updated 33 days ago by Nancy_R | 376 views | 28 barks

Campaign Platform

It has been suggested by cabinet members Sable and Chi-Chi that a discussion of relevant doggy issues is in order so that voters can decide as to who is the best candidate in the upcoming Presidential election. They have provided some questions which I, as your Indepawdent candidate, will try to address.

Let me preface my comments with the acknowledgement that our owners have the ultimate authority over all issues concerning us canines. As goofy as they may be, people are our pack leaders and are truly responsible for our healthiness and happiness. Even though I am a Diva, I understand this.

1) Breedism and breed bans.

As a major focus of our campaign, we are going to address the dangerous trends of breedism and breed bans! What started as a stop gap measure to appease a few constituents with a personal axe to grind has quickly mushroomed into a dire and deadly battle for an ever increasing list of family pets!

First, lets address what exactly BSL is. BSL is Breed Specific Legislation, such as a statute or regulation, that is directed toward one or more specific breeds of dogs. Such legislation seeks to restrict or ban certain breeds not on action, but on identity and appearance. It seeks to lable a dog "vicious" and "dangerous" by virtue of their ancestory and not on their actions. A lot of loving, loyal family pets are being placed under ever more restrictive guidelines for nothing more than being born a Pit Bull, Akita, Mastiff and a list of up to 75 different breeds in North America alone!!! Breed bans have been proven numerous times to be ineffective, and amount to nothing more than "feel good law"!

http://www.canineadvocatesofohio.org/BSL/Truth_About_BSL.htm

The truth is, breedism is a media driven movement, based on sensationalism and rating, and have very little, if anything to do with actual scientific data about breed temperment. The American Temperment Testing Society stages testing on all breeds, and their results conflict seriously with the breedism trend:

http://www.atts.org/statistics.html

Our campaign feels that dangerous dog laws should be passed only on the actions of the individual, not the appearance of the breed.

Contributed by Blaze

2) Want to get a dog? Think adoption or rescue first!

There are too many wonderful doggies in this land who wind up in shelters. Perhaps the owners have moved into an apartment which doesn't allow pets. Maybe they were abandoned after a natural disaster. Or their owners cannot afford to keep them. Or they grew up and aren't puppies anymore. Many of these shelter dogs are healthy, perhaps even house trained, and all they need is an owner who will love and take care of them. Unfortunately, they often face a short life and a hopefully painless death. There is no good reason for those seeking a pet to ever purchase a dog from a pet store, classified ad, auction, or backyard breeder – with the exception of those stores who sponsor adoption from local shelters.  Unless you are seeking a champion show dog, there is no good reason not to adopt from a shelter, humane society, or rescue organization.  Yes, there is a breed specific rescue organization for all breeds. Here are a few organizations which will help. Many provide shots and/or spaying/neutering at no cost.

A pet is a responsibility – if an owner is unable to keep a pet it is the owners responsibility to relocate the pet into a proper environment.  When the end of our lives is near, our owners should make sure the circumstance is loving and humane. Education is the key to ending the horror of puppy mills and backyard breeding.

Contributed by Jehingr

 3)  Treats and how often.

There are treats and there are treats. Most doggy treats are reasonably healthy for us. My mommy uses a treat named, Liver Biscotti, which is available on the internet, and has been given the approval of my vet. It is dry and comes in different sizes and flavors. Whatever the treat may be, how often it is offered is up to our owners. Although I would like treats all the time, I understand that the best reinforcements for training and approval are verbal and tactile encouragements. A simple, "good dog", and an ear scratch is the best reward for proper doggy behavior. We know these are examples of our owner's love for us and are healthiest in the long run.

4) Sleeping on our human's bed.

Sleeping on the bed is based entirely upon the invitation of our owners. Some owners like it, some don't. Remember, it is their bed, not ours.

5) Barking at the air or our shadows.

Barking is an important form of communication for us. It enables us to tell people that we want to go outside, or to warn them that another person (or animal) is on the premises (invited or not). Barking also lets us tell another dog that we exist. It can advise them against aggressive behavior, or invite them to play with us. Barking at the air or at our shadows or at constant street traffic, can be annoying to our people and their guests and should be limited to their comfort levels.

