Thoughts from the Bark Side

Hi all,
The top part is from Susan and the bottom part is from Shilo!

Independence Day is not a fun time for Shilo, he hates fireworks-the noise scares the bejabbers out of him. Unfortunately, though it is illegal in Los Angeles County where we live, our neighbors break the law and set off fireworks and firecrackers sending Shilo into a proverbial quivering maelstrom of fear. Besides the danger of setting fires, we cannot believe that year after year, even after we request them not to, they still insist on setting off these fireworks “for their children.” We have long ago given up leaving the house the few days before and after the 4th as these neighbors and others keep the booming going. We need to reassure Shilo everything is OK and we are here for him!

The ASPCA sent out a instructions to all the dog loving humans just how to protect and keep our poochie safe this 4th of July. Please take it to heart and pass it on to your friends and neighbors who also have dogs in their lives. Here is what the ASPCA wrote:

Fourth of July Festivities:
Should You Bring Your Pet?
As the country dons its red, white and blue to celebrate Independence Day, nothing says patriotism like a good old-fashioned barbecue with a side of fireworks. But beware pet parents, what’s fun for people can be a downright drag for our furry friends.

The ASPCA recommends keeping your pooch indoors as much as possible during backyard parties and Fourth of July festivities, even if he is a pro picnicker. From toxic food and beverages to raucous guests and fireworks, the holiday weekend is a minefield of potential pet problems.

“Even the most timid dog can leap a six-foot fence if he’s spooked by loud noises,” says Dr. Pamela Reid, Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center. If your dog shows signs of distress from fireworks or boisterous revelers, Dr. Reid suggests giving him a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter. “The consistent licking should calm his nerves,” she says.

The ASPCA offers some more expert advice to keep your pet singing, “Oh Say Can You See,” all the way to the fifth and beyond:

• Keep your pet on the wagon. Since alcohol is potentially poisonous to pets, place all wine, beer and spirits well out of paws’ way.
• Avoid scraps from the grill. Stick with your pet’s normal diet—any change, even for a day, can result in stomach upset. Certain foods like onions, avocado, chocolate, grapes and raisins are especially toxic to pets.
• Avoid lathering your pet with any insect repellent or sunscreen not intended for the four-legged kind. Ingestion can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy.
• Stay fire-smart. Keep your pet away from fireworks, matches, citronella candles and lighter fluid, which if eaten can irritate the stomach, lungs and central nervous system.
• Be cool near the pool. Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool or lake—not all dogs are expert swimmers! Also, pools aren’t large water bowls—they contain chlorine and other toxic chemicals that can cause stomach problems.

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous from the picnic table, please contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. And be sure to check out our more complete list of holiday pet care tips for a safe and happy Fourth!

Shilo’s Tips for a Fun Independence Day:

Stay cool-the only hot dogs should be the ones you sneak off the grill (whoops, a no-no, yeah right, can’t blame a dog for tryin’)

Protect your eyes. Sun can damage even a dog’s keen eyesight. Gotta keep those baby browns 20-20 to spy those marauding squirrels.

Stay hydrated. Insist on fresh water, and no ice cubes. Don’t want to crack those bone-chewing teeth.

BE PATRIOTIC! Take some time from the celebrating and give thanks to our heroes and heroines who gave up their lives or were injured, so we can all be free.

And to those who have served and are now serving in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines & Coast Guard…Thank you from the bottom of my doggie heart. Big licks to you!
Your buddy,
Shilo
From Susan too, but I’ll blow you a kiss in thanks!

Hi all,
With the troubled airline industry, you would think that a new, very niche airline would be a hard thing to get off the ground, (pun intended.) But here is Pet Airway with flights from Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Baltimore/Washington D.C., and New Jersey/New York/Tri State Area. Their first flight is due July 14th, 2009.

Here is what caught my attention. Though the animals are in crates, they are flown in the passenger area, not in the cargo area where it can be much too hot or much too cold. Their website says the animals are supervised the entire time, their “potty breaks” monitored, and when they reach their destination, they can either be picked up or boarded overnight. When moving cross country I would think this could be a God-send! Though it is still too bad that they haven’t figured out how to have our beloved pet travel next to us (other than buying him a seat like they do for Lassie) at the current price of $150 it sounds like a good deal.

So have a look at their website, again it is http://petairways.com and see for yourself. The first flight is still in the future, so before booking, I’d most certainly check out the feedback and reviews. It seems like a great idea especially with so many of the airlines now refusing to take pets, and when they do having so many regulations.
Cheers,
Susan

Hello all, Susan here (obviously because Shilo doesn’t need Victoria’s Secret since he’s a MALE!)

A few years ago, I had a most strange experience at a Victoria’s Secret, so I wrote the following letter. Just thought you might appreciate my encounter…

Victoria’s Secret Client Services
P.O. Box 16586
Columbus, Ohio 43216

To Whom It May Concern:
On Monday, June 5, 2006 I visited your Glendale, CA Galleria store. I had been in a few of your stores before, but never to buy a bra. Please humor me while I recount this very strange sport, I call, “Pass the football,” (the football being me.)

I was greeted near the entrance by a preoccupied woman and it took me a few moments to realize she was addressing me due to a large headset encircling her head. She asked what I was looking for and I said, actually I would like a new bra. “OK a bra, do you need to be measured?” she broadcasts. The whole store now knew of my impending purchase as her question filled the entire store as she tried to speak over the voices in her head. Not that I cared particularly, but heck, we are talking underwear here. I told her yes, I would need to be measured. Well, now she starts talking, but I really can’t understand her as I don’t know if she is addressing me or whomever, and she is a yard ahead with me trailing. She stops abruptly, points, and I dutifully follow her pointing finger to the dressing area as I am passed off to the “receiver.” Well, I thought I was to be passed off but I don’t see anyone and am very confused until I turn the corner and realize here was the other side of the conversation. She greets me, starts the measurements, and hands me a “box of bras.” She sort of explains it is all the bras in the store as she hastily unlocks the dressing room door and points me inside. The door closes and holding my “box of bras” I look around for a table on which to place them. No table. I put them on the floor. I’m thinking this is Victoria’s Secret, and I have to put these things on the floor? As I undress and lean over to pick up my first sample, I am humbled by “my secret” as I catch site of my middle-age upper torso in the mirror. Please, must we be subjected to so much humiliation? What is that saying you have on the inside of your shopping bags, “Give Me Sexy.” I think not. So now I methodically go through every single bra not knowing one from the other and feel guilty I have to place the rejects on the floor which I figure they have visited on numerous occasions. No table!

I make my selection of two styles, and as I start to dress, the door flies open and there I am, yes, topless, staring at the sales clerk and two customers. She says sorry, and slams the door shut. Remember, I’m definitely in the higher end of middle age, I’m in good shape, but still! How about a knock or better a latch on the inside!!???

I’m now dressed, I emerge from the “undressing room” balancing the infamous “box of bras” and my two selections, and the receiver announces that the football (me) is back in play and I am punted to the next player. The next receiver intercepts me and I go to inspect, “drawer number one.” She points and says , “Pick a color,” “I would like it in beige,” I reply. “Well, we don’t have that style in beige,” she states. Can’t it say that on the samples? You have the biggest security tags I’ve ever seen attached to each “beige” sample. Can’t you just have a tag that shows the colors they come in? OK, I settle for pink in that style because I sure as heck am not going back to the locker room. We go to drawer number two, and hallelujah, it comes in beige. The football now goes back into play, and a cashier is summoned and I make my purchases. I get home and discover, that there was a major penalty on the play. One of the bras is the wrong size. Sigh. This football feels very deflated.

Now, why do I use football metaphors? Because I cannot believe a woman was within a mile of this place when it was designed, planned, and “choreographed.” I need whomever reads this to understand what the heck I am saying which I figure will be male, and hence, the sports metaphors. Perhaps one of your wives could go in “undercover” and try it out. One of your older, executive’s wives.

Sincerely,
Susan

OK, so I sent the letter and received a nice apology and a gift card. Very much appreciated. But if I’m in the mall and I happen to stroll by the store, I do try to pop in, just to see if perhaps any changes have been made. Tables missing, check. no latches on doors, check, pass off of sales clerks, check. Susan avoiding shopping at Victoria’s Secret? Are you kidding, it is VICTORIA’S SECRET FOR HEAVENS SAKE! We do have our trials & tribulations we must go through. I guess Victoria’s Secret is mine. Could be worse, could be a problem with Home Depot!
Cheers,
Susan

Hi all,
While Shilo is out keeping the Easter bunny company, he wants me to remind you of the foods that are quite toxic and poisonous to dogs. Please keep your sweet doggie away from:

• Chocolate
• Onions
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Yeast dough
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Marijuana
• Moldy or spoiled food
• Wild mushrooms
• Large amounts of raw fish
• Potato, rhubarb or tomato leaves
• Large amounts of raw liver
• Large numbers of macadamia nuts
• Fruit pits
• Corn cobs

