Wednesday, August 31, 2011

WELCOME CP's WARRIOR QUEENS

Written by CP's VP of Intakes

Throughout the ages women have had to fight for rights and freedom. That fight for freedom continues today for many Cairns, female and male. Luckily this week two female Cairns have persevered and finally won the war to gain their freedom. The spoils of victory are something they have just begun to dream of, but will now become reality.

In history there were two legendary Warrior Queens who waged war in their efforts to restore freedom to their people and right an injustice.

Cordelia, legendary Queen of the Britons, was her father Leir's favorite, but when Leir divided his kingdom, Cordelia refused to flatter him, so Leir did not bestow any land to her and so Cordelia moved to Gaul. Eventually Leir was exiled from Britain and fled to Cordelia. She raised an army and invaded Britain defeating the ruling dukes and restored Leir to power. Upon his death, Cordelia returned to Britain and was crowned Queen which she remained until her nephews became of age. They despised the rule of a woman, raising armies who fought against Cordelia's armies. Cordelia fought in person at numerous battles, but was eventually captured and imprisoned by her nephews, where she ultimately committed suicide.

Boudica's husband had been ruler of the Iceni tribe, ruled as a nominally independent ally of Rome. Upon his death he left his kingdom to his daughters and the Roman Emperor. His will was ignored by the Roman Emperor, and Boudica and her daughters were viciously attacked and raped. Boudica rallied the Iceni people along with others in revolt against the Roman Empire. They destroyed and captured many roman cities and strongholds during the revolt, only to be defeated in the Battle of Watling Street. Boudica, Queen of the Iceni tribe, who was of royal descent and described as having greater intelligence, reddish-brown long hair, a harsh voice and piercing glare, killed herself so she would not be captured.

Cordelia and Boudica, Warrior Queens both, fighting for freedom and independence. In the case of CP's Warrior Queens, both will never have to fight again. Their war is over and they have won their freedom.


Cordelia: 8-10 years old, wheaten




Boudica: 5-7 years old, red wheaten



While the fight may be over for these two Warrior Queens, it continues for many others across the country. Please remember CP can only rescue as many as we have resources for including foster homes, volunteers to work within CP and of course, financially. Cordelia, Boudica and all the other Cairns rescued by Col. Potter thank you and hope you will continue to support them.

Wacky Wednesday!


Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.

A big shout out to Bree, for being our Wacky Wednesday model this week!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Introducing Teagan!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Teagan is a beautiful black brindle girl, almost 7 years old, who has joined the Col. Potter family. She is a little confused about the change in her life but with the help and support of her Col. Potter family, she should find that life is lots of fun when you're a Col. Potter kid.

Sometimes a cairn comes into rescue because it's the best thing for the cairn. A family's heart is broken when they realize they cannot give what is needed to make a beloved pet happy as he or she once was. Such is the case with Teagan.

She was very loved, well cared for and only knew one home. She was adored and loved the attention which was all hers. One day her human parents brought home a little baby, a new family member that also was adored and loved. Life was good for everyone including Teagan. Later when the family grew again, Teagan realized these cute little humans were getting some of her attention and not going away! Poor Teagan became withdrawn and sad. She was no longer an only child. Teagan, unlike some cairns, did not do anything destructive, was not mean to the children, she just moped and longed for the way things were. Out of love, her family made the tough decision to let Col. Potter find a new home for Teagan where she can become a Princess once again!

Please welcome the gorgeous Teagan!!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Noir slinks into CP!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Noir was picked up as a “running stray” by an animal control warden and placed in an overcrowded shelter. She showed no aggression with other dogs, food or toys. However, on her socialization and cage behavior assessment, she was terrified. The shelter coordinator thought she would come around, but was not being recommended for general adoption and they could not hold on to her any longer. Col. Potter was emailed, and Noir was was accepted into our Network!

Let’s all give Noir a warm CP Welcome.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Bo'Bo bounds into CP

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer


There was no time to contact anyone, if someone didn’t get Bo’Bo out of the shelter before the end of the day, Bo’Bo would be put to sleep by the next morning. Not knowing if he was a cairn terrier or a mix didn’t matter. He was a puppy, and there was no way she was going to let a puppy die. A Col. Potter volunteer left work early, and sped down to the not so local Humane Society to rescue this little man. Bo’Bo was literally saved with minutes of his PTS time.

Bo’Bo has a cold, so his vetting will take a little normal than usual. We’re not sure of his weight, or even his age (he is a puppy), but we are sure he is a CP kid now, safe and warm in his foster mom’s house.

Let’s all give Bo’Bo a warm CP welcome!

Sunday Sweets

Sunday is full of SWEETS! Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns. If you have a sweet filled cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

Teagan

Wookie

Paola

Frannie

Bella

Alfie

Saturday, August 27, 2011

CP foster Gruffyn's Tale

Contributed by Gruffyn's foster mom


Gruffy


Baby

Gruffy is the funniest little guy. Last night we had thunderstorms and Gruffy doesn't like em. He started to beat up on a squeaky toy but that upset Bunny and Janna who are noise phobic. So I gave Gruffy his Baby (photo attached) which he loves. It's a human baby toy that I think I paid $.25 for at a garage sale or thrift store. It's really for noise phobic dogs who are afraid of squeakers...but none of them have ever cared about it like Gruffy does. He loves it. (I was just searching for Baby to take the pic and I asked Alan if he had seen Gruffy's Baby...and Gruffy jumped down and ran off and came back with it in his mouth. That was a surprise.)

