Tag Archives: health

East or North?

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Easter is our time to get out into this beautiful world, and see it for it’s true simple beauty. We usually head North or East, there really isn’t an explanation or a reason behind this, it just seems to happen that way. This has pretty much been our norm for 18 years or so. No matter were we are living, Mother Nature never disappoints.

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We start at home with an early Easter morning romp in the yard, breakfast, and packing.

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If we somehow don’t leave until the crack of 10am or so, we stop at Mark’s in Livingston. Hands down my kids favorite!

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We like to travel on back roads as much as possible. We find that we see more, experience newness,  and it’s truly an intimate way to see an area. And you are guaranteed to run into something bizarre at some point.  It’s simple, we open a map, find an interesting name of an area, and head there. We have never been disappointed in the adventure department, and always, absolutely always have a great time. We leave our day open to new options and detours. Nothing is set in stone.

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This year we decided to explore the area around the Big Snowy and Judith Mountain ranges, and a little beyond. We’ve driven through on the highway for sheep herding clinics and things like that, but have never really explored the area. The Crazy Mountains were first, incredibly gorgeous.

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We had some rain, lots of wind, gorgeous sun, and a bit of everything in between. We almost depend on this variability to be honest. Spore found a county road he wanted to explore, the dogs needed to get out, and the kids were ready to blast.

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These are my 3 Musketeers! $eeker is always with the kids, and the kids with him.

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We went through the Invenergy Wind Farm by Judith Gap. I wish we had more wind harvesting in this world. Montana has wind to spare, and it just makes sense all the way around. And personally, there is something about wind farms, when they are in motion, that I like.

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Sunset in Judith Gap

Roadside lunch for the crew. Olive oil and rosemary roasted gizzards and organ meat. And then off for another walk in a new area.

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Some of the places we wanted to go were up too high and it was still too snowy, so we pulled out the map and noticed that there was a State Park in the middle of this area, Ackley Lake State Park, who knew? Spore is a State Park junkie by the way, he feels that since we pay for them, we should visit them, appreciate them, and explore them. So off we went. What a treasure is all I can say. There was one, just one other car in the State Park while we were there. It was freedom, airing out, running, and playing at it’s best. This was a true find! And for about one hour the sun came out. Smiles all the way around. I can only imagine that this lake is packed in the summer time!

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Beach parking, this was so cool in and of itself!

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Franny ran and ran and ran. She enjoyed herself more than any of us I think. The soft ground, the openness, no stress, just running. I couldn’t stop smiling. Her joy was palpable.

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$eeker won’t go swimming unless Ocean goes in first. If alligators don’t get Ocean, and no giant octopus tentacles reach up and suck her under, well then he considers the adventure all good and will take the plunge!

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First swim of the season. This is Ocean’s true love, well really anything that puts her in motion is, but she LOVES to swim above all else. The windier and wavier the better! She will be 11 years old in just three months, and this girl still has such amazing drive and power.

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Story. He is so true, honest, powerful, and present. And I think these photos capture HIM as I feel him.

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Playing. We all needed it!

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And then, we try to find some place that’s open for dinner. Harder said than done in super small back roads towns on Easter evening.

Spore and I have eaten in a lot of crappy little dives, on four different continents. We consider it part of the adventure and truly have very low expectations, and a pretty good tolerance for crappy little dives. There always seems to be some redeeming quality, even if it’s super small, and that is what creates that great memory. Maybe a great view, maybe a cardboard shack of a place but awesome food, maybe the food was inedible but the coffee was amazing, maybe a great fun server or eccentric cook, there is always something small that is great. Out of the way is fun, in the middle of nowhere you can sometimes find the best pancakes, food adventure is part of traveling in my book.

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Spore and I agreed on the final stretch of our drive home, that the diner we stopped at in Harlowton, now tops our list of the crappiest of diners we have ever been too, during all of our travels, spanning 18 years together. That is saying something. There was nothing that was redeeming. Not the service, not the view, not the decor, and least of all the food. Again, we are not hard to please, it’s an adventure after all. You have to work at making us not like a place.

Was it a great Easter? Yes. Everything I love more than anything else in this world was packed into our car. A big mosh pit, my mosh pit. And we were out exploring little places in a big world together.

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Nancy

 

 

 

Deworming… huh hmmmm, for people

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Tis the season!

“the worms crawl in the worms crawl out the worms play pinochle on your snout…” does anyone remember this ditty or did I just date myself?

Talking about worms or intestinal parasites is actually a pretty common conversation amongst dog owners. We talk about what our animals eat, how it comes out (literally) and what it looks like… oh wait, is that a worm in there?

Then off to the veterinary we go. It is suggested that we deworm our dogs at least twice a year, more if there is visual site of worms in the stool. Most pet owners that I know are pretty faithful to this schedule, kind of like spring and fall ‘house cleaning’.

But hold on!

What about you, the owner that lives, eats, and sleeps with your dog… and kisses your dog? Have you been taking care of yourself? Do you have worms? Oh the horror…

If you live with, work with, or are around animals on a daily basis, deworming yourself once to twice a year is highly recommended. The Amish caught on to this a long time ago, and some farm and ranch children are raised with daily homemade tinctures, a lot like liquid cloves (sans sugar…blah!). A spoonful a day keeps the worms away.

My friends and fellow world travelers like to refer to it as ‘parasite cleansing’, it just sounds nicer.

There are a few options out there. I tend to stay with the least abrasive and least toxic versions. You want to consult with your health care practitioner to see what they feel would be safe for you. Take into consideration that herbs are drugs, and they are powerful, so always know what you are putting into your body. Most Co-ops, health food stores or nutrition centers carry these products.Talk to your Doctor about prescription pharmaceuticals.

Both of these parasite cleansing products are available at health food stores in Bozeman.

Old Amish De-wormer
Parastroy 

Here’s to your health and a worm free body!
Nancy
originally posted March 2011

this group will inspire!

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This winter I had a brilliant idea, I mean brilliant x 10!

I was going to schedule an event at our Gym, and call it ‘The Festival of Possibilities’. We have a talented and experienced group of positive based trainers across the state. My plan was to bring them all together over a weekend, and have mini workshops, sampler classes, private sessions, consultations, etc, and make it available to the general public. A Festival to; enlighten, teach, explore new ideas, try a new service, listen, participate, and maybe investigate alternative health options. Possibilities always leave the door open!

I still have this on the back burner, I still want this to happen, but here is the glitch I ran into. Because we are all trainers, and not only trainers, but also business owners, and dog sport competitors, it was impossible to find a single weekend where we could all get together!

But what did happen, is it gave me pause to really think about this group of individuals that are not only colleagues, but have become my trusted friends over the years. And truthfully to stand in awe at the collective awesomeness that is right here in Montana.

When I started my business  Paws & People, 10 years ago, there were training clubs, but not many individually owned training businesses, and even fewer that were dedicated to education and positive based training. Over the years I have been asked to give workshops and private consultations across the state, and have had the opportunity to work with these individuals and watch their businesses grow. I have been humbled by their trust in me. And honestly, it has made our friendships over the years that much more special!

You see, in the dog world, even in the positive based dog world, not all trainers or business owners are savory characters. Disrespect towards other trainers, malice intent, shotty cheap business practices, pirating other trainers material, and vindictive behavior,  run deep. These people never get a second chance to make a first impression with other trainers, and tend not to last very long. And for a good reason in my opinion. Over the years I have worked with two individuals like this, and it still knocks the wind out of me to see adults behave so poorly. But, it’s also a great reminder for me, why I do what I do, and why I value other trainers that hold themselves to a much higher standard.

What sets my colleagues, and their businesses apart from the rest is a combination of things.

  1. Functioning adults, that have good social skills, are honest, and are fairly mature!
  2. Most of these individuals have years, if not decades of experience in the dog sport competition world. Most hold titles in multiple dog sports.
  3. They are dog aficionados! Or Junky if you prefer. If there is a dog book, movie, conference, workshop, talk, well they will be there. Always on the curve to learn more and be current. Curious and always exploring. Many are qualified and/or certified in multiple disciplines!
  4. They reach out to other colleagues for feedback, help, or referrals, and have formed a pretty cool network of support.
  5. Honesty and respect run deep with this group. I have never seen a dishonest display with their businesses, clients, or training colleagues. Their businesses are respected in their communities and amongst other trainers.
  6. These individuals have integrity up one side and down the other, and it reflects in their business approach.
  7. These individuals stand firmly on their own two feet, know who they are, they are educated, and at the same time humble when working with animals and their people. They know and understand there is always something to be learned from the animals they are working with.
  8. Great sense of humor and a fairly readable bullshit meter.

Let me introduce the ‘collective awesomeness’ of Positive Based Trainers from Montana -

Melanie Lattin – Great Falls

Linda Lyons – Happy Hounds Dog Training – Dillon

Joni Kaiser – mBarking Training – Helena – She also employs Vicki Willert, Bree Caldwell, and Vicki Thacker. A great team!

