Dingo's Dogsitting is Proud to Introduce Our Two Interns!

Dingo's Dogsitting is happy to introduce our two, new interns from The College and Career Access Project (CCAP), Lizzie and Kaitlyn! CCAP is is a one-year, vocationally focused, noncredit college program established by the Northeast Arc in conjunction with North Shore Community College. It affords young people with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities the opportunity to build vocational skills through classroom and real world experience. Both Lizzy and Kaitlyn are students in the Basic Canine and Feline Care track of the CCAP Program. We are happy to have them on board and the dogs seem to enjoy their company as well!

Read more about the Northeast Arc and the wonderful work that they do here:  www.ne-arc.org

Job Hazards...

My company motto, especially given that I love my job so much, is typically "Wag more.  Bark less."  But when dogs poop, or even worse, have diarhea in my car, such as what occurred to me yesterday, I can't help but bark more and wag less.  I guess when you are living your dream you just gotta take the bad with the abundance of good sometimes.  I'm thankful for apologetic clients who helped me clean my car.  I'm also thankful for Febreeze!   #jobhazards #firstworldproblems #alreadyoverit #thatswhatcarfreshenersarefor

An Insider's Guide to Dog Behavior Seminars, Trainings, etc

This past weekend I attended a seminar on dog group dynamics by Sue Sternberg.  Sternberg is the head of Rondout Valley Animals for Adoption, a community, nonprofit animal shelter which serves the upstate New York community.  Sue also runs national programs dedicated to ensuring safe animal adoptions, and quality of life at animal shelters around the world. She has over 23 years of canine behavior experience, including as an animal control officer, a behavior consultant at the ASPCA, a kennel and animal shelter owner, a successful competitor in a variety of dog sports, and a teacher of dog trainers.  

I was made aware of the seminar and attended with Irene Zimmer, the staff trainer at Dingo's Dogsitting.  Irene, a former Vet and dog sport competitor, is constantly keeping abreast of the various animal behaviorist trainings and seminars held throughout the year.  Since I'm new to the training world, I asked her to let me know when there is another seminar in the area that we could attend together.  Irene, always enthusiastic, took that small prodding to write me a fabulously informative email of all the local trade organizations in the area dealing with the health, wellness, and training of dogs.  Since her email was so thorough and informative I wanted to share it with my readers.  So without further ado, here it is:

1) There is the website of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (www.apdt.com). Their annual conference this year will be in Hartford Connecticut in October. 

[As a side note, Irene went to their conference in San Diego three years ago.  Sue Sternberg is presenting a workshop there this year.]

2) Ian Dunbar, who I think founded the APDT or was founding member, has a website called Dogstar Daily (www.dogstardaily.com) which is also full of good information. He is very knowledgeable. I am a big fan of his.

3) Then there is the International Association of Animal Bahavior Consultants (IAABC). The reason I mention this is that they have a link called (CEUs) where they feature workshops and conferences etc. Here is the link:

https://iaabc.org/bin/#/ceus/search/#e1995

4) Then of course there is Dr Sophia Yin; she also has a website full of interesting stuff. She is very good.  I will be doing a laboratory with her in October at a vet conference. 

5) I also like to keep an eye on TUFTS Cummings school of vet medicine in North Grafton. I once sat in on behavior consults with Dr Dodman and Dr Borns-Weil, they are very good and have a lot of what I consider "healthy" takes on things. 

6) Here is a webpage I also check for especially behavior things, they list a lot of events, not only for vets: 

http://avsabonline.org/resources/events

If anyone else has any feedback on any upcoming seminars or trainings they have attended I would love to hear from you.  Please email me at: nancy@dingosdogsitting.com.

Acupuncture Is Not Just For Humans Anymore!

I'm pleased to announce that Dingo's Dogsitting will now be working with an animal (and human) acupuncturist by the name of Kuan Chung Chen or Median for short.  For some diseases associated with pets, particularly ones related to age -- arthritis, sore joints, muscle spasms/weakness, disk problems, hip dysplasia, and paralysis (to name just a few) -- acupuncture can work wonders. It is a far less invasive procedure than surgery, and the cost of treatment - $65/session- is but a fraction of the cost of any surgery.   Median is dedicated to helping your pet and your wallet by providing an alternative to costly surgeries and drugs. 

