2. We cannot clash with any collar you might choose either! Ditto for bandanas. Accessorize us!

3. Ease of vaccuuming! You can quickly spot the areas of most urgent need.

4. Excellent night walk protection, the “bad guy” won’t see us til it’s too late!

5. We hide dirt well (doesn’t mean we don’t need that bath after a messy play, but your guests won’t be able to see it so quickly).

6. We make an excellent “backdrop” for a second, more colorful dog if you choose to have more than one.

7. Availability! We are available now at every shelter you can imagine, in every age bracket, no long waiting lists, no long search!

8. Status symbol potential. Black pearls are the most costly you know….

9. No annoying queries “what kind of dog is that” people are content with “big black dog” and don’t ask!

10. We need you!

This message brought to you by the thousands of big black dogs who will die today because nobody realizes our wonderful potential!

“Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.”
- Sydney Jeanne Seward

Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog*
1. Older dogs are housetrained. You won’t have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.
2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won’t chew your shoes and furniture while growing up.
3. Older dogs can focus well because they’ve mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.
4. Older dogs have learned what “no” means. If they hadn’t learned it, they wouldn’t have gotten to be “older” dogs.
5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they’ve learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.
6. Older dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are grateful for the second chance they’ve been given.
7. What You See Is What You Get: Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.
8. Older dogs are instant companions — ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.
9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don’t make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.
10. Older dogs let you get a good night’s sleep because they’re accustomed to human schedules and don’t generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.

*Adapted from Labrador Retriever Rescue’s “Top Ten Reasons to Adopt a Rescue”

These allergies don’t respond to changes in food (other than lessening some) and even benadryl isn’t effective. Your vet will want to give them prednisone and yeah, that could work but it also stays in their organs forever and ever so i won’t even go there.

In my dogs, Gizmo & Nikos I’ve seen it the last 5 years (thats how long i’ve had them) and same thing end of every august, they chew themselves pretty raw,  Nikos losing the hair around his eyes even. I went nuts the first 2 yrs of this happening, even going so far as to use advantage on Gizmo thinking he was still allergic to fleas even tho i know he had none.  It’s not a flea or food allergy.

I started asking people if their dogs had the same problem and YES a lot DID!!

I’ve gone the homeopathic and alternative ways – Benedryl (works some) and i foudn that TRAUMEEL  and Apis Melifica from the health food store works the best. I get both in liquid (absorbed by the body faster) and put them in a spray bottle so i can squirt it in their mouths and on their itchies easily and in their food and on pieces of bread as needed.

They are lower to the ground than us and the environment AFFECTS THEM  i think faster and more severely than us.

A couple of clients also have dogs with this yearly reaction so that’s why i’m writing about it.  Most have purebreds (Gizmo is too altho a puppy mill dog) but Nikos is a mix and the only mix i know of so far to be so affected altho mixes are suffering the same as purebreds on shitty commercial foods.

I’m also writing because maybe we can’t ‘fix’ everything and to let others know you are NOT ALONE with your dog’s problems. If we talk about things that our dogs do, things that affect them, things we see in our dogs, maybe we wouldn’t be feeding the $4 billion dollar pet industry so well for no results?

I rescued a human today.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.

I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog’s professional dog trainer. Janine’s passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2009 Rescue Me Dog; www.rescuemedog.org

Many pet products that has glucosamine in it does not have ENOUGH glucosamine ot make it work any better than using nothing at all?

I used to think glucosamine didn’t well for dogs as i saw no real imporvement in older, arthritic dogs (and you KNOW how many dogs i see and that are at my disposal for checking things out).

With some research i found that they can legally claim their food or suppliments have glucosamine in it cuz it does. What the DON’T have to do is add ENOUGH to make any appreciable difference.

Since we rely on vets and pet food companies to tell the truth and help us keep our pets healthy (WellI don’t anymore) they can IMPLY anything they like and we ASSUME it’s correct or GOOD for our dogs.  NOT!

The homeopathics i’ve been using along with food have given awesome results but i’ve also been looking for products for thos of you who can’t or won’t do raw that will upgrade the foods and make it absorbable and healthier.

I’ve found BG and Orijen for kibbles to be better than most and I have been adding Dr Clarkes Hip formula to my raw for the older or damamged dogs like Molsyn, Rufus, Cocoa b4 she left, Belle. and even my Hank who is 9 now. It has right AMOUNT of glucosamine in it – as well as some other good stuff i would use homeopathically – and you sprinkle a little on their food once per day.

All the dogs are moving better but the most astonishing one is Molsyn who is a 6 yr old, 105lb Cane corso. First, they usually only live til 8 yrs so she’s technically OLD and she has TWO bad legs – muscles & knees. She wobbled when she came, could do little physically and even short times walking in the yard would make her back legs shake something aweful.

She is now running and even jumping up on me for a kiss. No we haven’t reversed the damage but we’ve improved her enuf to be a little less in pain and enjoy life more – same for the other dogs.

We are adding Dr Clarke’s to our product line and anyone who would like to buy it can contact me for shipping or pick up.

When they come to me, I DO direct them away from puppies and younger dogs, my fear being not so much that they can’t handle them – there are some ‘old’ people waaaay fitter than ME! – but that they will die before the dog.

I have been directing older people to dogs over 5 yrs old (depending on breed/longevity) who need homes as badly, if not more cuz people want puppies, but are awesome dogs who have a long life to love someone .

I was thinking that ALL OF YOU have older relatives and friends who you didn’t know were looking for a dog and may have been refused and never told you OR want a dog but know a puppy is more than they need or want and don’t know about PETFINDER or that there are rescue organizations ther than pounds OR that they don’t have to go into a shelter and feel horrible seeing the dogs there but can go on the internet too. Maybe they don’t know that there ARE OLDER DOGS WHO NEED THEM. Middle ages or LAZY people like me should apply for these guys TOO!

Dogs i have here needing older people to love them if other people don’t want them is:

COCOA, an 8-9 yr old female chocoolate lab, med size – she can live another 5-7 yrs, BELLE, a7-8 yr old female blk lab mix, large, can go another 5-7 yrs, OCTAVIA, 9-11 yr old chihua/terrier mix, female, 10lbs who is the NICEST small dog i’ve ever seen!! never bites or even lifts a lip, not a barker, good on her legs and loving!! she can go another 8 or so years!  POLLY PUGGLES 10 -12yr old pug mix, female, one back leg is gimpy but getting stronger now that she’s using it – seems she may have been crated her whole life (she & Octavia likely puppy mill breeding dogs) and she really chugqs along outside!! She SINGS like a kitten when she needs attention and ok, she is UGLY but E.T. was cute after two hours so she;’ll grow on you! she can go another 5-8 yrs. RAY - still here – 9-10 yr old blk lab, male, blind from cataracts not cancer or diabetes. Awesome dog who gets around darn good for his ‘disability’. He can go 4-6 more years too!

We will help anyone adopting these dogs with health and food advice to make them last as long as they should too!

Other ‘older’ dogs who need people – Joey, Hoss, Claudia - they’re all apprx 4-5 yrs old and have a good 10 yrs left (13 or so for the beagle) and they are calmer and loving and easier to have around – don’t need exceptional amts of exercise either!!

THis is all just thoughts but i’d really like to know what you think and if there is a market for older dogs and people and where the best place it to let seniors know we’re here with great dogs.

HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE!