One way to survive a ridiculously snowy Boston winter is to follow the advice of our furry, fun-loving companions like Finn, “Stop shoveling the snow and start playing in it!”
You might argue that at one year of age Finn is still a pup and always wants to play. But isn’t that the point? When you’re young, or think young, a snow drift is where you stick your nose for a frosty frolic.
Finn tried it and now can’t stop. This guy loves the stuff! He’ll roll, run, romp, and retrieve until he’s exhausted. There’s always another spot that needs investigating and bounding there is half the fun.
Of course, no matter what your age, there has to be an occasional time out. Although … just because Finn seems to be resting, this rascal could be planning his next move.
Here’s hoping Finn will be an inspiration to us all. The next time there’s a fresh coating of snow, before you reach for that shovel, reach for the leash and take your Sunday dog out to play – assuming the drifts will let you open the door.
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This country has 75 million people who could easily become extra eyes and ears for local law enforcement in the fight against crime. These are the people who are out at all hours of the day and night, in all types of weather, walking their dogs.
Just think of the crime prevention impact resulting from alerts by hundreds of people who know their neighborhood, notice when something doesn’t look right, and are trained to provide first responders with the information needed to react quickly and safely to the report.
The National Association of Town Watch (the same people who sponsor the National Night Out event each year) has now organized a training program for crime prevention called Dog Walker Watch.
You and Your Dog Can Be Great Neighbors
Walk your dog along a familiar route and I’ll bet you notice a lot of little things that those engaged in other activities along the same path might overlook. You know the places where problems with drainage create standing pools of water on sidewalks and at intersections every time we have a heavy rain. You notice the trash cans that are always filled to overflowing. If a walk light doesn’t work or is missing, you spot it.
The Chicago Tribune interviewed Officer Adam Tabor from Morton Grove, a community that has implemented the program. “It's something we think is worth it, because there is so little effort from both the citizen standpoint and the law enforcement standpoint,” he explained.
The National Association of Town Watch provides materials for a training program that takes about 45 minutes. Tabor said, "Now, we can teach them to become more aware and less hesitant to report suspicious activity … so they become our extra eyes and ears in their neighborhood."
Training points out things to watch for like open gates or doors that are normally shut. It also teaches people what information to collect, how to report what they see, and to not get personally involved if they notice suspicious activity.
Lets hope Boston and the surrounding communities opt to organize Dog Walker Watch programs. Contact your neighborhood association. They may already have a committee in place that can help organize a local group. Call Community Policing for your district and ask if there is an existing Neighborhood Watch Program that might expand to include this concept.
An Unoffical Start
Even without an official program, you can still call 9-1-1 and report what you see. Be as specific as possible.
Give a street address or the nearest intersection.
If you can get a license plate for something car related, try to do so. Even a partial plate, the make, model, and color of the car can be of great help to the police.
Note and report the direction of flight if you saw someone leave a suspected crime scene.
Notice what someone you suspect of wrongdoing is wearing.
The person’s height, size, and description of clothing are what will be called out to responders.
Stay on the line with the call-taker if asked to do so.
Give your name and number so the responding officer can connect with you if needed.
Don’t become physically involved.
Call back to cancel the response if the situation changes.
We'd like to say thank you to all the wonderful dogs who starred in our weekly Sunday Dog feature in 2014.
Early in the year, we met the beautiful Rufus as a puppy. Now he is a very big boy.
Our walking pal Greer is a lover of snow. This is her time to play.
Natty enjoyed a summer day with Poppy in the park.
And, we looked forward to seeing Spencer at the Stillman's Farm stand in Copley Square.
We've enjoyed seeing this lovely Corgie gracing a front porch in Provinctown when we walk by.
Sophie was a recent aquaintance and we're happy we got to know her a bit.
And, of course, our own beautiful Poppy has filled in as our primary model whenever we need a dog to illustrate a specific topic.
These and more wonderful dogs took the time to pose for our cameras. Their human companions answered our questions and shared wonderful tales about their dogs. Thanks to dogs and humans one and all.
Hope we meet up again in 2015!
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With moments to go before the witching hour, what question would you ask your dog or cat to answer? Would your query be pragmatic, "Where did you hide my gray socks?" Emotional, "Do you know how much I love you?" Philosophical, "Are you happy with your life and what can I do to make you happier?" Behavioral, "Why do you bark at the television, don’t you know those dogs are not real?"
Ed and I agree, we'd ask our Westie Poppy why she is so afraid when we are out in the world and what we could do to make our daily walks less stessful for her. She is afraid of delivery trucks, construction sites, and loud noises of any sort. The past six months, with non-stop road construction in the Back Bay, have been a dreadful time for her.
Maybe she could suggest some remedy that Ed, our veterinarian, and all the research I’ve done has failed to uncover. And, “No, Poppy, staying inside all the time is not the answer.”
You can just tell that this dog would be a good listener – a Zen presence in any conversation.
What Would You Say?
Given the corollary that a dog or cat who can talk can also understand you, what would you try to explain to your companion if given the opportunity?
When there is something you have to do that your dog or cat hates, from giving a bath to a trip to the vet, would you say it’s for their own good? If your household has rules, such as no dogs on the sofa or in the kitchen, would you try to explain why those rules only apply to them?
Ed and I talk to Poppy all the time but aside from a bunch of regular words designed and constantly repeated to communicate with her, we’re sure all she hears is, “Blah, blah, blah, CHEESE, yadda, yadda…”
We'd try to explain that we will always protect her and do our best to keep her safe from the things she fears. And, I think I would set up a signal, like tapping her right front paw three times, for her to use when she’s in pain. Knowing when your dog or cat is hurting would be a blessing because it would allow you to find the problem and relief for them quickly.
These two had a magic word that they understood to mean, "Tip your head for the photo."
Understanding Us Humans
Of course dogs, cats, and humans do a lot of successful communicating. We use recognizable words, hand signals, body language, and tone of voice to let our critters know what we want them to do.
They use silent stares, purrs, wagging tails, barks, growls, and delivery of or leading us to toys, balls, and leashes to let us know what they want from us.
Our first Westie Sassy was the company mascot for a business we owned. She was so intelligent that our staff once created a lengthy list of the words she understood.
It was fun and I highly recommend trying to make a vocabulary list for your own companion animals. We learned that we didn’t all use the same words with her and that she adapted to having a bunch of humans telling her things, each in his or her own way.
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This has been a great year for new books about dogs. And, I have been reading and listening to some old favorite books and audiobooks starring cats.
Dog Books This Year
Off the Leash: A Year at the Dog Park by Boston Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert was a hit with me and with many of my dog loving friends. Matthew was not a dog person until his husband convinced him that they needed a dog in their life. And, he was not much of a people person until he became part of the community at a dog park. The book is a tale of the transition and what he describes as, “… the strange, wonderful, neurotic, and eccentric dog people who gather daily at Amory Park, overlooking Boston.”
Travels With Casey by Benoit Denizet-Lewis is a most enjoyable travelogue of the author’s four month trip across this country with his Labrador Retriever.
Boston son Cleveland Amory became known as, ”… the founding father of the modern animal protection movement.” He chronicled his transition from social critic to a man who spent the rest of his life devoted to animals in a series of books about Snowball – the cat he rescued from a Manhattan street in 1977.
At the library and still in bookstores, you can find another cat biographical series by Peter Gethers. He tells the tale of Norton, the Scottish Fold, who traveled the world with him. That series begins with, The Cat Who Went to Paris.
And, for those who love mysteries, eccentric people, and cats, there is "The Cat Who…" series from the late Massachusetts resident Lilian Jackson Braun. These books and some of the others mentioned here are available in various formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook.
Here are direct links to the books on Amazon.
Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino – previously published as one of her City Paws newspaper columns.
Each time I make a trip to Mayflower Poultry in Cambridge to pick up my order of ground meat and bones for our Westie Poppy's food, I stop New Deal Fish across the street to buy some great seafood. One day I mentioned that I could add fish as the second protein in my dog's diet and the fishmonger suggested I let him know and he could save scraps of salmon for me. (He was unaware of the problem, as I was, and was grateful when I shared the research with him on my next visit.)
Don't Feed Raw Salmon!
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered my friend Liz's warning about feeding raw salmon. I did a bit of research and, as usual, she was right.
"Salmon Poisoning Disease is a potentially fatal condition seen in dogs that eat certain types of raw fish. Salmon (salmonid fish) and other anadromous fish (fish that swim upstream to breed) can be infected with a parasite called Nanophyetus salmincola."
A list of symptoms and how your veterinarian would treat the disease is included on their page.
If you want your dog to have the benefits of salmon, which are many, make sure it is fully cooked. You can poach it in a bit of water, steam it, or sauté in olive oil. But, be sure it is cooked all the way to the center to kill any parasites and bacteria that might harm your dog.
(Here's Benny's beautiful face in another photo by Duncan Brown.)
A Bit About Mayflower's RAW Diet or BARF Orders.
I mentioned Mayflower Poultry at the start of this post. I've been feeding my Poppy with products from them for more than two years and have nothing but praise for this wonderful company and the great people who work there.
Each friday morning, Luis (that's his smiling face in the photo) grinds special orders for people who feed their dogs raw diets. You need to phone with your order in advance. I always call on Thursday of the week I plan to make food and pick up my freshly ground food after noon on Friday. Here's their BARF webpage.
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City neighbors can fall on two sides of a great dog divide. One group controls their dogs on short legal leashes, while the other group’s dogs are off-leash or uncontrolled on illegally long leashes. You’ll know the second group by the often recited cry, “Don’t worry, he’s friendly!” as their uncontrolled dog runs up to you.
But, He’s Friendly …
Yes, your dog may be friendly, but you don’t know what you would need to know about the people or dogs around you to make a long leash or off-leash decision. Trailing the equivalent of one or two car lengths behind your dog, you can’t control what is happening or communicate with people around her.
A dog being approached may be reactive when on the leash like the one in the illustation above. (It's from the Boston Public Library's 19th Century American Trade Card Collection.)
Or, your healthy pup may be bouncing toward a dog about to share a contagious disease.
The person may be out for a quiet dog walk after surgery or injury and may not want your dog exciting their pup.
Or, the dog may be old and frail and the person with the animal could be worried sick that one fall might be fatal. For years, I walked with a lovely, elderly Afghan named Crystal who was game for a walk but very wobbly. Her friends would form a protective circle around Crystal whenever we saw an uncontrolled dog near her.
What's Legal in Boston?
The city website lays out the rules in detail, “When your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.” And, a Boston city ordinance is specific about the length of a legal leash saying that your dog must be, “… effectively restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding ten (10') feet in length.”
Your leash length and style should be determined by the size, temperament, and successful training of your dog. Short leashes are needed on crowded sidewalks and in places where you are likely to encounter the fools who don’t control their dogs properly.
Tips on Dealing with Uncontrolled Dogs
Since the problem is the human on the other end of a retractable leash or carrying the leash around their neck, I try not to get angry at the dog. I treat it like an unaccompanied stray. I also put little stock in anything the trailing person is saying. I don’t consider someone who routinely breaks the law as a reliable source of information.
Protect Your Dog: Step between your dog and the approaching one. If you have a second person with you, one of you can make a U-turn with your dog while the other deals with the problem.
Give a Command: Step into your strongest alpha dog pose, stand erect, and use your deepest, firmest voice (along with hand signals) and command the approaching dog to stop and sit! I’ve surprised myself at how often this works.
“Please Control Your Dog:” By now, the person should be close enough for you to take a deep breath and ask them, as politely as you can, to please leash or control their dog.
Don't get into a debate or discussion with the scofflaw. They will be sure they are right and you are over-reacting.
Just walk away and remember what Mark Twain was famous for saying, “Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”
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Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino (previously published as one of her City Paws newspaper columns)
London was working with Tucker, an eight-month-old German Shepherd puppy, who was totally enthralled with sniffing. Once she found that sniffing made Tucker happy, she designed opportunities for training and bonding that worked with a sniffer.
“For many dogs the fun and happiness is all about treats, and lots of exercise outside,” London wrote. “For others, it’s a tennis ball or nothing. Most love the opportunity to chew on bones and other dog-safe items intended for this purpose. A few simply want lots of loving—petting, massage and the opportunity to be up on the bed at nap time and at night.”
For Our Westie Poppy, bliss is playing with squeaky toys inside or sitting on a bench outside. Our little pup would squeak a toy non-stop for an hour if her human companions could stand it. Outside, if you ever see us swaying from side to side as we walk down Commonwealth Avenue Mall, it’s because Poppy is trying to encourage us to take a break and sit on a bench for a while. She loves bench time.
Diggers, Herders, and Retrievers
My terriers have not had a lot of opportunity to take up digging as a hobby because they’ve never had time alone outside. But, when we conduct pre-adoption home visits for Westies or Cairns, we warn prospective guardians with fenced yards that a terrier left alone out there will find a way under a fence. Digging is in their DNA and is a hobby they would love to explore.
From a harborside deck in Provincetown, I’ve watched people use a ball launcher to fling a target as far as possible for their relentless retrievers. The dogs have a merry chase. They gallop through the shallows and swim for yards to fetch their prize only to beg to do it again and again and again.
Follow Their Bliss!
As you think about fall adventures and holiday gifts for your dog, follow Dr. London’s example and figure out what you can do to really make your dog happy. Then, use that happiness to bond with and train your pal.
We'd love to hear about what your dog does for a hobby and what puts a wag in that tail and a grin on that face!
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Look who has a new sister! I remember Bonnie, not too long ago, when she first arrived in the neighborhood. She was as cute as any brand new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel could be. Now that Bonnie’s grown into a stunningly beautiful adult, it’s her turn to welcome a new puppy into her life.
Nessie, who is three months old this weekend, seems to enjoy everything about her older sister. And, although it’s not always easy, we’re fairly certain that Bonnie mostly feels the same way.
“M-m-m, Ears Are Delicious”
We ran into this playful pair the other day and marveled at how well Bonnie is learning to accept Nessie as part of the pack.
As you’d expect, Nessie is inquisitive about everything, although she looked a bit puzzled by our camera lens. But, that didn’t last very long.
There’s always something new to explore – autumn is a great time to be get to know your world.
As we turned to continue our walk, Nessie began circling for another ambush. After all, what’s a new sister for? Have fun you guys.
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from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
by Boston Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert was a hit with me and with many of my dog loving friends. Matthew was not a dog person until his husband convinced him that they needed a dog in their life. And, he was not much of a people person until he became part of the community at a dog park. The book is a tale of the transition and what he describes as, “… the strange, wonderful, neurotic, and eccentric dog people who gather daily at Amory Park, overlooking Boston.”
by Benoit Denizet-Lewis is a most enjoyable travelogue of the author’s four month trip across this country with his Labrador Retriever. 
by science historian Laurel Braitman. 
(most appropriate for this time of year), next the 
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