A little background on Median: He was introduced to the eastern medicines of Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Acupuncture by his father, a practitioner of all three, in Taiwan.  Median received his Master’s degree in Physical Education, Health, and Leisure in Taiwan in 2008. Upon graduating, he made the voyage to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in Sports Management. While working on his Ph. D., Median also graduated from the New England School of Acupuncture, (the oldest school of acupuncture and oriental medicine in the United States), earning a Master's degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM), and also a Mass Board of Medicine Certification as a Licensed Acupuncturist.

In addition to helping people, Median also trained to practice on animals while residing in Taiwan. He has always believed that if Acupuncture can help humans deal with pain and other illnesses, then there is no reason it cannot help animals.

Median will be available by appointment only at Dingo's Dogsitting for evening and weekend appointments. If interested, please contact him at the following number: 857-233-3407.

It's All Fun and Games Until A Dog Defecates In Your Car

Last week I had the displeasure of cleaning dog poop out of my car, not once, but twice!  As the owner of a doggie daycare, this is not the first time this has happened to me.  But it is the first time it has happened multiple times in one week. 

Layla, a first time offender, can not be blamed for her momentary indiscretion as the sausage and fish her owners had fed her the night before and the morning of did not sit well with her sensitive stomach.  Poor little Layla had "the runs" all day and seemed truly apologetic and ashamed of her crimes against my Rav-4.  

Unfortunately for myself, Layla's upset stomach coincided with one the windiest days of the year thus far in Boston, Beverly, and beyond.  The irony of Mother Nature's cruel game of tag as I transported the sullied blankets in the car to the dumpster at the end of the lot, all the while dodging against her wicked winds,was not lost on me.  Despite my best efforts, M.N. won that game and I traipsed home at the end of the day smelling faintly of filth and stench (my fiance confirmed this).

Morky, on the other hand, was a repeat offender.  Prior to last week's offense his record of recidivism was already high (at this point in time he has now defecated in my car three times and urinated in it once).  In keeping with the breed standard, Morky, a Bulldog, is stubborn and willful, and it is of my professional opinion that these "accidents" had little to do with an upset stomach or an inability to "hold it" and more to do with the frustration of welcoming a new baby into his life, thereby demoting him from "top dog" to secondary companion in the eyes of his owners.  

I'm a firm believer in second changes, but three strikes and your out and four strikes and you're banned from the Dingo-mobile!  This particular decision was a tough call.  I adore Morky's owners and Morky himself is relatively well behaved when not in the car.  But the time and money it takes to clean a car that has been soiled in such a way forced my hand in this particular instance.  I can think of few things worse then being cooped up in a vehicle smaller than the size of the smallest dorm room and stinking of a smell so foul you have to breathe through your mouth to keep from gagging.  And you think the subway smells bad?

So it's all fun and games until a dog poops in your car.  And as rewarding and enjoyable as my job is, like any other profession, it's not without it's headaches.   But that's life I suppose.  We take the good with the bad and hope that the good, more times than not, outweighs and outnumbers the bad.  Shit happens.  Sometimes it even happens in the car.  But we must always remember to laugh...if only but to keep from crying.

Til next time...

The Occupational Hazards of a Dog-Sitter

Picture this scenario - a 100lb Great Dane/Lab mix - a true behemoth of a dog -running full speed down a hill, clips you from behind in the middle of the woods. You drop and wail out as the pain travels up your leg. For a moment, you think you may have broken a bone. It hurts that much. You scream and clutch your calf for a good ten seconds waiting for the pain to subside. When it does - you start crying and then laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the scenario. A bad charlie-horse smarts in a way that nothing else does. The perpetrator of the assault, a big goofy rescue dog named Boston, seems to feel bad; he licks your face and tries to sit in your lap while you cry atop a pile of pine leaves on the ground. Your own little dog sits next to you unfazed. Thanks for your concern, Dingo. 

Injuries sustained - a deep muscle bruise/calf contusion. Will make walking difficult.  Forget running.  Expect to be limping the next week or so...  The occupational hazards of a dog-sitter.

Dogsitter declines to press charges against alleged assailant, Boston (pictured above).  "Accidents happen", she said.  Boston issued a formal apology to the victim - he licked her face and gave her his paw (the universal dog sign for "sorry").  He also promised to be more careful when running around humans in the future.  

When in doubt, don't bring them out!

A few weeks ago in a Commonwealth not very far away a situation arose in my life that no dog-sitter ever wants to face.  It's the most terrifying thing that could happen to any type of caretaker - be it a dog walker, a teacher, a nanny, or a nurse.  It's the stuff that nightmares are made of (at least mine).  The potential pitfall that looms ever present in the back of one's mind (okay maybe just mine).  It keeps you on your proverbial toes and keeps insurance companies in business.  What is  this mysterious devil you may ask?  Well, a few weeks ago I nearly lost a dog.  Not in the literal sense - he did not run away -- but far worse!  An English Bulldog under my care had a massive heat stroke and nearly died.    The story contained herein is a cautionary tale (names have been changed in the interest of client anonymity).  I will share it, despite it's somewhat defamatory effect on my professional reputation, in the hopes that my story will educate other owners or sitters of any Brachycephalic breed (Brachycephalic is a big word for a dog with a pushed in nose), though English Bulldogs are the most susceptible to heat stroke and they are plagued with more breathing issues than any other type of canine (I've done a lot of research since said "incident").  Let's start at the beginning of this story so that we can see how seemingly small, potentially inconsequential factors created the perfect storm that caused this dog to overheat and suffer a cardiac arrest.  Then, we can take what we have learned and talk about prevention. 

I picked Roscoe up in Boston on a Friday, a few days into a suppressing heat wave that was blanketing Boston and most of Massachusetts.  He hopped into my car giddily  and even with the AC blasting proceeded to pant heavily the entire ride back to Swampscott.  This heavy panting lasted throughout the weekend.  In the interest of full disclosure I will let it be known that I do not have central air conditioning.  I have a couple of window AC units, one of which is quite large and actually sits on the ground with the exhaust pipe running out the window.  I also have a couple of large fans, one of which is industrial strength; it's so powerful that the force with which it blows frequently causes it to flip over backwards.  Despite these cooling methods (which would seem somewhat rudimentary when compared to central air), the temperatures in a heat wave, even inside, can still reach uncomfortable levels.  Roscoe did spend most of the weekend inside in front of the fans.  He would quickly go outside into my fenced yard to potty and then come right back in without fuss or prodding. On Sunday, despite his protestations, I hosed him down outside to help cool him down (he didn't seem to like that but I thought it would be in his best interest and make him more comfortable in the long run).  I contemplated taking him for a walk in the evening but based on his heavy breathing decided against it.  My point being - we laid very, very low that weekend.

On Monday I brought all the dogs in my care to my heavily air conditioned office which is cooler than my house.  Dingo and Jack, another boarder, lazed about comfortably but Roscoe continued to pant heavily, seemingly struggling to breathe. At this point however, I still justified Roscoe's labored breathing as a fact of life for this Brachycephalic breed.  I have watched other English Bulldogs in the past, and even watched Roscoe last summer and from what I have witnessed, these dogs struggle to breathe on the best of days  The constant panting, snorting, and snoring is commonplace for them and I figured this was just another day in the life of an English Bulldog.

 Around mid-day on Monday, Roscoe, who had not been prone to accidents in the past, peed and pooped in my office.   I reasoned that this was his way of telling me that he desperately wanted to go outside and I will admit I felt somewhat guilty for his lack of activity and stimulation the past couple days.  Worried that walking to the shaded dog park down the street from my office would be too much for Roscoe, I decided to pack all the dogs up in my car and drive instead.  Upon my arrival, Dingo and Jack were immediately eager to play fetch and run about.  I threw the ball for them while Roscoe traipsed behind me at a leisurely pace.  After about five minutes at the park I noticed that Roscoe's breathing became even more labored than usual.  He then started vomiting, a little at first and then more and more frequently and violently to the point where there were thick streams of mucous emanating from his jowls.  It was at about this point that I noticed his tongue had turned from a healthy pinkish red to a deep blue/purple.  More than the vomiting or labored breathing, when I saw Roscoe's tongue I knew he was in trouble. I want to stress that this all occurred in a matter of minutes.  I was absolutely astonished at how quickly Roscoe went from walking by my side to no longer able to walk and barely able to stand.  I dropped my Chuck-It (you will be happy to know it was still there when I went back for it hours later), with adrenaline pumping I swooped  Roscoe up like he was a Chihuahua and not the 40lb linebacker that he is.  I ran back to the car with Dingo and Jack following suit.

Roscoe continued to vomit relentlessly in the car on the way back to the office, in the hallway and elevator of the building, and then in the office itself.  After he refused my desperate attempts to get him to drink I began pouring cool water over him to lower his body temperature.  Still, he showed no sign of improvement.  It was at this point that I knew I had to get him to a veterinary hospital fast.  I emailed his owners in Singapore - 'I'm worried about Roscoe.  Call me as soon as you can.'  And then I raced out the door with a very sick dog in my arms.

