skip to main |
skip to sidebar
by winecountrydog Tilin Corgi, with Mum
Heard round the world is the story of the three Kuljian family members who were drowned off the Humboldt County coast, near the Northern California community of Arcata, on 24 November 2012.
We offer this post to honor their memory and to support Olivia Kuljian's wish for "people to stay out of harm's way."
Here is a summation of reports about this tragedy:
Howard Kuljian and his wife, Mary Scott, and teen son, Gregory ("Geddie"), and teen daughter, Olivia, were out walking on an overcast morning at Big Lagoon beach. They were playing fetch with the family dog, Fran.
The family tossed a stick that took the dog down to the water's edge, and in an instant, a wave swallowed Fran the dog, setting off a nightmarish scramble.
"Everything kind of snowballed from there," said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Bernie Garrigan.
Sean Ledwin, a senior fisheries biologist with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, said he was walking along the beach at Big Lagoon with his dog and girlfriend when the tragedy struck.
"The dog was kind of getting rolled in the waves," Ledwin said.
He said the teen boy, Gregory Kuljian, went into the water and grabbed the dog's collar, but it fell off. Then Gregory got swept up in the waves.
The father, Howard, then went in after his son. But Howard got swept up.
The two became separated in the surf.
Ledwin said his girlfriend called 911, as he and the mother, Mary Scott, and the daughter, Olivia, and also a female friend of Gregory's stood on the beach, watching the water and waiting to see if there was an opportunity to grab hold of the father and son.
"They were getting rolled in the ocean, in a circular motion," Ledwin said.
Mary Scott went in to try to grab her husband and son. She made an attempt to grab her son, in shallow water, but she got pulled in too. Olivia tried to pull her mother out, but the current was so strong that a bystander had to pull Olivia to safety.
Those remaining on the beach, including Cal State Park Ranger Greg Hall, tried to track where each of the three people were in the water.
By the time first responders from the U.S. Coast Guard and fire departments arrived at the beach, it was too late to save anyone.
But Fran the dog had been able to climb out of the water shortly after Mary Scott had gone in.
In a statement released later, Olivia said that her family members were in only mid-calf deep water when they got swept in.
"The events were not a case of the family thoughtlessly rushing into the ocean after each other. Rather, they were attempts from shallow water that were overpowered by the hidden strength of the ocean."
All dogs love walkies on beautiful and wild Northern California beaches. The smells are intoxicating. But the surf is dangerous. The beaches on many stretches of the California, Oregon, and Washington coast get unexpected surges from sneaker waves and rogue waves, and also have strong undertows and rip currents that pull you in.
Mum sez, "You don't mean to throw the ball or stick into the ocean, because you know your dog will chase after it. But it's easy to misdirect your throw, or for a ball to roll down a steep sand bank into the water. And sometimes your dog doesn't hear you when you call him back.
"On beaches with rip currents and undertows, or where large waves suddenly appear without warning, playing near the water can lead to disaster. If your dog gets sucked in, you know you're going to run in and try to pull him out. It looks so easy to do in shallow surf. Besides, that rush of adrenalin catapults you into action, and you'll do whatever you can to save your dog. Then, in an instant, you're both lost.
"You just have to stay away from the water on beaches like this. You've got to believe that rip currents and big waves can take you or your dogs by surprise and wash you out to sea. And even if you're a strong swimmer, the coldness of the northern Pacific water quickly saps your energy. You can't last long out there."
Please follow these tips to stay safe when playing on the beach.
- Never turn your back to the water when you're walking or playing with your dog on the beach.
- Don't walk your dog near the water's edge on beaches that are unfamiliar to you or have warning signs of rip currents, sneaker waves, or strong undertow.
- Keep off jetties, rock formations, and cliffs near the water's edge on beaches posted as dangerous.
- Play 90 feet (27 meters) away from the water's edge on dangerous beaches. Learn to estimate distance by measuring with strides.*
- Train your dog to come when you call. This will help you stop the dog from running after an object that's gone into the water.
- Respect the "hidden strength of the ocean" and remember Olivia Kuljian's wish that everyone stay out of harm's way.
*You can find instructions on how to estimate distance in the out-of-doors on Brian's Backbacking Blog.
Read about beach safety issues on the Pacific coast at the California State Parks website and the U.S. National Parks website. The NOAA Weather Service website also has useful info on rip currents and how to swim out of them.
Paw-notes: Thanks for the use of photos and quotes. We do not profit by their usage. Our aim is to honor the Kuljian family and to help spread beach safety awareness.
by winecountrydog
Have you ever seen Dotty Dalmation riding a bicycle? His viddy is a huge hit!
I admire how easily Dotty mounts his cool yellow and green bike, places his paws correctly on the pedals, and sit-stays comfurtably on the saddle. He then deftly pawsitions his front paws on the handlebars and pedals off nonchalantly.