Also, you might have heard reports about dogs eating cocoa mulch. It is HIGHLY TOXIC to dogs AND cats. Here is what Snopes.com says about it:

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ‘ Theobromine’. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

As far as maintaining a poison free yard, here is a list of poisonous plants:
Lilies
Sago Palm
Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
Azalea/Rhododendron
Oleander
Castor Bean
Cyclamen
Kalanchoe
Yew
Amaryllis
Autumn Crocus
Chrysanthemum
English Ivy
Peace Lily (AKA Mauna Loa Peace Lily)
Pothos
Schefflera
(to learn more go here: ASPCA 17 Common Poisonous Plants)

If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, immediately call the ASPCA’s Poison Control line at (888) 426-4435. A $60 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

To learn more about toxins and poisonous substances for pets, go to The ASPCA “Ask the Expert”

Hope you have a great holiday!
Cheers,
Susan

Hi all, Susan here,
I was watching the news when they did a segment on pyrethrin and pyrethroid pesticides in flea and tick shampoo. These substances are the same thing that is in Raid. They have had many seriously sick dogs and cats, and thousands of pet deaths due to owners using these products manufactured by Hartz, Bio Sphere, and Sergeants. And yes, they are EPA approved, how I have no idea. Obviously no one tried it out on their own beloved pet! They are going to now be reviewed. In the meantime, check all the substances you use on your pet, and when in doubt, ask your vet.

There are some very sad stories told on the website that is the written version of the on-air story presented by Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg. To learn more, click this NBC Los Angeles link: Pet Products Investigation You will also find links on that site to Hartzvictims.org, and statements from the manufacturers Hartz and Bio Spot.

Thanks to NBC Los Angeles, Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg for reporting on this important story for all pet owners. Pass the word on!
Cheers,
Susan

Hi all,

Went to a seminar given for the Los Angeles Fire Department for MCI-Mass Casualty Incident training yesterday.  We CERT’s (Community Emergency Response Team-see previous blog) were invited to attend (and be “victims” if needed). You no doubt heard of that horrific train crash that killed 25 people in Chatsworth.  Some of the firemen had been at that emergency. They had a lot of lessons learned from processing that disaster.

The fire chiefs repeated what everyone has been saying: it is not if the big emergency, earthquake, or terrorist event will happen, it is WHEN!  I’ve now taken over 24 hours of emergency training, and I have to tell you, I don’t think it is possible to feel totally prepared for the unknown.  However, to be as prepared as you can be, you are way ahead of the game.

I put together a website for our community.  Many of the pages are quite applicable to other communities and cities.  Please take a look at SunValleyHills.org (http://www.sunvalleyhills.org)  It has information and links to emergency supply places, PDF downloads of emergency preparation for the home and family, fire safety, etc.  There is also a page for dog rules and safety.  There is also a forum to ask questions and talk about different issues.  You do not have to live in our community to take advantage of the information available.

Hopefully, I can get Shilo back to the computer soon.  He is worse at blogging than I am. 

Cheers,
Susan

Hi all, Susan here,

It has been awhile since I wrote here. I had taken the first level CERT training last month (Community Emergency Response Team) and highly recommend it, even if you use it just for yourself, family and peace of mind. Go here to learn more. It is very valuable training and given by, in my case, the Los Angeles Fire Department. You learn fire safety (and how to use a fire extinguisher), turn off the gas, the electricity, disaster triage, disaster psychology, types of disasters, some first aid, search and rescue, and general good practice during a disaster. Think how great it would be if there were several qualified CERT folks in each neighborhood and on every street. You can learn more and find where there are classes in your community by going to https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/. Please really consider taking this course, it is only 20 hours. I took mine over 3 sequential Saturdays.

Thursday they needed volunteers to assist at Oakridge Mobile Home Park in the last days that the former residents could look for any valuables that might be hidden in the ashes of that huge fire from last November. Though everyone in Southern California is affected at one time or the other by the fires they have here, actually standing in the ruins of so much devastation (and heartache) was very sobering and sad. We were just stationed around the property to see if the folks needed anything and were doing OK. Some had great, “we’ll rebuild” attitudes, some were still overwhelmed.

One woman in our course was in Miami during one of those huge hurricanes and were without services and help for two weeks. Would you have everything in place to survive for that long? In a horrible disaster it could be days, even weeks, before emergency personnel can get to you. Do you have home and car emergency kits, enough water and food for a week, first aid kits? The CERT course gives you valuable information in what to do and how to prepare for the worst. We cannot be prepared enough. Take the course!
Cheers,
Susan