Common Sense for Dog Owners

Occasionally I feel the need to remind people that they are being idiots. Unfortunately, many of the people I feel the need to say this to are driving down the road and cannot hear me yelling at them from my car. Today's victims are dog owners. We've all seen them, dogs precariously hanging out of windows or over the sides of truck beds. Heads sticking as far out of the left hand windows as the dog can get it while semis whip by only inches away. So, today I am going to address a few of these dog owners whose judgement is somewhat lacking.

Heads Out the Window

We've all done it and let our dogs hang their heads out the windows. The exhilaration of all of those smells rushing into their nostrils is too much for most dogs to resist. It's the same type of exciting curiosity that drives children to stick metal objects into electrical outlets. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself on the damage that can occur to dogs when all of that air is rushing into their lungs at 80 mph. If you just can't help yourself and restrict your dog to amusing himself inside the car, please do me a favor and only open the window far enough for his head to fit through. You see, the problem with letting dogs hang their heads out the window is that they often want to hang most of their body out of it as well. I've seen one of two things happen that I'd rather not see again: the dog will be decapitated by an on-coming vehicle or street sign or he will lean a little too far out and land head first on the asphalt at 80 mph. Since I know you're being a good driver and looking forward, you will not be the one with the front row seat to this tragedy. I however, following at a safe distance behind you, will be. Leave the window at least half way up and try to restrict your dog to the passenger side window. Here's a little secret: if that's the only window that you leave open, that's the one they'll sit by. Whatever you do, do not let them put their paws out the window. That is a recipe for disaster.

Small Dogs Out the Window

Really, I don't like having small dogs loose in the car period. It's a lot like having a cat loose in the car. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Like children, they are best left in the back seat. Better for them to hit the back of your seat than the dashboard or windshield. And under no circumstances should they be allowed to hang out the window. Believe me, even if you think you have a hold of them, they can find a way to fall out the window. Unlike big dogs, by the time their head is out the window, the rest of their body isn't far behind. Keep them on the seat or in your lap if you insist on having them out of a crate. You do not want to see what your pup looks like after hitting asphalt. It isn't pretty.

Dogs in the Truck Bed

I understand that sometimes dogs need to travel in the truck bed. It's a way of life in the country. However, even the seasoned truck bed traveler should be tethered. I have known dogs who have ridden in a truck bed for years to suddenly decide to jump from the moving vehicle for one reason or another. Unfortunately a couple of them made that jump right in front of another vehicle that was following behind the truck. Then there was the lab puppy I saw in the back of one truck traveling 80 mph down the highway. The pup couldn't have been older than 6 months and obviously didn't know what to do about being in the bed of the pickup. The puppy paced from one side of the bed to the other watching other cars whizzing by. Twice I watched him put his paws up on the side of the truck bed and look for all the world like he was going to jump out. I quickly sped up and passed the truck before I saw what happened next.

Now, that doesn't mean that just any tether will do. Too long of a tether can cause more harm than good if the dog does jump and ends up hanging himself or being dragged. The tether should be anchored at the center of the bed without enough slack for the dog to put his paws up on the truck bed. Also beware of tethers long enough to allow dogs to stand on the top of tool boxes. Just a couple months ago I watched in shock and fear as a truck traveled down the highway with the dog standing on top of the tool box looking over the cab of the truck. Let me give you a little lesson in physics: if the truck stops, the dog's body will keep going. The result will be either the collar coming off the dog and him hitting the road in front of the truck or the dog being decapitated by the collar and his body hitting the road in front of the truck. Either way, not a result I want to be witness to.

Unruly Dogs in the Vehicle

This is different than small dogs in the vehicle, but it can apply to them as well. Point blank: it is best for your and your dog's safety to keep them crated when in a vehicle. That being said, I rarely if ever crate my own dogs when traveling. That is because my dogs know two rules of the road: 1) They stay in the back seat and 2) They stay seated or lay down. If their feet so much as touch the center console, I tell them "back" and they get back in the back seat. I've been lucky that they stay calm in the car and do not pace. If your dog cannot follow these rules, then for everyone's safety please take proper precautions. If you have a larger vehicle, you can get a pet grate installed that will keep the dogs restricted to the back of the vehicle. That is the best option if you have large dogs period. Even if they travel well, do you not want to be fighting to keep a Great Dane in the back seat when you are trying to drive and he sees something worth barking at. And good luck trying to fit a Great Dane crate in your car, much less put the dog in it. I can barely fit my Great Dane crate in my car when it's broken down. Your other option, crating, is a great idea if you have a smaller car and especially for smaller dogs. Having a dog in your lap while driving should never be an option. Not only would they be crushed if you were in an accident, but they can easily get tangled in the steering wheel while you are making a turn and quite literally run you into the ditch. Believe me, I have first hand experience on that one, except it was a cat. If there aren't laws against it, there should be. And then, another reason for keeping your unruly dogs contained is for when you inevitably have to get out of the car. At the very least, you want to be able to get out of the driver's seat without a dog trying to climb over your lap to get to whatever is outside the car. It might be cute if he's excited to play at the park, but it could be a lawsuit if he wants to eat the Toy Poodle.