Adele Delp - Canine Fitness – Helena

Tom Brownlee – Carroll College – Helena

Jewels Willis – The Joyful Animal – Hamilton

Natasha Osborn - Pathfinder Agility – Stevensville

Sarah Spencer Hall - Sit Happens! – Missoula

Helene Tiefenthaler – Paws-a-tively Canine! – Laurel

Camilla McCullough – Billings/Red Lodge

And here is an additional shout out to the Bozeman PetSmart. While not an individually owned business, their trainer and veterinary technician crew have all been clients of mine at one time or another. They have taken that extra step to do more, learn more, and enhance their skills! And in turn pass it along to their clients! Rock on…

And to our two shelters, Lewis and Clark Humane Society, and Heart of the Valley, that have an active behavior and training program, and have been championing positive based training! Thank you!

If feels great to be surrounded by these individuals, I feel grateful! ~ Nancy

my special kind of nurses

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Bugger …

I don’t get sick often, but when I do I go down fast and hard. I must have picked up some kind of special messed up virus on my recent travels.

Yesterday I woke up, normal but a bit on the wonky side, and after an hour on my feet I realized things were not OK in my world.

The kids went off the school with their Valentines goodies, Spore to work, and the border collies and I at home. We all looked at each other for a brief moment, not quite the day we had planned.

My eyes were having trouble focusing, and because my head felt like someone was repeatedly beating it with a 2 X 4, and my stomach was on the high seas some where, I crawled into bed. But even that didn’t feel so good. Then the fever set in, yipee!

I don’t do sick well. I want my Mom and my Grandma to take care of me, even if only in thought. Comfort, caring, make me better. Wait, I kind of take that back. My Mom didn’t do ‘me being sick’ very well come to think of it. My sick days were something like “how are you feeling?”, “Mom I feel awful”, “well when you get a bit of energy here’s the bucket of cleaning supplies, the bathroom needs cleaning and the kitchen cabinets need washing and polishing”. Anyhoo, I want comfort, I hate being sick alone.

Thank goodness for my nursing crew yesterday! While they can’t get me tea, or make chicken soup, they offer comfort that goes much deeper, healing at the very core.

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Ocean has a hard time giving comfort to anyone, she is so concerned for her own safety that me being sick can nearly throw her over the edge. ‘Dear God who is going to take care of me now’ was kind of the expression on her face when I crawled into bed. But she did give me comfort every time she came in to check on me, she gave me one kiss, whined a bit, and then went back to the couch. That effort is huge for her.

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Franny has always been the one to stick by me when I am not feeling well. She either lays in her crate next to my bed, or is on my bed with me. Her presence is not lost on me. Even when the room is spinning at 100 miles an hour with a skull crushing head ache, she is my anchor.

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Story my Sentry. So honest, so true. Mr. Integrity. He hops onto the bed and presses all 60 border collie pounds of muscle into my back. The weight and pressure is soothing. Better than a heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm rice & bean packs. And the added bonus is his luscious fur to bury my fingers in. When he gets to warm he will hop off and lay on the cool hardwood floor next to my bed. He did this back and forth all day yesterday.

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$eeker, dear sweet $eeker. So intelligent, beyond words, so quirky, and so funny. He was my lightness of being to be sure. He would rest his chin on the bed and put his nose into my right ear. He has a noise making repertoire that he does very softly, from low growl to chirping, to clattering, to humming.  Not sure what he was trying to tell me but it made me giggle, until my head split open with raging pain. So $eekers way of reminding me that pain is all relative, and there certainly is worse pain to feel, would jump onto the bed and slowly and purposefully walk across my chest and abdomen, each foot deliberately placed, and each foot supporting most of his 50 pounds of border collie weight. He would work his way to my left ear and then start his special language with me again. It was hard not to giggle, but the thought of him repeatedly walking across me was good incentive to remain silent and listen to what he had to say.

Did my dogs ‘want’ to take care of me, maybe, but I doubt it. I just happened to be the only game in town yesterday. As soon as Spore and the kids came home, I was alone again, and they were off playing.

It was the first day in a very long time where I literally could not get out of bed, oh I think I did once, but I crawled.

This morning I woke to four dogs, bouncing around, kissing me, howling, barking, and excited for a new day. Maybe they could sense I was feeling better? They make me smile, a smile that reaches the eyes…

I love them so very much… Nancy

hiking is my drug

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I have been working a great deal lately.

Neglecting the thing I love most, hiking with my dogs.

