white wall minimalism, but living with less. I used to move into a new country and new house every couple of years. With every move, I sorted the entire household and decided what to give away. Packing and unpacking is a lot of work. You never want to unpack something and say, why did I keep this? We accumulate so much stuff in our homes. My life feels cluttered. We have bought a house in New Orleans, settled down, and there is no big move on the horizon. I need to start getting rid of stuff that isn’t important, isn’t necessary, and isn’t bringing me joy.

Dogs are not stuff; they are family. But foster dogs are a temporary joy. They come and they go. Of the 26 fosters so far, we have had two that have been here a long time. Tres: almost 6 months, through surgery and rehab, and Henry: 8 months through heartworm treatment. These two are both healthy now and ready to move on. It isn’t going to be easy to say goodbye, but it is time. We just can’t keep them all.

Henry has an amazing local adopter! When I pulled him from the shelter last March, I had no idea that he would be with us so long, or that he would be the one that sleeps next to my bed at night. He is our longest staying guest, and not because he isn’t wonderful, but because he needed to get through heartworm treatment before his rescue would let him be adopted. He is a great dog. I have loved every ambling walk and every car ride with Henry. He slows me  down. In a good way. Thanks for teaching every puppy to howl Henry. Love you!

 

I recently got home from a 1,600-mile road trip to get our second longest staying guest, Tres, to Ohio, so that he could be transported on to Ontario. He is having a great time with his new foster family, and has met his potential adopters. (They have a foster that doesn’t get along with big dogs, and a couple of pugs who got along with Tres just fine.) We had several applications for Tres locally, but none of them were the right fit. I think he will make a great Canadian! It has been a wonderful experience, watching him get stronger week by week. Tres was dealt a really rough hand, and his tail never stopped wagging. Whenever I am tempted to feel sorry for myself, I think of Tres, who never did. He deserves a wonderful family!

We lived a little on the edge at The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs this past summer. Eight or nine dogs at once is a pretty big commitment. At several points, I joked about there being a thin line between myself and a dog hoarder. When I look back and realize how many dogs we had as guests this summer (Tres, Lucy, Bernie, Sasha, Nola, Whit, Bruce, Cocoa, Murray, Rocky, Marshall, Lewis, and, of course Pen, Ollie, and Bailey) my first thought is what were we thinking?  I mean, I would do it all again, don’t get me wrong. There was a BIG need because of hurricanes in surrounding states and communities, and we worked hard and we made it work. We also narrowly missed a hurricane. We were lucky. That would NOT have been particularly easy to get through. As we were closing the hurricane shutters and getting ready to shelter in place, I thought of all of our stuff in this house. How much of it would I really miss if I lost it all? Have you ever thought about that? With the Texas and Florida floods and the California wildfires, people are losing everything. It makes me think about things.

I had a unique overseas experience years ago, before I had dogs. My family was nearly evacuated from Turkmenistan when their crazy dictator died unexpectedly and it was unclear if there would be a peaceful succession. The plan was – you leave your house with the expectation that you may never be able to return. You can’t take much. What do you take? I realized that there are documents and paperwork that are hard to replace, and there are photographs that I would grab, and that was about it. All of the rest of my household was completely replaceable. Its all just stuff.

Maybe we shouldn’t have so much stuff?

We might think that the more we have, the happier we might be. It doesn’t work that way. The more we have, the busier we are. The more we have, the more important we think we are. Perhaps, the more we have, the crazier we are.

So, I’m slowing down. I’m learning not to take on too many things. But, of course, I got back from my road trip and I had previously committed to springing a dog from a shelter. I had been watching him for weeks, hoping he would be adopted, and he wasn’t. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Thai is a 1-year-old brindle dachshund-mix. He was a stray. Poor little guy was stuck in the shelter for almost a month. I think I chose well. He is great. He was super nervous when we picked him up. I took Anna with me, so that she could sit with him in the back seat for the hour-long drive home. That worked really well. He cuddled her and kept licking her face all of the way home. He was nervous when we got home, so we brought the dogs out into the yard one by one to meet him. (We know that we are overwhelming as a pack.) The only way that I can describe it is that he bounced and ran all over the yard gleefully for hours. Thai wasn’t fond of his first outdoor bath though. It took several attempts to get him through that. He smells better now. Much better.