6) Being dressed up in stupid outfits because our parents think it's cute.

Hey, we have to indulge our owners most of the time. If we exhibit really negative reactions to such dressups, they should understand and leave us alone. Otherwise, let them have their fun. As a Diva, I don't mind it at all.

7) Going swimming, to the park, for a walk, roll in the mud and in stinky stuff whenever we want.

Not whenever we want. We must be aware that we may be on the way to friends homes, or the vet, or on a long car ride. We must be dry or not covered in poo under such conditions, even though we might like being wet or covered in poo. Barring such limitations, many owners realize that we like water, mud and stinky stuff, and will let us do our thing with the understanding that they will have to dry us off or clean us up. Please refer to Carla Genenders' swimming doggies, Zach and Quincy for details.

8)  Being made to go to the veteranarian even if we are not feeling bad?

I am afraid the answer to this is yes. I know, I know, must of us don't like vets and would prefer to visit them...uh...never. They stick us with needles, feed us awful tasting stuff and even cut off our...well...breeding thingies. We must remember that the vet's true purpose is to make sure we are healthy. Even though we might not feel bad, we have to be examined and/or tested periodically to make sure we are ok. Hey, many humans hate going to their doctors too but they do it anyway. At least the smart ones do.

9) Maximizing dogs later years.
Modern veterinary medicine has made tremendous strides in protecting and repairing the health of family companions, and pets are living longer than ever before. This happy state of affairs has led to interest in a relatively new aspect of canine well-being -- care of the aging dog. Like people, pets go through life stages of growth, maturity, and aging. The passage from one stage to another is often blurred, and owners must be on guard to recognize the signs that Princess is getting old. Observant families know that Sassy has slowed down in the past year or that Ranger is stiff each morning. They see that Muffin is no longer an eager eater and that she sleeps more deeply than usual. They may notice a fatty tumor under the skin when grooming their pet or notice that he is more easily startled by loud noises. Aging in pets is a gradual process. Organs begin to deteriorate, senses begin to decline, and energy begins to flag. But Muffin, Sassy, and Ranger can be kept comfortable and happy in their last years with a few precautions and accommodations. Old age comes at different times for different breeds of dogs and different individual dogs. Giant breeds tend to age early, for their life expectancy is generally less than 10 years. Large and medium-sized breeds have a life expectancy of 11-14 years, and small breeds can live 15 years or more. A strong, healthy dog will probably age later than a dog that is stressed by disease or environment early in his life. Dogs that are spayed or neutered before six months of age ordinarily live longer than dogs that are kept intact.

Signs of aging
Aging begins at birth, but its manifestations are not noticeable for several years. The first sign of aging is a general decrease in activity level, including a tendency to sleep longer and more soundly, a waning of enthusiasm for long walks and games of catch, and a loss of interest in the goings on in the home. Extremes in temperature and changes in surroundings affect aging and old dogs to some degree. Stony doesn't want to sit on the deck in the height of summer or the depth of winter any more, and he is careful to lie on the rug, not the tile floor. He has a bit of trouble getting up after his nap, and is stiff-legged for a few hours now and then. Hearing loss is a frequent consequence of aging, as is some deterioration of sight. Dogs can compensate for these conditions; partial or even total blindness may not be noticed if the dog is in familiar surroundings and has learned to adjust as his eyesight failed. Skin and coat change, too, as the skin loses pliability and the capacity of the oil-producing sebeous glands diminishes. Wounds heal more slowly, allergies often worsen, non-malignant tumors may appear in the mouth or on or under the skin, and infestations of intestinal parasite may occur. As aging advances, heart, liver, and kidneys lose their efficiency, and the immune system is less able to fight off attacks by bacteria and viruses. Bladder control may be affected, and muscles decrease in size and function.