Here is Dotty pedaling around a city street in Japan. This is actual film footage, not a stunt.
Furriends, pawleeze do not try this at home unless you're wearing a safety helmet.
I always paw-point out the safety angle. You know I'm the kind of dog who wears a seatbelt harness fur car travel.
Paw-note: None of the dog helmets I know of have been tested by human safety engineers. Sometimes some type of protection is better than none, but not always. Poorly made protective gear can create a false sense of security or be the cause of injury.
by pawlitico
Here we go again. The argument about dogs drinkin' beer.
If you know my buddy Tilin "winecountrydog" Corgi, you know that he occasionally needs some kind of sedative and relaxant. Tilin has episodes of arful back muscle spasms. Other times he gets the hypers 'cuz of a nervous disorder.
The hypers make Tilin get more and more wound up. Now, we'd love to see Tilin run around like a puppy if it weren't scary. He could re-injure his back. Or he could go into a seizure. Howl, you'd never know how serious this is by lookin' at Tilin, but his history includes life-threatening spinal problems and idiopathic epilepsy.
We're fortunate to know a veterinarian with uncommonly good sense. She told Tilin to drink 1/4 cup of quality beer to help sedate him. Such a marvelous solution! How much easier this is on Tilin's system than heavy-duty sedatives! And so effective that dog-ma can usually avoid giving him meds like narcotics.
Tilin says, "Fur some of my episodes, nothing's better than beer for calming me without knockin' me out."
Now, for dog health safety, you dogs shouldn't drink to drunkenness. And you shouldn't depend on this remedy for any length of time. We're talking here about a brief, conservative consumption regimen. A serving of just 1/4 cup of beer or ale is fine. (We corgis weigh between 25 and 35 pounds.) It's best to open the bottle ahead of time and let the beer go kinda flat, but the carbonation in 1/4 cup doesn't bother Tilin or lead to bloat. And the sugary malts and stuff don't bother Tilin 'cuz he's not diabetic.
Tilin gets his dog mug refilled up to every few hours. After a few days of this regimen, he goes back on the wagon. It's not difficult for him; he's a happy, busy dog who easily returns to his normal routines once he feels calm again.
This time, dog-ma gave Tilin doses of Union Jack India pale ale (IPA) for the hypers. Dog-ma let me taste Union Jack. After all, my birth name is Jack.
This IPA is doggedly aggressive but smooth. Comes from micro-brewery Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, California. Here's what the brew dogs say:
Citrus, pineapple, and a full chewy malt profile finish clean on your palate. . . . A beer true to its origins; deeply hopped and bolstered for a long voyage. . . . At the 2008 European Beer Star Award competition in Germany [in November '08] . . . Union Jack IPA took top honors in the extremely competitive India Pale Ale category with a gold medal.
The Firestone Union was inspired by the old Burton Union system, once a staple of British beermaking. The Burton Union was developed around 1840 as English tastes shifted from London porters to pale ales crafted in Burton-Upon-Trent. The Burton beers were bright and clear with a firm, satisfying bite: a taste unique in its time-and still unique today. We are the only brewery in the United States to currently employ the union brewing method. . . . Our patented Firestone Union uniquely incorporates 60-gallon oak barrels into the brewing process.
I'm glad dog-ma's buddy Joey at the store picked this India pale ale as one his faves. We want to suppawt small regional businesses like this microbrewery, which crafts great ale and delivers it fresh.
When Tilin Corgi woke up this morning, he was back to normal! No longer all hyped up. Dog-ma's ale therapy worked in a day.
So I have to pawlitely disagree with Louise Murray, DVM, Director of Medicine, ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, who has been quoted as saying that humans should never give beer to dogs. What humans should do is to check with their dogs' veterinarians! May you find a veterinarian like ours, who offers a different pawspective on practical remedies fur what ails you.
We dogs are individuals, and we need healthcare and homecare to be carefully tail-ored to us as individuals. Woof.
by winecountrydog
I'm hopin' that Leo, the brave terrier and hero dog, is feelin' okay now. Leo risked his life to protect four tiny, newborn kittens trapped in a fire that almost destroyed his family's house in in Melbourne, Australia. I so admire Leo's loyalty and courage.
I watched the interviews with firefighters who uncovered Leo when they went inside to fight the blaze.
Fortunately, the family of four humans and Barney, their other dog, had managed to escape.
But Leo stayed behind. By the time firefighters found Leo in a bedroom, guarding the kittens in a cardboard box, he was unconscious from lack of oxygen.
Commander Ken Brown of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade said, "Barney, the older dog, came out with the family, but Leo wouldn't leave the kittens and it nearly cost him his life. But luckily the fire fighters found him very early, applied oxygen, and got Leo back around. And we've had him checked out and he's got a clean bill of health. He looks really well."