Thai fits right in here. He is just slightly smaller than Bailey, and bigger than Mya. He’s about 30lbs. He was not neutered, and because the universe conspires to create cute puppies, Mya went into heat upon his arrival. (Mya will be spayed, but we are waiting for her to complete her heartworm treatment and be completely healthy before we subject her to surgery.) Thai went straight to the vet to be neutered. Sorry buddy.

We should have a little sign:
 Welcome to The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs, no balls allowed

So, even Thai is getting rid of something (his reproductive capacity), because the world just doesn’t need more dogs that need homes. Sadly, we have too many of those. The good news is, as soon as I posted Thai’s picture, an amazing couple fell in love with him and they are adopting him this weekend! Yay Thai! You hit the jackpot with your new family and we are so happy for you!

Thai was foster #26. That is a lot of dogs.

I have too many of lots of things. The more things I have, the more things there are that get dog hair on them. Seriously….dog hair is insidious. It.gets.everywhere.

While all of the dogs are asleep (and their hair temporarily stays put on the dog beds), I’m going to be boxing up some things to be donated. While I’m doing it, I’m thinking about what things mean the most to me, my husband and my kids, my photographs and memories, my writing, and Pen, Ollie, Bailey, Henry, Mya, and Thai – the current pack. This is all that I need to be happy. I love my beautiful, old home, and my banana trees, and my books…I’m thinking about keeping only what is really useful and important to me. Goodbye, things.

Hmmmm….Maybe would should get a tiny house and a TV deal? TINY HOTEL FOR DOGS? …on the beach!

Nah…

I just need to slow down, and clear out the mess, the noise, the extra, unnecessary details of life.

This is all I really need, right here:

Oh, and since Henry and Thai are heading out to happily ever after, of course I am getting more fosters, because that’s why I do this, and that’s what softens the blow. I miss them all when they leave our little hotel,  but I smile because their departure is making room for more that need to be saved.

Can I be more of a minimalist and have 6 dogs here? I think so. Its all about remembering what is important. I think that is why I take so many photographs of my family and our dogs. It makes me slow down and hold onto the beautiful moments, and all of the messy, hilarious ones. I don’t ever want to forget.  I just want to hold on to the moment.

 

 

I Believe in Second Chances

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In the most incarcerated city in the most incarcerated state in the most incarcerated country in the world, a freed man just rescued his new best friend. John Floyd was a man locked up for a murder conviction that was thrown out, after 36 and a half years. Maddy, a Jack Russell Terrier, was a stray who was locked up at Vermillion Parish Animal Shelter. One of my fellow fosters and rescue friends shared this amazing story this morning. It made my day and I think it is worth sharing – one of the Take Paws Rescue dogs was adopted by a man who was just released from prison through The Innocence Project.

“Innocence Project New Orleans frees innocent prisoners, exposes injustice and prevents wrongful convictions. IPNO has won the freedom or exoneration of 29 wrongfully convicted prisoners. These men served over 610 years in Louisiana and Mississippi’s prisons between them.”  John Floyd’s murder conviction was thrown out in June, with the help of The Innocence Project.

Maddy was lucky, she made it out of the kill shelter and into a foster home with Take Paws Rescue. About half of all animals entering shelters are euthanized. Approximately 98,000 pets are put to death every year in Louisiana.

Maddy’s foster wrote:

“Who better to understand the anxiety, loneliness and fear of being unfairly locked up and taken away from society than a fellow prisoner?  John Floyd was an innocent man in Angola Prison for 36 years. He missed his animals more than anything during that time. Now, with nothing but love and courage in his heart, he has moved on and has adopted one of our babies, Maddy the JRT! It was one of our most unusual apps, but we did our research and feel like Maddy will be in the most loving competent care. They can heal each other and share a mutual appreciation of a second chance.”

John Floyd worked with bloodhounds and other animals at Angola. His story was covered in The Advocate.

John Floyd, freed from Angola State Penitentiary, starts over after 36 years

Part of starting over, for John, was rescuing a dog. He was looking for one similar to the dogs that he cared for during his time at Angola. Maddy, the Jack Russell Terrier that he has adopted, was a stray with an unknown past. They are starting over together. We wish them best of everything.

 

 

We Need More Mya

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I wish I had this problem – Mya needs to gain weight. At 12.4lbs, she is overly thin. You can see her ribs clearly. She has sores from her bones rubbing where she sits; there is no muscle or fat to cushion her.

She was found darting through traffic. We don’t know how long she was stray, but we do know that she wasn’t getting enough to eat. This poor girl came to me with a heavy load of heartworms, ear infections, and a spot on her head that could be demodex or ringworm. We have treated her ears, given her her first set of immunizations and a shot for tapeworms, and started her on doxycycline to start in on those heartworms. We gave her a lyme sulphur dip. It stinks, but we are getting her healthy. We are hopeful that her heartworm load is not the reason that she is so thin. She’s not coughing and she’s active; those are good signs. I will be watching over her carefully. She is affectionate and follows us everywhere we go. I am certain that if you can heal with love, she will be just fine.

As you can see from her photos, Mya is underweight.

If you have a dog that needs to gain weight, please consult with you veterinarian. There are a number of health issues that should be considered if your dog is underweight. In Mya’s case, we are hoping that her heartworm load is not to blame. Part of getting Mya healthy overall, will be getting weight on her, and improving her nutrition.

I am more careful with my dog’s weights than I am with my own. (I feed myself things that I would never feed them.) I never feed dogs from the table, and the only people food they get is very intentional and healthy. While I am trying to lose weight (and who isn’t?) I’m trying to safely put weight on Mya. Mya and I both need to be mindful of what we eat.

My goal: healthier snacking.

For Mya: Start with quality dog food. We have added pumpkin and sweet potato to Mya’s EarthBorn Naturals kibble. We have given her salmon, chicken, rice, and peanut butter. The idea is not to simply add calories, but to add nutrition so that she gains weight gradually and keeps it on. Quickly adding too many calories, or too much fat, might lead to digestive upsets such as vomiting and/or diarrhea. Contact your vet immediately if your dog loses their appetite, vomits, has diarrhea or becomes lethargic.

I feed my dogs at 6am and 6pm, but Mya will need smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Just like on my own “diet”, Mya will be better able to digest and metabolize her food with smaller portion sizes. We also both need moderate exercise. While I need it to burn calories and stress, Mya needs exercise to build muscle and increase her appetite. I don’t particularly have to go out of my way to exercise her though. There are 5 other dogs here that she plays with. They all run around so much that I don’t worry about any of them lacking exercise!

The main thing Mya and I have in common in our diets is a need for healthy snacking. I tend too reach for sugary snacks throughout the day, and I am focusing on healthier options such as fruits and nuts. Mya needs a high-calorie, high fat, and nutrient dense snack. I am preparing a recipe from The Honest Kitchen which mixes 1 lb  of cooked ground meat,  a dozen scrambled eggs, 1C ground flaxseed, 1C cooked oatmeal,  1 8oz package of cream cheese, 1 C of peanut butter, and 1T molasses. Combine everything and make small balls (the size depends on the size of dog you are working with). Freeze the balls on a cookie sheet and store in airtight containers. They can be thawed as needed, and fed to your dog no more than 3 times daily.

Mya is such a joy to have at The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs. She is house trained, good in her crate, comes and goes from the house with the pack. She is not food motivated, so I’m glad that she has good manners and doesn’t need much in the way of training. Mya will be with us for awhile as she gets healthy. Her heartworm treatment will take months. I couldn’t ask for a sweeter long-term guest.

 

Adopt a Dog 101 – Are You Really Ready?

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Before you adopt a dog, make sure you are ready for a dog. That sounds blindingly obvious, but it still bears repeating. Think about why are you adopting a dog? Are you making a purely emotional decision? You might be like me and walk past a group of puppies that need homes, so you grab one (Ollie) and bring it home with you without much thought*. I don’t recommend this, even if it did work out for my family (mostly because my wonderful husband did all of the thinking about consequences). Impulsively adopting a puppy is how I started out in rescue, and it was a great experience. However, I’ve seen a lot of dogs that this didn’t work out for, dogs that were subsequently abandoned, given away, or dropped off at a shelter when things didn’t work out. If you let emotions make the decision, you very well might adopt a dog that isn’t right for you or your family. Save yourself, and the poor dog, from an unhappy ending by thoroughly thinking ahead now.