Now, I know what a lot of you are probably saying, "I haven't had anything bad happen YET." Yes, well, I've been driving a car for 13 years and haven't totaled one yet either. But I still wear a seat belt every time I get in the car. I still drive defensively to avoid hitting all of the other idiots on the road. The problem is that accidents happen. You can't predict what's going to happen in the next minute. Most accidents aren't caused by your bad judgement, but by someone else's. Do you want to take that risk with your pet's life? I don't know about you, but these guys are my kids. I would be devastated if something happened to one of them, especially if I could have prevented it. Yet I see people treating their dogs with such disregard that I hope they don't have human children. Perhaps they just don't know the risks, but I'm afraid that it's often because they've always done it this way and nothing bad has happened...yet.

Then again, maybe not

Well, the roosters got a stay of execution. There just aren't enough hours in a weekend. And given the fact that next weekend is our Halloween Party and the Hope Equine Rescue Poker Ride, it won't be happening next weekend either. Matt says he'll do it while I'm gone for my military weekend, but I have my doubts. This is the same man who wanted to keep Red "because he's pretty." Oh well, I love him anyway. Now I need to rush off to a dental appointment. Adios.

B-Day

Today is B-Day for three of our roosters. No, it's not their birthday. It's their butchering day. I had really hoped to find someone else to do the deed for me, but I have yet to find a single butchering shop that will take chickens. The one facility in Ocala, Seely's Ark, that does slaughter chickens doesn't find it necessary to return my phone calls or e-mails. So now we're going to do the deed ourselves. Hubby and I compromised and decided to keep two of the boys. Red is a Brown-Red Maran and my other boy is a Cuckoo Maran. I guess I'm going to be getting into the Maran breeding business. I also need to name my other boy. These two are the most docile, but they are also the most vocal. Red is also the dumbest bird I've ever met, but you know what I say about breeding for looks...you don't get brains. The other three have been attacking us and the hens, so they have got to go. I can't keep getting up every morning to nurse an injured hen.

Step number one is to keep the roosters off food for 24 hours. Well, since we didn't learn about that step until tomorrow afternoon, they're going 12 hours without food. It's better than nothing. We let our two keepers out of the pen and the other three are pissed. The two keepers aren't doing much to endear themselves, however. I've already had to physically kick them off of one of the hens once. I guess being gang-raped by two roosters is better than by five. I'm chalking it up to the excitement of being out of the pen for the first time in three days. If they keep it up, we'll be going for round two next weekend.

I can't keep them all

The chances are good that Rojero will have a new home soon. The rescue seems to be getting a lot of interest in her recently. I should be relieved. This horse has cost us a lot of money between feed and vet bills. She came here with no medical history and teeth that looked like mountain ridges. She got a full round of wormer and vaccines. I also had her teeth floated and her feet done every 4 weeks. Add to that the emergency vet call, the colic, and the miscellaneous first aid supplies. Then there is the time applying ointments and changing bandages. That doesn't even take into account the 4 a day feedings, the round bale a week, and the double rations of oats. We should be able to save a lot of money when this horse leaves.

But with all of that time and money spent, there is the rewarding feeling of accomplishment. There are the pictures of her progress throughout the summer and seeing her fill out and gain weight. There is the time riding her and seeing the proof of her building strength. There was the trail ride when she was surprisingly well behaved and fun to ride. There was the day she came to watch me bleach buckets just so I could rub on her afterwards. There is the sight of this once weak, tired rescue coming running from across the paddock at meal times.

Then I have this fear that I'm sure all rescues experience that she'll leave me to get passed around again. It's already happened to her once in her life. It is obvious that she was once a well cared for, well trained horse that someone loved. Then she went on to be starved and neglected in someones too small backyard. And she's only eight. How much more of that will she be forced to experience over the next 20 years? Is it wrong to want a forever home for a horse? Horses like stability. How does it make them feel to go to a home and not know if they'll be staying there 6 months or 6 years? Or worse yet to go from one home where they enjoy a good life with plenty of food and knowing that they are cared for to going to a home where their bellies are empty and they don't get any attention. It's no wonder that Rojero had such an empty expression when we picked her up. The superficial sores were only the outward scars. I wonder who it was who put so much time and training into her once upon a time. I wonder if they know the fate she suffered or that she's now up for adoption.