There is nothing quite like the sound of the high Montana desert in the winter. Silent. Crisp cool air, and total silence.

It allows me to hear each and every paw touching the earth. Their breathing. It’s soothing, stress relieving, and my drug of choice. I think I could be a junky actually.

I love to watch my dogs be dogs as they walk in front of me. We move as a unit that is filled with love, trust, and is conflict free.

I needed today as much as my dogs …

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Nancy

there doesn’t seem to be a correlation …?

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I’ve had the funniest morning. Not necessarily ‘hahaha’ funny, maybe, but more of a curious and curiouser kind of morning.

While I was out and about doing errands I found myself in a conversation with someone. It was light and airy, nothing too deep. My training business logo is pretty much on every jacket and sweater I own, but since they have been there for nearly 10 years, sometimes I forget that I’m branded.

Paws and People logoThis person pointed to my logo and said, “boy I bet they get a lot of yoga people for clients”. Without explaining that this was in fact my business, I simply said “huh, why do you think that?” And without even stumbling for words, which I think I would have done if I were in the other persons shoes, “well you know, it’s all that touchy stuff, all about the body and meditating and being nice, no meat, save the dolphins, ride your bicycle, recycling, being nice to the planet stuff. And if you are giving dogs treats and talking about their feelings, and being nicer, and don’t raise your voice, which is what that business does, WELL, it’s pretty much the same thing.”

I did laugh, audibly, maybe a bit too much actually. I had no response, none. How do you do a quick and witty come back to something so similar to a SNL skit. Every generalization, and assumption in the book, yet no correlation, and this person took them self pretty seriously, factually even. Has the human race peaked, or was I meant to stumble upon this person?

So through the rest of the morning I have been thinking, a great deal, about how people treat their animals, and does it in fact dictate, correlate, with their life style?

I don’t think it does, at all. I truly believe it is the core of the person, the character, the moral compass with in. Whether we are born with this knowingness or learn from those around us, I don’t know. The outward lifestyle, in my experience does not translate into how someone will treat an animal.

I’ve had  tattooed, motorcycle mechanics, with a huge beards come in with their sweet little puppies, bags full of treats, and train with complete devotion and tenderness.

Men and women handlers/cowboys. Dirt, jeans, scruff, huge trucks, ropes, sometimes guns. Bulls and rams that need to be moved, and they work with grace, and understanding and efficiency. And they sometimes worship and stand in awe of their dogs and their abilities.

I’ve watched teenage handlers, braces, pigtails, nice button down shirts, hang their dogs on pinch collars to get them to sit.

I’ve had 20 something year old boys, who are into the cool, fast, and adventurous life style, take the time to train their puppy with kindness and love. Even buying a cute pink harness.

I’ve had yoga instructors come to train with me who think nothing of slapping on an electric shock collar on their dog when running off leash on trails.

I’ve seen scotch drinking Grandpa’s train their little dogs with such love, patience, and acceptance of mistakes. And I’ve seen sweet apron wearing Grannies chuck their dogs across a room when a down wasn’t perfect enough.

I’ve experienced Mom’s of young children who are devoted to parenting, being there for every moment, and providing an enriched environment, move their dogs to the yard because they can’t be bothered. Move as in, never in the house again.

I’ve watched organic gardeners who reuse, recycle, and renew for the earth, put their dogs in small pens with electric fencing all the way around, and feed them food with no more nutritional value than a leather boot.

I have stood behind people at COSTCO with a shopping basket filled with every organic product in the store for humans, and on the bottom of the shopping cart is a giant bag of cheap crappy dog food, and a bag of chemically laden rawhide chews. Just because someone is doing right for the humans in the family, does not mean they know anything about dog health or nutrition.

There is no correlation that I have found between someones chosen life style, appearance, or health choices, and how they treat animals.

As for me, I’m most certainly not a perfect person, and I don’t think I would fit a persons ‘description’ of what a reward based trainer should look or act like. So if you should run into someone with a jacket with our logo on it, it might be me. I’m tall, sturdy, and direct. I drink wine, I laugh from deep inside, and I dress semi homeless when I’m working. I enjoy people from all walks of life, I have opinions, and I read a lot. I like jokes that are outside of politically correct. I eat healthy food, and I eat fast food french fries because they rock! I love dog sports and training for the highest level of competition. And I treat animals with respect and kindness … from deep inside of me, because that is where the feeling comes from.

Cheers, Nancy

Top 10 tips for dogs in transition

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Taking the steps to get a new dog is exciting. Going to a breeder, rescue, or shelter and spending time with various dogs opens the heart. But when you find that perfect match, the dog of your dreams, it’s better than any present, any surprise.

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I refer to ‘new to you dogs’ as ‘dogs in transition’. A dog in transition is a dog that is moving from one environment into their permanent environment. You know why they are in your home, you’ve been planning. Dogs in transition have not a single clue when they arrive in your home why they are with you, and whats going to happen to them.

The transition period is a time to re frame how your dog interacts and sees their world with you. With good information, structure, and love, dogs tend to settle in with grace. I have found that the transition period is anywhere from 2-8months, depending on the consistency of the household.

Here are my Top 10 tips to help with the dog in transition -

  1. A new start – Sometimes you will know the back ground, sometimes you will not. The kindest thing you can do is to leave that information behind, no dog needs to carry that baggage around, and it isn’t healthy for your new relationship. Your first day together is the beginning of a new life for both of you. Your new dog is now ‘your dog’. Breathe!
  2. Consistent Schedule – It’s normal for some ‘dogs in transition’ to be very polite for the first two weeks or so, some even shut down. They don’t know why they are in your home and will be observing everything, and taking notes! You won’t start to really see who your new dog is for weeks. And when you do, underlying behaviors from their previous experiences will surface, both good and bad. Your home is your home, but now that you have invited a new dog to live there, please be on your best behavior for the first few weeks, or hopefully longer. A daily schedule for your new dog will keep everyone honest, and keep the guess work out. All time should be accounted for. Sleeping area, exercise, meal times, down time, play, socialization, etc. Having a schedule on the fridge is not a bad idea!
  3. Space – Have an area in your home that is managed, and designated for your new dog. This can be a gated room, kennel, or crate. You want your new dog to have a space of their own from the moment they enter your house. Make sure it is comfortable, in an area that does not have thru traffic, and that the temperatures are right for your new dog. When you need to leave, or your dog needs a break from the activity in the house, they will have a space of their own that is calm, relaxing, and safe. Have a pillow or two in the rooms where everyone spends the most time. Your new dog needs furniture too, and needs to feel welcome.
  4. Food/Chewing – Transition can be stressful, for some more than others. Have items for chewing. Bully sticks, raw bones, stuffed KONGS, hooves, etc. Chewing can be very calming, and it gives a ‘dog in transition’ a job of sorts. You take the guess work out of down time. Their food should be healthy and sugar free. No grains, sugars, or junky treats. A nice balanced species appropriate diet is the best. If they feel good on the inside, they will show it on the outside!
  5. Containment – With a new dog, please do not take them off leash outside of a contained area. While they are new to you freedom off leash should be in a fenced area. They will not know you well enough to be off leash on a trail, or in an off leash open space area. And you will not know your new dog well enough to know how they handle situations under stress, while off leash. You need to get to know each other better before the leash comes off outside of a contained area. You need to work on the relationship and trust. And you need to have good behaviors, like ‘come to me’ before the leash is ever off in open space. This takes months.
  6. Exercise – ‘Dogs in Transition’ need a bit more exercise than normal, both mentally and physically. Please don’t feel the need to pound then into the ground, but do make extra time in your day to exercise your new dog. Walks, running, fetch, tricks, and games in the yard. This new interaction with you should be positive, rewarding, and physically and mentally satiating. Slightly tired takes the edge off, and allows for more restorative sleep. You do not want a fully loaded ‘dog in transition’.
  7. Being Right – Start building a conditioned emotional response that is positive. Reward your dog for new experiences in your home, and while out and about together. This can be with a food reward or verbal praise. It comes down to ‘catching your dog being right’, and acknowledging it! Reward your dog if they follow you into a new room, reward them for eliminating in the right place (preferably outside), reward your dog for interacting during a play session, or trying something new in your home that you want to keep.Giving information on ‘being right’ takes the guess work out of their new life.
  8. Corrections – If you give a ‘dog in transition’ a lot of freedom off leash, a lot of time at a dog park, and unrestricted use of the house, they will fail, because you as their new owner are creating an unsuccessful environment. PLEASE be careful to not ‘punish and/or’ correct your ‘new to you dog’ for making the wrong choices, consider this a lack of management error, and fix it on your end. If you are correcting more than teaching and/or rewarding for good choices, then you will put a nice ‘ding’ in the relationship. ALL hands are kind and considerate hands, no rough housing, no physical corrections.
  9. Push – sometimes when a ‘dog in transition’ is uncertain, they will get a bit pushy. If your new dog demands your attention in anyway, nudging, whining, barking, etc, check out your environment. Have you met your management check list; feed, potty, exercise, play, potty, and manged area with something to chew on. If you have not, please do.
  10. Play – Socialization with other dogs, if your ‘dog in transition’ is social, is a great form of play. Please choose their friends wisely and make sure it is mutual. All new experiences with other dogs should be positive. As your dogs new owner, play with a purpose will be super important for your relationship. You build trust, deepen the relationship, help with a positive emotional response, and ultimately get to know each other on a fairly mutual level. You are now responsible to initiate play with your dog. Play should have a purpose of sorts; fetch, find it, hide n seek, tug, back yard game, tricks, etc. When your play sessions are over, please put any toys away that you used, those will now be relationship tools and should be kept valuable.

Nancy

canine vaccines – good until they’re not

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Franny is resting right now, the first deep restorative sleep she has had in almost three days…

I try to make educated and thoughtful decisions for my dogs health and well being. The older I get the more I read, listen, and watch. I look at it this way, if I gather information from all sides, I can hopefully make choices that will be healthy and as safe as possible. There are never guarantees, of which I am painfully aware. I am not one to buy into guilt, propaganda, or trends. You can stick any good looking movie star on a commercial touting the benefits of ‘this drug’ or ‘that vaccine’, and it does nothing for me, in fact it’s usually my cue to go get a glass of wine!

I simply like the cards stacked in my favor. And truthfully the more you know the more you start to trust your feelings. Feelings are always there, trusting them is something totally different. Information needs to be taken thoughtfully, not at face value. Always question. Sometimes what you are learning is spot on, other times it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, and a lot of the times with a whole bucket of salt.

You see …

I am a minimalist when it comes to immunizations. I want to support my dogs socially, emotionally, physically and nutritionally so they can take care of themselves. Ten years ago I went to single cell shots for my puppies, parvo and distemper only. And once every three year rabies. Ocean had titers done almost four years ago and she carries antibodies for a plethora of things. Her immune system rocks! My other three dogs have been healthy as well. I work with veterinarians that support my choices. They know I have done my research,  and they know that I’m intentional with their health care choices. And they are well prepared for my questions, and almost always, we have great discussions.

Franny and Ocean were due for their every three year rabies. They are both seniors, and I was debating whether I would do titers or give them, what for sure would be, their last rabies vaccine. I called our Montana state Veterinarian in Helena to talk about the legalities of a titers certificate, and what the state would honor, and what our city and county regulations were. You see I have four dogs and live in the city limits. I am required to not only register my dogs, but to also have a kennel license. In order for this to happen they have to be current with their rabies vaccine.

Turns out our city does not recognize titers as a legal certificate. So I spoke with our Deputy Chief who said he would sign a form so I could get my city license tags because my dogs were seniors, but it would not be legally binding should there be an altercation or a rabies quarantine in our county. If there were to be an altercation and they did not have a current rabies certificate, they would be impounded for 10 days. If during impound there was a question about their health, they would be checked for the rabies disease. This is where it gets ugly. If you are in the field you know how this is done, if you are not, well they euthanize your dog, cut off their head, and send it to a lab where they test the brain matter for the rabies disease. So catch-22, pros and cons, safety and disease control, travel and back country hiking. What would be the best choice for me, my dogs and our family?

From Dr. Schultz, THE leading expert on immunology and vaccinations – “We’re trying to get states to recognize rabies titers (or antibodies to determine if the pets remain protected by their previous vaccine) even at three years in lieu of re vaccination,” says Schultz. “Titers are a reliable determination. But state regulators don’t always ask vaccine experts, and may themselves not be veterinarians. What’s more, laws vary from state to state and even within states. There’s no standardization.” Dr. Schultz, who participated in the 2011 American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Guidelines, absolutely understands and agrees with laws to vaccinate pets for rabies. However, he also believes allowing for exceptions makes common sense, as well as the use of titers.

I had a month to really sit on the information and also weigh it against the very real dangers of vaccinating and side effects. The rabies vaccine has the highest rate of side effects out of all of the canine vaccines.

  • Side effects typically occur within two to three weeks after vaccination. However, side effects can appear up to 45 days after vaccination. Immediate side effects after vaccinating are fairly common.
  • Appearing within hours of vaccination include vomiting, lethargy, fever, loss of consciousness, and even death (please note these are fairly common).
  • It has been reported that some dogs have been known to become aggressive, experience separation anxiety, and show signs of obsessive compulsive disorder due to the rabies vaccination.
  • The most commonly reported side effect of the rabies vaccine is a sudden occurrence of epilepsy and seizures. Because of the nature of rabies, the vaccine often attacks the nervous system, causing muscle weakness or brain and spinal issues similar to rabies itself.
  • Other reported side effects include autoimmune diseases, allergies, skin problems, digestive disorders, eating inappropriate materials like paper, and fibrocarcinomas (a type of cancer at the injection site).

So my Veterinarian came over to my home, we decided together that vaccinating was in the best interest of my dogs because of our life style in the back country, and the fact that the city didn’t have anything in place to honor a titers certificate as a legal document. He gave them a well check and felt they were healthy and could handle this last vaccine.

Ocean lost her appetite and didn’t eat for two days. Twelve days after the vaccine, Franny either stroked or had a seizure. She started to pace and walk in big circles. Her agitation and being disoriented were heart breaking. Her eyes widened and you could see the whites all the way around, and it was evident she wasn’t seeing correctly. She became anxious and sound alert as she wasn’t able to see and/or focus, we couldn’t tell. Her breathing became labored, she wasn’t able to settle for more than a few minutes. She started to bump into furniture, and stumbled near the stairs. We put her harness on and took her into the yard and walked around. Fresh air, cool and quiet. She settled for a bit. We repeated this throughout the night.

The next day she wanted to be curled up next to us, and if we moved she moved with us. Her eyes still had no real ability to focus, and she was still anxious with any sound as she couldn’t place where it was coming from. One eye started to turn blue in the pupil area. We are not seeing that progress!

She started to eat and drink well after two days, she wanted to be outside and walking around, and she had some play to her. She didn’t seem quite as agitated, but she still had eyes that were not focusing correctly. She had to look at us sideways in order to find us.

I spoke with my Veterinarian yesterday and went over all of what we were seeing. It is recommended that you do this so it can be reported to the pharmaceutical company. The pharmaceutical company told my veterinarian that unless I did a cat scan, MRI, and blood work, they could not list it as a side effect for that batch. My veterinarian being who he is asked, “how many owners could afford that, why doesn’t your company pony up and pay for this?” The response was, “not many, that is why we don’t have many side effects we consider viable or recorded”. Ouch.

“There’s absolutely no dependable way to prevent these reactions in some dogs,” Dr. Schultz says.

Since Franny is showing improvement a bit everyday we are on observation mode. My veterinarian has left the door open if we want to do blood work. He has been the calm in this storm for us.

I have resolved to contact our city and work at having the ordinances and regulations changed so that titers are a legal document. The information is there, the research is there. If for no other reason, this is in Franny’s honor, she deserves this from me.

To health and well being, and safer vaccinations – Nancy

why I love to hike …

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“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean”. John Muir

Hiking is walking, but with way more dirt, and I like both.

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Sometimes I like to hike and explore the fauna, scat and tracks. Other times I like to challenge myself and go for a long, steep and difficult hike, my knees pay the next day to be sure, but everything else in my body feels great, sated. Sometimes its a cultural exploration, other times I just need a deep breath. Hiking to a remote bakery in France and hiking to the rim of a volcano in Indonesia are the same thing for me. In my book they both hold great promise and adventure!

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I was hiking when I was much younger, but I was unaware it was called hiking. My friend Carla and I would pack our little bags, and high tail it into the hills around our house. Let me premise this by the fact that I was raised semi-feral, most of my generation was. Mom would make us breakfast and then say, “outside, be home by dinner”. We were never asked what happened during the day, it was ours to do with what we wanted. But god forbid if I was ever a minute late for dinner!

My friend and I would spend hours upon hours looking for coyote dens, not a smart idea I know, but at the time it was a great adventure! We would find puddles, and streams, and visit our water friends, and at that time frogs and tadpoles were plentiful. And yes there were also the ticks, snakes, and ground cactus. I never intentionally went looking for those!

My favorite memory from those early hikes though were the rainy day hikes. It would start to rain lightly and I would jump up and call Carla, “wanna go?” YES was always the answer. Up and up we went into the hills around our neighborhood, looking for anything that was interesting. We would climb trees and pretend we were Robinson Crusoe, build mud forts, and have great kid adventures all day in the rain.

But what still brings a smile to my face is the memory and feeling at the end of our rainy day hikes. We would run down through thigh high mustard weed, run and run for at least a half a mile, sometimes stumbling and rolling, but running in the rain, and tall yellow flowers, and that feeling of total freedom and for some reason, safety.