*I have changed my ways. I carefully consider the addition of each dog that comes into our home now. If I didn’t, we would have 37 puppies, 3 pregnant dogs, 7 seniors, 2 blind and deaf dogs, and a mini pig at The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs.

Adopt a Dog 101……there are some important questions to ask yourself:

Is the whole family on board? 

-Do you or any of your household/family members have allergies or health issues that may be negatively affected by a dog?

-Is anyone in the home intolerant of potty accidents, shedding, barking, muddy paws, wet-dog smell? Stress in the home can exacerbate health and behavior problems in a dog. Dogs are very perceptive. If there is resentment, they will feel it.

-Is there an adult in your family who is willing to be responsible for the dog’s care? Ask yourself who is going to do the dog walking, feeding, and taking the dog to vet appointments? Seriously, who is going to scoop the poop?

-Do you have any other dogs or cats or pigs… and how will they react to a new pet?

Which dog should you adopt?

This is really important. Somewhere out there is the perfect dog for you, (or at least one whose flaws you can tolerate with a smile). If you are lucky enough to be adopting a dog from a foster home, you can find out a lot about the dog before you even meet it. Yay for fosters!

Please, please ask yourself – What are you hoping to get from the dog? In other words, why do you want to adopt?

-What do you expect the dog to contribute to your life? Are you looking for an easy-going couch potato buddy, or do you want a running/hiking buddy? Long, ambling walks on the beach? Or fetch in the backyard? My advice: choose a dog with an energy level equal to or lower than your own. If you generally just want to chill in front of the tv, and you have a dog that wants to run and play, you will have a frustrated dog. A bored dog can be destructive. Then again, if you are very active, and you get a dog that just wants to lie around all day, you are going to be frustrated. You want to find a dog that fits you and your life.

–The breed is not the dog, but do consider the characteristics of the breed. Do a little research; what breed of dog would be the best fit with your lifestyle.

-Do you need a dog who will be gentle with and tolerant of small children? Some dogs are better with littles than others.

-Would a younger or older dog would be a better match for you? If you are thinking of adopting a puppy, do you have the time and patience to work with the dog through potty training, teething and chewing, and basic obedience training?

–Would you consider a senior dog? Seniors dogs in a shelter are just so sad. Maybe their owner died, or maybe they were given up by an owner that cannot afford their health care needs. In the shelter they get overlooked for the cute little puppies. I love puppies, but puppies can be a real pain in the ass. A senior dog is often calm and easygoing. They may need less exercise, but can be great couch buddies. They will almost certainly need more health care than a younger dog – and purchasing new insurance for an older dog can be cost prohibitive.

Once you know the dog that you are looking for, breed, age, size, etc., consider fostering a dog. That way if a dog is perfect, you foster fail and adopt it. YAY! If you decide that this particular dog isn’t a match for you, you have learned more about what will and will not work for you and you try another one. Your foster will be the perfect dog for someone else, and you will feel great about helping the dog and its new family connect.  Fostering is a wonderfully rewarding way to find whether you’re ready to take on a new dog, without fully committing. The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs has had 25 foster dogs so far, and now I know all about different breeds and temperaments, what I can live with, and what drives me crazy. There was one that I couldn’t live without (Bailey), so we adopted him.

So, now that you have an idea of which dog might be right for you and your family, consider how well you can schedule a dog into your life?

-How will your work obligations and your social life affect your ability to care for a dog?

-Dogs need to be fed two to three times a day, and need to be routinely let outside for potty breaks and play/exercise. A puppy can’t hang out in a crate for 8 or more hours without a potty break. You will need someone to let the puppy out often. A young dog with an abundance of energy requires more exercise and training than an older more sedentary couch potato dog.

-Dogs with long coats may need 15 to 20 minutes a day of brushing to prevent matting. You can count on a lot more time spent vacuuming a home with a long haired breed. A single Siberian husky blew my mind when it came to shedding. I loved Sasha dearly, but her shedding was a lot of work!