The firefighters had to rush Leo to safety and revive him with heart massage and oxygen till he came 'round. Woof thanks to the wonderful firefighters!
Leo was said to be recovering well from his ordeal. I sure hope so. He is rightfully being hailed as a hero.
Leo is a Jack Russell Terrier cross. As a Welsh Corgi, I've always liked Jack Russells and Jack Russell crosses. The breed was originally developed back in 19th century England by a clergyman named Jack Russell, and they are good at hunting small game. Other talents of the Jack Russells include tracking, agility, and performing tricks.
These wonderful dogs make really fun, feisty, high-energy furriends! And lots of them need to be rescued.
Pawnote: Humans, paw-leeze make sure your smoke detectors are working! And make evacuation plans that include your dogs and other pets!
by winecountrydog
The scale of the pet evacuation and shelter efforts in the NOLA area before Hurricane Gustav dog-boggled my mind.
Lots of pets ended up in the state fairground shelter in the Shreveport area, about 340 miles northwest of New Orleans. (This is on Interstate 20, 150 miles east of Dallas – Fort Worth area in Texas.)
A local Shreveport human named Darrell Rebouche photographed the shelter pets on September 1st and uploaded the photos to flickr.com.
See all of Daddy D's great pet photos in the set "Hurricane Gustav Pet Shelter" at darebouche.
I'm glad that some of the kitties could sleep through the shelter noise and commotion.
Can you imagine the HSUS, the ASPCA, the LA SPCA, and all the other pet-helpin' organizations and individuals having to do all that movin' and shelterin' again!?
Hurricane Ike is expected to strengthen to Category 3 when it reaches the U.S. Gulf coast the end of this week. It could make landfall around east Texas, but it might hit Louisiana west of New Orleans, not far from where Gustav hit.
By winecountrydog
I've been "MIA" 'cuz of readin' and compilin' info about animal rescue and evacuation before, during, and after the hurricane.
I'd planned this Labor Day to enjoy and then paw-write about Sonoma Wine Country Weekend. This has been the first weekend in months that I felt up to visiting wineries with dog-ma.
Instead, I've been pawing and twittering about pet evacuation and disaster survival. Now I'm looking at post-Gustav animal rescue efforts.
Some news made me growl. After Gustav made landfall, there were reports of abandoned dogs in the New Orleans area. Best Friends Rapid Response Team went around to houses to follow up on the reports. Many dogs weren't just left behind: They were left tied up in yards, left to suffer and die!
The team's field leader, Rich Crook, has been still compiling lists of confirmed addresses with dogs abandoned and dogs chained in the yards. Mr. Crook and a Jefferson Parish Animal Control officer go out and check on the dogs' well being, and, if need be, rescue and hold them until their guardian/owners return.
I have to ask: Do they really return the dogs to the same humans? . . . And what can rescuers do about all the abandoned pets inside evacuees' houses?
Oh howl, I won't dogress into pain and controversy. It's not gonna help right now. Besides, many compassionate humans refused to evacuate and weren't about to abandon their pets.
Oscar the dachshund, who lives in St. Bernard Parish, told roving reporters today that his human, Gerald LeBlanc, has a boogie board fur him and a life preserver jacket fur himself. They aren't going anywhere. Oscar munched on bacon as Mr. LeBlanc, whose home had been destroyed once in Katrina, explained, "I'm staying right here. I'm tired of running."
In another part of the same parish, which has been under 24-hour curfew, a human named Anthony Stipelcovich risked arrest today to make several miles-long round trips on foot. Mr. Stipelcovich used a gardening cart to ferry his dog, his seven cats, and his aquariums of hamsters and mice to his sister's house.
When sheriff's deputies came upon Mr. Stipelcovich at one point, he had to talk his way out of being arrested. He says, "I guess they were just being compassionate, being merciful. I'm glad they didn't do that. I'm saving my pets."
Woof! What a nice human.
A FEW POST-GUSTAV RESOURCES:
We need to share info and resources to help animals to find temporary shelter, to get through the next storm, to get back their proper homes, and to stay safe and fed.
Pawleeze me and I'll post what you find.
by winecountrydog
For the second day in a row, I feel compelled to re-paw a verbatim press release about New Orleans pets and the efforts of the Louisiana SPCA to rescue and shelter those in need.
This isn't just another day in busy life of animal rescue: Today is the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Today was supposed to be a day of quiet remembrance and a dedication ceremony for the Katrina Pet Memorial. Instead, it's a day when nervous eyes in the U.S. Gulf are watching the approach of Hurricane Gustav.
Gustav seems headed to New Orleans. AP News reports the chance of New Orleans getting winds of 39 mph (63 kph) or more within next five days as 50 to 60 percent. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency to lay the groundwork for federal assistance. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said he would order a mandatory city evacuation within 72 hours if/when forecasters predict a Category-3 strike — or possibly even Category-2.