Despite jacking up the air conditioning in the car, Roscoe's symptoms were not abating.  He continued to vomit and also began shaking uncontrollably.  I was truly worried that he might stop breathing in the car on the way to the hospital.  I called the owners emergency contacts, his parents in San  Francisco, and alerted them to the situation.  I also called ahead to Angel Memorial Veterinary Hospital in Jamaica Plain to let them know we were on the way.  

Once we arrived at Angel the staff rushed him back into the emergency treatment room and I assumed since he was still breathing upon arrival that they would give him subcutaneous fluids and cool his body temperature and he would be okay.  A few minutes later a woman dressed in scrubs rushed out from the back room and approached me.  I could see the concern in her eyes before she spoke.

"Roscoe is going into cardiac arrest," she said.  "Do we have permission to give him CPR?"  

I'm a little surprised that they even have to ask this question but clearly my answer was an adamant, "YES!  Do whatever you have to do to save him!"

I'm happy to report that this story does have a happy ending.  A few minutes later the same woman came back and told me that they had stabilized Roscoe, his heart was beating again, and he was recovering in a temperature controlled incubator that they were flooding with pure oxygen.  I felt like I had been holding my breath for the past hour and I could finally inhale an exhausted sigh of relief.  The doctor explained to me that Roscoe was not out of the proverbially woods just yet.  There are complications that can arise after a dog has gone into heat stroke - things like organ failure, brain damage, chest infections and/or pneumonia from vomiting - but the good news was that he was stabilized, and breathing well again.  I felt at ease knowing that Roscoe was in good hands and would be receiving the best possible care imaginable in the next few days.  

The silver lining in my unforgettable tale of woe is that I did (and still do!) have pet sitters insurance which I'm happy to report picked up the entire $2,200 tab for the Emergency room visit and two days of care.  I can not stress enough the importance of hiring adequately insured dog walkers/boarders and/or if you are employed in either of the previously aforementioned professions I would say it is imperative that you purchase insurance - for your own sake and that of your client's.  

Roscoe was released in good standing after a couple days.  At my suggestion and his owners approval, he was cared for until their return by my friend and fellow dog boarder, Sam Barker of Barker Brothers Boarding.  Sam is a wildlife expert and teaches Pet Tech First Aid classes; as such, I felt more comfortable entrusting Roscoe upon discharge to her care due to her knowledge of animal health and her proximity to Angel Memorial.  I can't thank Sam enough for her assistance during this crisis and then immediately following it.  

Roscoe's discharge instructions were that he was to be kept inside and mostly immobile during the day.  Angel Memorial also stated that Roscoe suffers from "Brachycephalic Syndrome", which is an airway obstruction due to the shape and makeup of a dog's pallet and septum.  They suggested that Roscoe's owner schedule a consultation with a surgeon upon their return.

Roscoe's owners, and the owners parents in San Francisco with whom I was in touch frequently were very appreciative that I got Roscoe to the hospital in time to save his life.  They have thanked me for my care and communication before, during and after the incident.  This, of course, makes navigating a traumatic incident such as this much easier.  However, due to my perfectionist nature I can't help but wonder what I could have done differently to prevent this from happening all together.  Now that I know more about heat stroke in dogs, I know that I will refuse to board any Brachycephalic breed in the summer until I have central air installed in my home.  I would also severely restrict their activity and any outdoor time in the summer; just two to three minutes outside in the shade can be deadly for these dogs (see links below). 

When doing research post emergency I came across a few enlightening sites and personal stories that deal with preventative measures, warning signs, and how to treat a dog after it has gone into heat stroke::

www.meetup.com/chicagobullies/messages/boards/thread/3254460

www.bulldoginformation.com/bulldogs-heat-stroke.html

A somewhat controversial, but insightful blog post by an Emergency Room Vet about English Bulldogs: emergivet.blogspot.com/2010/08/ncpe-bulldogs-beware.html.  

In closing, I will take full responsibility for underestimating Roscoe's ability to tolerate the heat.  Even though we were only outside for five or ten minutes and we were in the shade, that was two to eight minutes too long.  Like most things in my life, I had to learn this particular lesson the hard way.  If you own a Brachy and have read this far, hopefully my story will prevent you from learning the hard way too.  When it comes to this fragile breed, exercise caution and when in doubt, don't bring them out!