I have to keep reminding myself that I cannot keep them all. Having six horses has put a real financial strain on us this summer. She needs to go to a new home so I can continue to care for my other five horses. My other five horses who eat half of what she does in a given day. My other five who are less of a fall from the ground not if, but when I do fall off. Like Lisa Aldridge says, "I'm not the only person who can take care of my horses." I just wish I had more faith in humanity. I wish humanity gave me more reasons to have faith in it.

Operation Matt's Birthday

Overall, I would say that Operation Birthday was a success. It didn't go over quite like I had planned, but what does?

I found a great recipe for chicken cordon bleu using panko crumbs for the breading. It's hubby's favorite dish, so I decided that I just had to serve it for dinner. I decided to serve it with roasted red potatoes and asparagus. While I was at it, I picked up a chocolate cake from Sweet Bay, had them inscribe "Happy Birthday Matt" on it and got a bottle of Walnut Crest Chardonnay. The Chardonnay was the wine that we had at our wedding, but I'm sure Matt doesn't remember that. He's not much of a wine drinker, but he does like that one.

So yesterday morning I had a post-op follow up in Tampa, after which I went shopping for Matt's birthday. I knew that Matt needed some new shoes, so I went to Ross and found the perfect pair. They're Polo brand slip-ons with leather uppers and a rubber sole. Then there is a tongue that comes across the top with a magnet that sticks to the other side. They only had one pair and they just happened to be size 11. Ah, fate. I also got me a dress because I decided it would be nice to dress up for my husband. Then, since it was next door, I went into Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up gifts for the rest of Matt's family who also have birthdays this week. I swear, I am not having children in September. There I found another addition to Matt's gift, a Betty Crocker Grilling cookbook. He does insist that he's the Grill Master, after all. So, got the gifts, picked up the food from Sweet Bay and headed home.

By this point it was a little after 2 pm and Matt was expected home at 7 pm. No problem. Of course, part of my plan included cleaning the house, feeding the animals, prepping and cooking the food, and getting me bathed and dressed up all before he got home. Keep in mind that I still have a bandage, albeit smaller, on my nose that cannot get wet when I wash my hair and face. Problem. Well, long story short, I managed to clean and reorganize the bathroom, vacuum the living room, couch and under the couch, clean off the kitchen counter tops and dining room table, feed all the animals, prep the food, and get a bath all before Matt got home. He also didn't get home until 7:30. So I stick the chicken and potatoes in the oven and start getting ready.

The chicken recipe said to cook at 350 for 20 minutes. Yeah right. The potatoes were still hard and the chicken breading was barely brown. Five minutes more, ten minutes more, it's not much better. Well, I need to get the bread in because it takes 15 minutes, but it needs to cook at 375. So, turn up the temp, rearrange some cookie sheets, and in it all goes at 375, but this time I got smart. I put my digital remote meat thermometer in the center chicken breast. Yeah, it was still at 120 degrees. Needs to be at 180. Well, half an hour later, the chicken was finally done. I'm changing my recipe card to read 375 for 60 minutes. Then we finally got to sit down to dinner and enjoy the perfectly cooked chicken cordon bleu, roasted red potatoes, asparagus and French bread with our Chardonnay. Actually, I think I was on my 3rd glass by that point and realizing that I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch. Oops.

Then it was time for the cake. I, being the funny person that I am, decided to get trick candles for my husband's cake. Unfortunately for me, my husband can spot trick candles from a mile away, or at least from the dining room to the kitchen. He pointed this fact out to me, but proceeded to play along anyway. Then much to both of our surprise, the candles blew out. I always knew my husband was full of a lot of air, but come on! So he relights then off of the candles on the table and tries again. And they go out again. Leave them lit for longer, try again, and still they go out. This is not cool. We gave up because we realized we were spending way too much time trying to figure out the candles instead of eating the cake. Matt says he's going to write to the manufacturer.

In the end, Matt loved his gifts and his dinner. He really liked his drunk wife in her new dress that shows way too much cleavage. We restarted Glee on the DVR and watched that until long after Matt passed out on the couch. We now have enough chicken cordon bleu to make dinner for tonight and I think I can squeeze one more glass of wine out of that Chardonnay bottle.

Random Updates

It's one day until Matt's birthday, and once again I don't know what to get him. I have a couple ideas, but they're all out of my budget. I need to come up with something. I'm tired of shopping the day of his birthday. I was supposed to stop by Dick's Sporting Goods yesterday after my doctor's appointment, but I started talking on the phone and completely forgot. I have another appointment in town tomorrow so maybe I'll try again tomorrow. If Dick's doesn't have anything, TJ Maxx and Ross are also right there. And if all else fails, Toys R Us is in the same complex.