PAWLEEZE READ THE INFO POSTED BY LA SPCA:
Pet Owners Should Be Prepared to Activate Their Personal Pet Evacuation Plans
NEW ORLEANS, LA (8/28/08) – The Louisiana SPCA continues with the shelter evacuation of all its animals today through Friday. The transport will take place in advance of any mandatory evacuations so that shelter personnel will be able to return to the city and be able to assist as needed. The shelter remains closed to the public until further notice [after storm].
Although the exact path of Gustav is still unknown, LA/SPCA is urging pet owners to be prepared to activate their personal evacuation plans and evacuate with their pets should a mandatory evacuation be called. "This is not a time to panic," said LA/SPCA’s Ana Zorrilla, "but a time for pet owners to do a final review of their personal evacuation plans, and be ready to evacuate if needed."
Zorrilla said that should an evacuation be called, state officials will release information on multiple pet shelters that will be established throughout the state. The pet shelters will be adjacent to human shelters and the pet owners will be required to be with and care for their pets. The list will also be made available at Red Cross Welcome Centers along all contra flow evacuation routes. When pet shelter information is released by state officials, the locations will also be made available on our website.
Zorrilla said the state will not be setting up any pet shelters in Orleans Parish. "If there are people who do not have any means of transportation or have special needs, people should bring their pets to pick-up points designated by the city, but we stress very strongly that this should be a last resort," said Zorrilla. "We don’t want the public to rely on this as their best plan of action, but rather as their very last option."
Residents can search for pet-friendly hotels by going to PetsWelcome.com or TripswithPets.com. Zorrilla suggests that residents consider boarding facilities outside of the disaster area. "Although some may be full due to this being a Labor Day Weekend, we encourage pet owners to also look at boarding facilities that are not in disaster zones as another option."
Boarding facilities and hotels will require proof of vaccinations, which should be included in every person’s pet evacuation kit. The complete pet evacuation checklist, below, is also available in a detailed brochure. The brochure is available in three languages – English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
LA/SPCA PET EVACUATION CHECKLIST:
Place the following items in a waterproof container so you’re ready to go if you need to evacuate.
Dogs and Cats- Your veterinarian’s contact name and phone number
- Copies of pet vaccination records
- Medications
- Leash
- Extra collar
- Food and water bowls
- Bottled water
- Toys
- Treats
- Paper towels
- Plastic baggies for picking up pet waste
- Muzzle, if necessary
- First aid kit
- Current photo of your pet
- 5-day supply of pet food and can with opener if you need one
- Kitty litter
- Small travel kitty litter box
Snakes
- Several pillowcases for transporting
- Water bowl
- Heating pad
Small mammals (in small carriers)
- Bedding material
- Food
- Food bowl and water bottle
Birds (in carrier with perch inside)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Photo credit: LA SPCA
By pawlitico
I've been finding fallen plums when I'm out in the yard. They're juicy Santa Rosa plums — one of the loveliest Nature-assisted Luther Burbank inventions.
At first I didn't much care about the plums, except they're fun to squeeze, like a ball. But plums are such juicy, fresh treats. And the pits are fun to spit out all over the yard. . . . I'm addicted.
Yesterday, dog-ma looked at me in a strange way. She got up close and felt my tummy. "Good grief, Jack," she exclaimed. "You've gained weight around your middle!"
Today, when dog-ma greeted me, she said, "I've been thinking about how you could've gained weight. You know, fruit has a LOT of fructose sugar — a ton of carbs, really. I bet you've been sneaking several plums a day, haven't you?"
I slunk down sheepishly. Yes, of course I have. Whenever nobuddy's looking, I eat as many juicy plums as I can. I'm not a vegan or fruitarian. I'm an omnivore. (By the way, as an omnivore, I don't eat any animal who didn't have a free life and a humane ending, 'cuz I'm a Humane California Dog.) It's just I can't resist plums.
Anybuddy who sez plums are bad fur a dog's health will have to explain to me why I'm feeling great. Plums have nutritional value fur dogs — such as vitamins and antioxidants.
But anybuddy who sez that eating lotsa plums and other fruits is bad fur the waistline, I'll have to agree with.
Before all you dogs start some kind of plum good diet fad, hear me on this one BIG CAVEAT: Plum pits can cause serious or life-threatening obstruction of the doggie digestive tract. There are a lot of inner doggie places to lose a pit.
Humans, if your dogs aren't the type who will spit out all the pits, you're asking for trouble to allow them to eat plums, peaches, and other stone fruits.
You've heard that the pits of many stone fruit contain the poison cyanide? This is true. But it would take quite a few pits to poison a mid-sized dog; there's so little of cyanide in each one.
If les fideaux insist on les fruits, pawleeze take les pits out before serving.
If some fideau happens to swallow a pit, watch her or him closely for signs of nausea or discomfort. Examine poo for pit. . . . No pit in poo? Call your vet!
The moral of the story: A pitted fruit in time saves nine — nine lives, nine hundred bucks, nine hundred trips to the ER, etc. You get the idea.
By winecountrydog
Dog-ma loves bicycles. Dog-ma told me that her dad was a UK cycling expert back in the day. He knew about gears, panniers, and sidecars before Trek and trekkies were born.
As a dog, I could hate cyclists. But I don't even chase them. What I'm peeed off about is one human cyclist on a street by a local college — that is, one Bike Hotshot who didn't like sharing the road with our car.
Imagine what did the pedaling idiot deliberately did: He faked a left turn into a crosswalk right in front of our car.
Dog-ma had to hit the brakes. It's a good thing Jack Corgi and I were wearing doggie seatbelts.
May I interject this concept at this juncture — as Woody Allen once said so innocently, before he dropped a verbal bomb: May I suggest that the pedaling idiot stick the pedals where a pedal doesn't shine?
Howl, yes, I'm peeed off. You don't ever hear me bark like this unless somebuddy threatens my life. It's not bad enuff that I'm recovering from life-saving back surgery? Now I've got to have a pedaling idiot try to make me a vegetable?
Vegans, I'm not demeaning vegetables. You know I like tryveg.com. It's just that, as a dog, I need slightly more mobility than a veggie has.
Paw-leeze, all you cool cyclists, tell fellow humans not to fake out car drivers with sudden bicycle moves. It only leads to accidents, which cause disability or death. Such a stoopid human trick it would be for a cyclist to mame or kill 'cuz of arrogance.
Dog-ma and I still think it's great to bicycle. Especially with a doggie sidecar.
I wanna bark about nice bike tours: Tour d'Organics. It's a doggone great idea for human bicyclists to do a tour with organic venues.
Local farms host the rest stops, which are well stocked with local produce and snacks. Howlingly terrierrific!
I'm an organic dog and a big Humane California farm supporter. So, I say, what could be better than Tour d'Organics? Paw-leeze check out the 2008 tours — the 4th annual. Ride first in Sebastopol, California, on August 17, and then in Portland, Orgeon, on September 6.
I can't go 'cuz I'm healing. But I hope you dogs get to go in your sidecars. Pawmail me about what a great time you have!
On August 1, 2008, the Emirates Airlines new A380 arrived at JFK Airport in New York. Everyone's been fussing over this "flying palace." It's a huge, double-deck, wide-body aircraft — the largest passenger airliner in the world.
I think the Superjumbo Airbus A380 has the face of a mother dog.
The A380 has space and amenity pawsibilities heretofore unknown in the sky. The best-hyped is Emirates' "onboard super-spa" — the two showers in first class. Additional first-class offerings include 14 private suites, a lounge, and a snack bar. Other airlines' A380s all have big amenities. Popular are first-class double beds and work desks. In the future, look for onboard casinos and gymnasiums.
The very first A380, dubbed a "21st century flagship," made its debut flight in April 2005. The Airbus PR people said:
"For its first flight, the A380 took off at a weight of 421 tonnes / 928,300 lbs., the highest ever of any civil airliner to date. During the flight, which took the aircraft around South West France, the six crew members . . . tested the A380’s handling, using both direct and normal flight control laws with the landing gear up and down, and with all flaps’ and slats’ settings during the part of the flight at cruise altitude."
I'm glad I wasn't on that flight. I might've had to kiss my tail goodbye.
If you fly first class to or thorugh Dubai on Emirates, you could receive two nights' complimentary accommodations at The Harbour Hotel & Residence or at The Palace the Old Town. But not if you're a pet! Dogs and cats will have to say Dubai another way.
You'd think the Emirates A380 would have an onboard pet spa and a lot of space for us pets to travel in the cabin with our humans. . . . Nope.
Emirates has this to say about pets onboard: "No live animals — neither pets nor service animals — are permitted in the cabin of any Emirates® aircraft. They can, however, travel in the aircraft hold subject to certain conditions and extra charges."
Are we just "baggage" in the hold? . . . Assistance dogs are "baggage" too? . . . Is this the 21st century flagship philosophy?
If and when we dogs and cats do have to fly, we must always read the latest IATA Live Animal Regulations as well as our airlines' pet policies. Maybe we can find some airlines who like us if we dig through a dogzillion international flights — try searching at Airline Consolidator.
You'll have to have a strong, air-travel-approved pet carrier, or travel crate. Talk to your vet about shots and stuff, and pack your favorite treats and books for the long flight.
Remember this advice from PJ O'Rourke: "Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."
By winecountrydog
The little hedgehog that Sam and Zoe named "Ralph" doesn't travel very fast.
But I'm a dog who does travel fast, in a vehicle, with dog-ma as driver. That's why I waited outside Copperfield's Books in Healdsburg with other dogs while dog-ma went inside to hear Ralph Nader.
Mr. Nader is the consumer advocate who took the US auto industry to task for safety defects in his 1965 book, titled Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-in Dangers of the American Automobile. Mr. Nader documented how resistant car manufacturers were to spending money on safety features like seat belts.Humans — both the kind that praise Nader and the kind that don't — tell me that 'Nader' became a household name 'cuz of his consumer advocacy work. Mr. Nader, with former San Francisco Supervisor Matt Gonzalez as his running mate, is campaigning in the 2008 presidential race.
If you read about Mr. Nader's research and lobbying on auto safety, you see he helped push Congress to pass the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Among his many other efforts, he lobbied for passage of the 1967 Wholesome Meat Act, which called for federal inspections of beef and poultry, and imposed standards on slaughterhouses.
Dog-ma and I aren't partisan — I'm a Humane voter without a party. We are consumer advocates for safe car travel, especially for pets. I wear a canine seat belt harness when I travel.
You've heard me bark about my Ruff Rider seatbelt? You'll hear me bark about it again. Dog-ma chose this canine vehicle restraint system for me some years back after researching canine and human seatbelt mechanics.
A lot of human guardian/owners don't like the idea of seatbelts 'cuz they seem to represent a constraint on purrsonal freedom. Well, sometimes we have to think about freedom on other levels. For example, there's the civic freedom that Mr. Nader talks about.
And there's the freedom to choose to protect ourselves from being smushed in a speeding car that has to hit the brakes!
I sound pawlitical on the subject of seatbelts. Oh howl, then I am. What else can a concerned dog do? As Mr. Nader says, "if you don't turn on to politics, politics is going to turn on you." He's right about that.
You've got to get involved and vote for what you care about, even if you're a dog who doesn't get an official ballot.
Got cukes? My friend Genevieve does. That's why I started thinking about dog pickles. Tilin the winecountrydog picked a peck of cukes and pickled 'em. How many pickled cukes did Tilin corgi eat?
I think my corgi dog buddy pawlitico and I will chew the cukes for now and skip the pickling.
We dream about chasing cukes with a bit of Spinning Dog Pickles ale. 'Tis a bitter ale, said to be a lovely gold color and hoppy in flavor.
But its beyond our paw reach, as is Mutley's Revenge. The Spinning Dog Brewery and its Victory Pub are in Hereford, in the UK.
"Pickles" is still a popular dog name. A very famous Pickles was the London dog who found the World Cup trophy after it was stolen. The theft happened prior to the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England.
Pickles found the precious football trophy in a suburban garden hedge while out walking with his guardian/owner (who later collected a £6,000 reward). Pickles was invited to the celebration banquet when England won the trophy. He actually got to lick the plates clean.
In 1973, poor Pickles died in a tragic way. He choked on his own lead while chasing a cat.
I've added the story of Pickles to my list of reasons why humans should not leash us dogs by the neck. I wear a harness for walkies. My neck is where I wear my ID collar.
My neck is not where humans are supposed to attach a leash and jerk me around. I can't consult a canine chiropractor on a daily basis.
Go forth and pickle.
Cami the Bullmastiff/Rhodesian Ridgeback and Dusty the ferret got to go home on July 14. They returned from an emergency shelter with guardian/owner, Virginia Beaudry, to their northern California home near Chico.
The week before, Cami and Dusty had been lucky to be safely evacuated. Their guardian had a few minutes to get them all out alive when the sheriff came to say that the Butte-Plumas wildfire was raging toward them. They left so fast that I doubt they had time to grab their food. Ms. Beaudry didn't have time to grab even her clothes.
Going home is different this time. There's no house for them in the smoky, charcoal grey landscape of their Concow home site. There's nothing left. Not even Ms. Beaudry's stuff in the "fire safe," 'cuz everthing melted. They have to start all over. Home is a trailer now as they begin to clean up the property — an awful task.
The Three Rivers chapter of the American Red Cross has been out there, and maybe a lot of other people will pawse to help them.
I hope help is going to reach other Concow pets and people, too — like Kathy Lentz, who'd been staying in the shelter and caring for seven dogs. The California Conservation Corps really helped at the shelter by bringing a trailer filled with animal food and supplies.
(Somebody from animal control didn't help. They wanted to take Dusty the ferret away from Ms. Beaudry. Attention, animal friends: Remember to have your papers with you — maybe rolled up inside a tiny collar pendant — in case of disaster!)
The North Valley Animal Disaster Group (NVADG.org) has cared for up to 250 pets a day at the shelter. Folks from Yuba-Sutter Domestic Animal Disaster Assistance (www.ysdada.org) pitched in, too. The NVADG (530-895-0000) needs your help, so please contact them via phone or email to assist in sheltering or evacuations.