The worst thing that ever happened to us was having to pick ticks off of each other. My Mom would make us strip our clothes off on the front porch, she apparently didn’t want the ticks inside the house. By the way, thanks for that Mom!

Through the years I have had the fortune and/or opportunity to hike on various continents and islands.

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From the dry valley’s to the polar plateau of Antarctica, some amazing hiking, frozen but amazing. New Zealand has no lack of knee deep mud, black fly’s or eel’s. Indonesian guides are more than accommodating if you want to hike to the rim of a volcano, flowing lava be damned! Hiking above the tree line can be a bit thin on air. Forests tend to home some of the fiercest apex predators on earth. The French are great at giving you wrong directions on a trail unless you say Bonjour when you’re coming and going. Hiking in the hills around San Cristobal, Mexico, better not show your knees, just sayin! It’s all different all unique all wonderful.

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It clears my mind, body, and soul of everything that is not important. I feel free, happy and most importantly, me. The past thirty years I have shared trails with my dogs and children. They are the living beings I care to spend my free time with, so it is all good!

Nancy, happy walking!

home veterinary visits ROCK!

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Van Morrison playing, cinnamon rolls in the oven, yummy pineapple and pomegranate fruit salad on the table, hot black coffee, a clean floor, and dogs exercised. Now ready for the veterinarian to arrive! Home visits rock!

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Stress free for humans and dogs, and a lovely way to visit and ask questions. As my dogs age I am trying to make choices that will be as stress free as possible, but also balance that with aging health care needs. My two senior girls have the normal lumps and bumps, some achy joints here and there, good teeth but a few that need to be monitored for sure. The boys just need well checks, and frankly $eeker loves to be messed with!

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One of my big concerns this time around was their rabies vaccines. I’m very careful to not over vaccinate, but I also understand the real risks with rabies. We travel, we hike in the back country, and we’re out and about all of the time. I wanted a good check up, but also wanted to discuss their ages, health, and potential risks with a rabies vaccine at their age. They were due, and it’s the only vaccine I give my dogs throughout their lives. They get a single cell parvo and distemper as puppies, and then every three years a rabies vaccine. We support our dogs socially, emotionally, physically and nutritionally, and I will say they are pretty damn healthy!

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I did my pre veterinary visit research as always. I like to discuss options, but I don’t want to waste my time or my Veterinarians time being uninformed. So before this visit I called the State Veterinarians office to find out my options as far as titers, vaccines, age, and health. What was legal, what was recommended, what was possible. I called our City’s Deputy Chief to find out what my options were for licensing based off of titers should that be the route we take. I read various articles with benefits vs risks of vaccinating a senior dog. And I should note, I don’t use Veterinarians (at least not twice!) that don’t like to talk with me, discuss options, or explain something that is completely out of my scope of knowledge. My dogs, their skills and knowledge, equal exchange in a discussion.

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I use about five different veterinarians for various specialties. Chiropractic work, rehabilitation, well checks, etc. I balance my dogs care.

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Dr. Raines has been one of the veterinarians we use with our dogs over the years. He is THE first Veterinarian my puppies see. He makes sure that they LOVE coming to see him. On the floor, petting, loving up, kind hands, and always something great to say about my new puppies. As my dogs age, he will be looking after their health and well being with me. He knows all about life with senior dogs, two of his, when I first met him, were 18 and 18.5 years old, and still had a great quality of life.

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When Dr. Raines and his assistant Mandy walked up to the front door, they were greeted by happy barks, jumping up to say hi, twirling, and wagging tails. It was a love fest of sorts and mutual. $eeker fell desperately in love with Mandy. It makes me smile every time to witness this type of mutual love, and kindness. And how lovely for a medical well check visit to start this way.

Everyone was examined, lots of cool conversations, and the bonus was that my husband was home. This was his first veterinary experience like this and he loved it. His voice was heard, he got to watch and learn, and he loved that our senior girls were not stressed.

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$eeker kept easing his way onto the pillow in hopes Mandy would massage him again. Franny loves being touched so her examine was more like a Spa Day for her. Story oddly enough didn’t want to be messed with too much, I’ll have to do even more handling work before the next visit. Ocean and Franny, from the mouth of Dr. Raines, are in awesome health, Granny Rock Stars!

And I had them in their new holiday attire too!

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My only complaint, while they had coffee and tea while we were all settling in, they ate nothing! Next time, I will simply hand them a plate of yummy food. Part of people coming to my house is me being able to feed them, that is my simple pleasure!

Cheers to stress free veterinary visits, cheers to healthy dogs!

Nancy