-You should plan to spend at least one hour per day giving direct attention (training, exercising, grooming, and playing) to your dog(s).  If your life is so over-scheduled with work and kids that you don’t have an hour to spare, then you do not have time for a new dog.

-Puppies adjust to a new home rather easily, but older adopted dogs may need additional bonding and reassurance time in the early weeks or months in their new home.

-Do you travel for work? Vacation often? Will you take the dog with you when you travel? How big of a dog can you travel comfortably with?

If you are thinking of adopting a dog, think of it like adding a family member. Adopting a puppy = having a baby. Adopting an adult dog = maybe your friendly mother-in-law is moving in. Adopting a senior = welcome grandma! It means your life priorities are going to need some adjustments. Puppies have potty accidents, dogs bark, seniors have vet bills, etc, etc. If you are about to welcome a new family member, and you have a beach trip coming up but grandma isn’t welcome, then no beach trip. You are going on a cruise in a few weeks? Nope, not a good time to leave grandma in a cage with a stranger feeding her. Do you get my subtle point here? I see this all too often. People make a snap decision to adopt a dog, but they haven’t thought about all of the other stuff going on in their lives and the fact that the new family member needs to be considered. Whether you are welcoming a puppy or a 4 year old or a senior dog into your home, the dog needs time to adjust, feel safe, and learn your rules. I have seen a puppy returned because it peed on the floor and a dog left at a shelter because the family got a new sofa. The puppy just needed patience and more training. If your dog is chewing furniture, it needs training, not euthanization.

Whether a dog is coming from a shelter, or has been through a shelter and then a foster home, they need a calm and consistent environment after you bring them into your home. They need time to decompress. They also need for you to teach them the rules of the house. If you fail to do that, the dog will ultimately fail you, (and maybe chew your couch). The environment we bring a dog into is very important for a successful experience. Are you prepared to provide a dog with a structured life that has rules, and consistent boundaries? This is important. Dogs do not often come to you pre-trained. Can you train and handle a dog with behavior issues? Are you willing to take the dog to a trainer if necessary. Can you afford that?

What does it cost to have a dog?

Adopting a dog requires a financial commitment to the animal’s health and well-being.  Please, sit down and think about what a dog is going to cost. Its not just food and toys, there are vet bills, and yes, the cost of boarding a dog while you are on vacation (at some point in the future, when your dog is fully adjusted to your home). There seem to be a lot of costs that people overlook or do not expect. I’ve tried to provide a comprehensive list for you. This is taken from Petfinder.com

Expenses in the first year  *estimates based on a survey of pet parents around the country-may be higher/lower depending on where you live and the dog you adopt.

Adoption $0-500
-The rescue or shelter will charge a fee to help defray the cost of taking in homeless animals. The dog will be up to date on immunizations and neutered or spayed if it is old enough.

Food $120-500

Nutritional Supplements $0-100

Food/water bowls $10-40

Treats $20-200

Dental/chew toys $20-200

Routine veterinary exam $45-200

Vaccinations $60-150

Emergency veterinary care $0-2,000+
-These are unexpected costs: Accidents and illness can result in costly emergency veterinary care. Consider pet insurance.

Heartworm test $0-35

Heart worm prevention $24-120

Fecal exams $10-30

Worming $10-25

Flea/Tick prevention $200-500

Spaying/neutering $35-200

Professional teeth cleaning $60-500

Collar(s) $7-50

Leash(es) $10-50

Training $30-250

Grooming tools $20-250

Professional grooming $0-1,200

Shampoo $5-50

Fence $0-2500

Stain/odor removers $10-100

Doggy bed(s) $25-100

Crate(s) $20-250

Toys $10-200

Boarding, per day $15-50

TOTAL IN THE 1st YEAR:  $766-$10,350

Are there things in this list that you hadn’t considered? It all adds up.

Shopping for your new pet can be SO MUCH FUN! Amazon is a lifesaver these days. You can find everything you need – just Click. New Pet Essentials

Ok, now that I've said all of that, please adopt a dog. It is a wonderful experience -  Just do it in an informed way.