My dog-ma talked to Stacy at Chico Enterprise Record newspaper. Stacy commented that people affected by the fire disaster are talking about pulling together and building stronger community relationships. Paws up, everybuddy! Please visit www.ChicoER.com in the coming weeks to read stories about people rebuilding their lives after the fires.
Many humans find my reverse mohawk fetching. To name two, there's Kyrana, a vet tech at Coddingtown Veterinary Clinic, and Jill, the hair stylist at Kids Cuts in Rohnert Park. Then there are the people who stare at me funny when I'm out walking. They've never seen a dog with his back shaved?
When the temperature hits triple-digits, dogs and humans alike look enviously at me.My rev mo is THE cool cut for hot wine country summer — an instant classic that should be in every trendsetting groomer's repertoire. You don't have to remove as much hair as I had to for my back surgery though.
If you're spending a lot of time outdoors looking cool, be safe and use pet sunblock. Yes, you dogs need sunscreen to protect sensitive skin if you're going to be out in the sun jogging, playing, sailing, and stuff. Just don't tell me you're stuck in the sun 'cuz you're riding in the back of a pickup!
The Mohawk hairstyle comes from the practice by long-haired Mohawk Nation warriors of cutting their hair when they went off to war. They left just a narrow strip about three-fingers' wide down the middle of the scalp from their forehead to the nape of their neck.
There are many mohawk spinoffs, like the fauxhawk. You humans can ask for mo spins at a salon like Hairdoo Voodoo in the Lower Haight, San Francisco. This salon gets top paw on Yelp. I want to go see Margaret, the owner, 'cuz they say she's "a genius and goddess of all things follicle."
I wish the health laws didn't keep me from having my rev mo edginess redone in a people place.
Wine country summertime means outdoor concerts, and this means humans have to protect little ears from loud music. My dog-ma makes me howl when she tells me about seeing puppies and human babies at these venues (where dogs aren't usually allowed "because of the food").
I asked veterinarian Jona Sun Jordan, DVM, to put this topic in pawspective. You can find Dr. J and her caring staff at Coddingtown Veterinary Clinic in Santa Rosa, California. I like that Dr. J practices Eastern holistic medicine, including TCM and nutritional and herbal therapy, along with Western medicine.
Dr. J says, "Young pet and human ears are especially sensitive to intense sound. Exposure to continued or impulse noise above a certain level — about 100 decibels — can cause pain to little ones and even instantaneous hearing damage. Sound level at a concert can reach 115 to 120 decibels, the pain threshold for the average human adult."
How can a human stand music this loud at a concert? Dr. Jordan explains, "When a person has been enjoying alcohol or other substances, their sense of hearing is dulled. This means that dangerously loud music may not sound all that loud to them. To be safe, little ones should have the appropriate protection at a concert even if the adults don't think the music sounds loud."
So, when pets, kids, and babies are near big stage speakers, it's like they're standing next to someone firing a rifle — only it's worse, because speakers get louder with sudden feedback blasts or when accidentally turned up.
Dr. Jordan adds, "I know of one case where a boy lost his hearing during a loud concert. He was lucky and most of his hearing returned after a few months, but it was a scary time for him and his family."
Here are simple paw points for protecting ears:
1) If it seems loud to you adult humans, it's too loud for pets and children, and damaging to ears of human babies and animal babies.
2) All concerts are too loud, period. There's no "safe" concert for pets and little ones to attend. Not unless they remain way in the back of the audience and also far away from any back speakers.
3) Little ones need earplugs to be safe around any potential loudness. You can make or buy earplugs for pets and kids. Get them to practice wearing earplugs before they need to.
4) Consult your healthcare professionals. It takes skill to plug little ears effectively and safely, especially itsy bitsy baby ears. Your veterinary and pediatric humans would be pawsitively pleased to help protect little ears!
5) Have fun, and take me next time.
It was a clear afternoon on Highway 101 near Healdsburg when the shiny metal giants going 65 MPH all got to the same freeway stretch at the same time. I watched from my backseat as the cars urgently laid rubber. Dog-ma hit the brakes hard. I flew forward for a split-second as my doggie seatbelt engaged the car seatbelt's locking mechanism.When the metal giants had come to a stop, I was still sitting quietly. I'd been spared. A 30-pound dog like me, traveling unrestrained in a car that decelerates suddenly from 65 mph, is thrown forward violently enough to develop thousands of pounds of g-force in just one foot of movement. Formula One race car drivers experience about 5 g when braking.Dog restraint is an unpopular topic, but the facts speak: Both dogs and humans are saved by having everybuddy buckled up. Kids and babies riding in a car with "free Fido" are especially at risk of being crushed when Fido goes flying. Passengers and drivers with no dogs are at risk, too. Remember when novelist Stephen King was almost killed in June 1999?As King walked down a road near his home, a guy driving a van got distracted and crashed into him. King was hospitalized with a broken hip, broken leg, broken ribs, and collapsed lung. The van driver, who lost his license and was given a suspended jail sentence, said that he'd looked away from the road for a few seconds because his dog was getting into a cooler in the van.How many of this country's 70-some million dogs are buckled-up road scholars?