It's almost time to replant the vegetable garden. My spring garden was pretty much a bust, between getting the seeds in too late and the soil being too poor. Then the weeds took over. I'm going to get some weed killer and spray down the whole garden. Then I plan on tilling in a combination of manure and bagged fertilizer. I'll probably do the manure first, then do my soil testing to determine what type of bagged fertilizer I should add. In the mean time, I need to determine which seeds to plant for the fall and get those ordered. I also need to figure out a better type of fencing to keep the raccoons out. I actually think that orange barrier fencing used with electric fence posts will do the trick. We've been using a similar set-up in dog training and it seems to be really sturdy.

I had my second and hopefully last surgery on my nose last Thursday. My surgery in May was fairly non-invasive. The surgeon used scopes to go through my nostrils and straighten my septum and make my sinus cavity larger. There were no bandages and I was off work for less than a week. That surgery worked very well. I went from having headaches every day to about once a week. The problem was that I still felt congested every time I breathed through my nose. It turns out that I have small valves in my nose. Breathe Right strips helped tremendously, but they were causing sores on my nose and cheeks from wearing them every day. So I was referred to a second surgeon who decided to put cartilage grafts inside my nose to make the valves larger. That means cutting my nose across the bottom, harvesting cartilage from my septum, and wearing a splint over my nose to keep the grafts in place. I am 5 days post surgery and my nose is itching like crazy. The splint covers my nose from the tip to between my eyebrows. Tape holds the splint in place and stretches across both cheeks, up my forehead and down the sides of my top lip. I look like Hannibal Lecter. I cannot wash my face. I cannot take a shower. I have to take bathes and Matt has to wash my hair for me. My ears have dead skin pealing off of them in sheets. I can only imagine what my nose is doing under this bandage. I'm going to need a facial when this is all said and done. I really hope it's worth it.

Ah, country life

So Friday was a day of mysteries. First, Matt and I get home from work and are only greeted by one dog at the back door. Odd. Then we hear Greta whining from...the hall bathroom? See, the hall bathroom has been dubbed the "cat's bathroom." It contains their food, water, and litter box. It is also blocked off by a 3 ft tall child gate, the very purpose of which is to allow the cats the ability to escape Greta. And this is where we found Greta, behind the child gate. The gate has a door so that people can walk through, but that was latched. Matt's thinking that maybe he accidentally locked her in there that morning. I certainly hope that's the case and not that she jumped it sometime during the day. That means she's been in there for 12 hours and likely ate the cat's lunch when it dropped from the automatic feeder. I would say that's a highly likely scenario since she now runs for the hall bathroom every time she hears the feeder drop food.

Then, after much arm twisting, I convinced Matt to go running with me. No, that's not the surprise, lol. We get to the end of the driveway and do our stretches. Then I turn up my music and take off running. I get about a quarter of a mile down the road when it occurs to me that Matt should have passed me by now. I turn around to look, no Matt. Oh no, he's not getting out of running that easily. So I pause my workout (using the Nike+ app) and give him a call. Turns out he had to go back and put Rusty in one of the horse paddocks. Why? Because right after I took off running, Rusty came running from the neighbor's house to greet Matt. I told you our goats are like dogs with hooves. He must have walked through the fence because the electric was left off. No idea how long he's been out or how much he may have eaten in that time period. Keep in mind, this is the same neighbor who bought a shot gun to keep squirrels from eating his Bird of Paradise plants. Really hoping Rusty stuck to the weeds.

In other news, I've decided to give my Shure Pets business a kick in the pants. I may not go back to the Brooksville Farmer's Market for a while. I want to get my focus back on pet-centric events. I still want to start going to dog shows, but I'm going to have to expand my business if that is going to be a success. I'm going to be hosting my annual Mutts & Margaritas Party at my house on Sept. 19. Then on Sept. 26 I'm going to be at San Antonio's Paws in the Park. I'm also planning a Mystery Hostess Party for sometime in Nov., but I want to get a park pavilion locked down before I start advertising date and time. The home office is offering a lot of great incentives right now, so I'm hoping that will increase interest in party bookings. The parties really are the heart of the business and it hasn't been as much fun since bookings have been down. If you want more information or would like to be added to my mailing list, just let me know.

Well, that's really all for now. I'm waiting to go trail riding, but I have to hear back from a friend of mine first. It's really my fault for not having everything planned out yesterday. I got so wrapped up in the Shure Pets stuff that I spent all day yesterday inside. Then I ended up with a colossal migraine last night. After laying on the couch with ice packs on my head, I took a vicodin, went to bed, and hoped it would be gone by morning. For the most part, it is, but I need to drink some water.