Preventive care
Although aging is inevitable, pet owners can delay its onset by judicious management of their pet's puppy and mature years. Annual visits to the veterinarian for protection from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and kennel cough along with the state-mandated rabies vaccination are the beginning of a good health program. Annual heartworm and intestinal parasite checks should be next on the list, followed by control of external parasites on the pet and in the home. Good nutrition is critical to good health at all ages, so owners should avoid generic or cheap dog food. Exercise is also of critical importance in keeping the dog in good shape. A fat, couch potato dog may be happy being pampered, but she will live longer if she slims down and takes a hike now and then. Even old dogs generally like to play with a favorite toy for a few minutes each day or take a walk to the corner and back. Other steps a pet owner can take to delay the onset of aging in their dogs include cleaning his teeth to prevent gum disease; grooming him to keep his skin and coat healthy and to discover any problems such as dry skin, thin or brittle coat, thin coat, body odor, or sore spots; and checking his ears for odor or gunk produced by infecting organisms.

Keeping dogs comfortable
There's a fine line to walk between easing your pet's transition into old age and ushering him into the life of a canine invalid. A dog that enjoyed his puppyhood and his mature years should have the opportunity to enjoy his aging years as well. If he has been a happy-go-lucky, independent critter for six or eight or 10 years before signs of aging become overt, let him set his own limits for as long as possible. He'll probably do a better job than you will. If Rover is stiff in the morning, give him an opportunity to walk it out; don't fawn all over him, coaxing him with treats to get up and go outside. Keep an eye on him so you know when he's ready to go outside so he doesn't have an accident in the house. Make sure Coalie has a rug or bed to call her own. Then, when she doesn't want to lie on the floor, she has a softer surface to choose. If she sleeps in a crate, put a pad or thick blanket on the bottom. If Willow's coat and skin dry out, brush her more frequently to stimulate the production of natural oils and ask the veterinarian for a shampoo that soothe dry skin without removing what little oils exist. Check Buddy for fleas and ticks. Fleas can carry tapeworms and cause allergies; ticks can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease. Older dogs have less resistance and less ability to fight off parasites and diseases. Reduce Nicky's calorie intake if necessary to prevent him from getting fat. There are a number of good maintenance or light diets formulated for older dogs. Eliminate fatty snacks to avoid digestive upsets and stick with dog biscuits, fruit, vegetables, or popcorn. Invest in a baby gate or two to bar Sugar from the stairs or the living room carpet if necessary. It's better to avoid the stain on the rug from incontinence or the injury that occurs when the dog is too stiff or can't see well enough to navigate the stairs. Do not scold, discipline, or punish Star for lapses in housetraining or for nipping a toddler who wakes her from a deep sleep. Avoid the situations when possible and deal with them when they happen, but do so without anger; Star can't help herself. If Junker has been obedience trained, work him a bit a couple of times per week. He'll enjoy the time spent with you and the refresher course will give him something to do. Take him on short walks or rides in the car when possible to spark his interest with a change of scenery. Check with your veterinarian for advice on the use of aspirin for stiffness or other over-the-counter remedies for digestive upsets. Most of all, be a bit more cognizant of Pansy's special requirements as an aging pooch. She may need to be awakened periodically during the day to go outside and urinate. She may need to be reminded to eat or occasionally given a special treat to enhance her appetite. And she may need to be forgiven for forgetting her manners or her housetraining. With these simple precautions, the aging dog in good health will become an old dog several years later and continue to bring joy to the family along the way.

from website http://dogs.suite101.com/article.cfm/carefortheolderdog

 
Joining a group of senior dogs and their owners
One of the best ways to become informed of senior issues is to interact with other seniors and their owners. It is possible that such dogs/owners have gone through similar things and can bring their knowledge and experience to your attention. We have such a group here at MDS and they are called GODIG. GODIG stands for Good Old Dogs Interest Group, and it focuses on dogs who are in their second decade, maybe even their third. GODIG was founded by Gwyneth, Dobiemom and Dawg1943 and they gladly accept new members. You can get information from their blogs if you are interested. Besides being helpful and experienced, they are good folks too.

Here are some other websites which might be of interest to seniors:

http://dogs.suite101.com/article.cfm/carefortheolderdog
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1551&articleid=616
http://www.loveyourdog.com/olddogs.html
http://www.srdogs.com/

 These are but a few of the questions we must address if we are to be well-informed voters or candidates. I welcome any doggies or owners to voice their opinions, either in aggreement or dissent, and I applaud Sable and Chi-Chi for their interest and support.

Please remember, I support rubs and ribs.

Dakota