Dog-ma says people argue that they "can't get Fifi to wear her seatbelt," or "Fido wiggles out of it." This means they haven't found a harness as perfect as my Ruff Rider Roadie. If you ever did get in a car accident — even if you're turned upside down — the Roadie will hold you, and won't strangle you, thanks to its cross-over-chest design.You can't wiggle out of a good seatbelt like the Roadie, and won't want to. You'll like it 'cuz it means you're going out to have fun. Your person will like it that you won't be able to run away from the car. And you won't get into any trouble inside the car or leaning out a car window.Unfortunately, most canine restraint systems on the current market are inadequate, even potentially hazardous, because they're poorly designed and untested. Bummer, right? As Joanne Howl, DVM, pointed out to dog-ma, "A big concern is about so-called safety solutions that can be worse than no solution at all. When a product is untested, it puts a dog at greater risk because the owner/guardian assumes the product is adequate and comes to depend on it." Dogs, caveat emptor!Some people say "crating is the way to go." Crating is not THE solution (though we've known dogs who only felt safe traveling in a crate, or portable kennel). Not all crates are made well enough to withstand impact. Plus, people have to know how to secure a crate in their vehicle.To bark again like I always do when talking about wine country car travel in the summertime: Forget the dog crate! You'll suffocate inside that thing in the car. If you've absolutely gotta be in a portable kennel — it can come in handy at the inn or motel — tell your humans to get a cooling mat for the floor of the crate. And a nice doggie cooling vest and bandana too.Oh howl, I'll try not to be up in paws about the risks associated with loose dogs in cars. But to corral a phrase, freedom isn't about being free in the car.
by winecountrydog
Are you a dog headed for wine country? . . . It's not easy in summer for a dog traveling in hot California, Oregon, and Washington wine country. Where are you gonna hang out and stay cool? Dog-friendly places? . . . In California, you can't go in restaurants or farmer's markets, and relatively few winery tasting rooms. There are few places that'll let you inside with your guardian/owner. Yet you could die from heat stroke waiting in the car.
I've got to admit that, if I were a tasting-room manager or gift buyer, I wouldn't want rowdy dogs wagging merchandise off the shelves. And as a winery patron, I wouldn't want to run into big rowdy dogs, especially in crowded tasting rooms.
So what's a friendly dog in wine country to do?
1) Get to googly pawing. Find dog-friendly tasting rooms, not just dog-friendly wineries — there's a difference. Ask wineries whether they have shady outdoor spots for us dogs. And look for other dogstinations — you know, dog events like Bark in the Park, Graton Day festival Pet Parade, and Healdsburg Dog House Halloween parade. Always make sure you've got your dog bytes right though: Contact wineries, inns, and events to confirm their dog policies!
2) Make a plan for how you're going to stay cool, which means all day long in summer. Don't worry about evenings; it cools off before sunset. You could get a professional dog walker, doggy daycare, or a dog spa visit along your travel route. (Consider a single-run kennel 'cuz you might get overwhelmed by strangers.) Tell your people to see about advance reservations and other requirements!
3) Pack everything you need to stay cool: your water bowl, plenty of water, your leash and outdoor tie-down, cooling bandana neck-scarf, cooling pet mats, Cool Vest, shade umbrella, and a stack of towels. Towels soaked in cold water and wrung out will help you and your people stay cool. Remember, too, to pack your food, treats, travel ID, toys, emergency contacts, vaccination records, and other regular stuff.
4) Get a good doggie seatbelt harness. I wear my Ruff Rider Roadie harness and wouldn't do car travel without it. Forget the dog crate! You'll suffocate inside that thing in the summertime here.
5) Tell your people to sit-stay flexible. Be prepared to change the itinerary on super-hot triple-digit days. We have only a few in a row, then it cools off again. On the hottest days, head for wineries and recreation spots in the cooler Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. (See WineRoad.com.)
6) If you get desperately hot on the wine road: Ask your driver-person to stop and buy bags of ice to arrange close to you — not directly on you! Even with ice and cooling mats, you cannot survive long alone in the car. If your people park in the sun instead of the shade, you're done for. You're taking a risk if you even try to stay in the car, so just don't let your people leave you there.
7) If your people have an emergency: Tell your guardian/owner to speak up, and go get the people at the winery or restaurant or wherever to let you go inside with them while they take care of the emergency!