So last night he would be snoozing in my lap with Baby under his chin. Whenever we got a boomer Gruffy's head shot up and he grabbed his Baby in his mouth for a while. Almost as if the Baby acts like worry beads or something.

Around 3 am all remnants of the storm had passed over us so we took the dogs out for a last pee. They ran off the patio and peed like good kids. Then we softly called them to us to get their goodies. Everyone ran up and then Gruffy went back down into the dog run. He went right over to where Bunny had peed (he had come right past it on the way back to the patio) and peed over her pee. Alan and I were floored. We had a hard time keeping our laughter soft so as not to wake any neighbors.


What a little character....particularly for a little ole guy who came here and merely went from one bed to another for the first several weeks.


Gruffyn is being fostered in Ohio and you can learn more about himand the other cairns available for adoption by clicking here.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Happy National Dog Day!

from dogwalk






If you’re a dog lover, August 26th is the day for you – and these beloved animals. Started by Animal Miracle Network, National Dog Day celebrates dogs of all breeds and types: family dogs, service dogs, bomb-sniffing dogs, police dogs, rescue dogs…. But more than that, the day is to raise public awareness of the many dogs that need to be rescued, and dogs who live in shelters looking for a loving home.


They actively strive to raise awareness of the fact that although every one has the right to have a purebred dog, many of these dogs come from puppy mills which have a very low quality of life for the breeding females. Their website says, “[W]hile we feel that American’s have the constitutional right to purchase a pure breed dog, we strongly discourage buying from pet stores, backyard breeders, the internet, newspaper ads and puppy mills, and rather encourage those seeking new canine companions, to verify that they are buying from a reputable breeder, educate themselves about their dog’s breed and better yet – visit their local shelter or pure breed rescue group for a new furry family member that will be forever grateful.”


The day was founded by pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige in 2004. She poetically says on the National Dog Day website, “It is the human condition to love. It is Love that changes the human condition. It is the love of one human that can change a nation. It is that love which empowers one nation to save man’s best friend.”

Friday's Funnies!

Raising Duncan

Raising Duncan

by Chris Browne

Thursday, August 25, 2011

PLEASE WELCOME TO CP - BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Written by CP's VP of Intakes

We all have heard the heinous story of Jaycee Dugard and her two daughters. Jaycee was abducted as a child, tortured, abused, made to live in horrendous conditions and used for her abductor's own predatory needs. There seem to have been so many chances and opportunities for authorities to have discovered what was going on over the years and put a stop to this insidious couple and their unspeakable crime. Jaycee and her daughters were finally discovered better late than never and reunited with her family. They are now all working hard at learning about freedom, love, trust and care.

Two little Cairns could be compared to Jaycee and her daughters. These little girls have spent their lives in horrendous conditions and served the needs of someone else. They were referred to not by a name, not even a color, but by the year of their birth- '04 and '01. Think about it. That makes them 7 years old and, yes your math is correct, 10 years old ... Better Late Than Never.

When these two cairns came to CP, they had horrible dreadlocks, mats, caked on feces and rotten teeth. One of them has dewclaws so long they were wound around and growing into the flesh of her paw. Both of them had horrible slimy, sticky fur. In the following photos, you will see them after they both received a spa treatment including baths, cut nails, trimming out the mats and dreadlocks and some grooming.

And so, Better Late Than Never, may I present:

Jaycee - red wheaten, 10 years old




Starlite - black brindle, 7 years old




I know many foster homes don't want to open up their homes to a 10 year old because they think they will never get adopted. People thought Jaycee Dugard would never be found, or at least not alive. CP's Better Late Than Never Jaycee has waited her whole life for this opportunity, to learn what love is, a soft bed to lay in, being in a home, all the things we give to our own furkids each and every day of their lives. Won't you please consider giving those basic things to this little girl who has waited so long for them. Please consider signing up to be a Col. Potter foster parent or donate to our rescue efforts.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Introducing Kai

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Please help welcome Col. Potter's Kai. This seven year old black brindle girl was surrendered to a shelter in March, adopted in April, and returned in early July. She is a typical smart, strong, happy female cairn. Like many of our girls, probably smarter than the people who found her so cute and sweet they adopted her. No homework done, no terrier experience. I can just picture her evaluating the situation, sizing them up, and seeing that clearly that she could run the household! She wasn't the lap dog they envisioned!

Kai spent 6 weeks at the shelter. The staff realized she is a great dog, for the right terrier-savvy family. When no such family appeared, they made plans to contact CP. As often happens, one of our many dedicated volunteers found her, and sent her information into the Rescue Team. Within three days from initial contact, Kai was picked up. She is having her spa treatment this week, and will move to her foster home next weekend. Her future looks very bright, she's on her road to a family that will love her strong cairn traits!

Welcome, Kai!

Wacky Wednesday!

Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.

A big shout out to Buddy and Christy, for being our Wacky Wednesday models this week!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Lucky girl Tish joins CP

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Do you remember the song with the lyrics “if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all”? Well that could have been Tish’s song before Col. Potter got involved.

A few weeks ago, we were contacted by a small rural shelter asking if we could take in a little female cairn recently diagnosed with and being treated for hypothyroidism. She had been turned in to their shelter by an elderly man who had several small male dogs that kept fighting with each other because she was there. We said “yes” and requested the shelter’s vet complete her routine vaccinations, tests and spay.

Well, it turns out little Tish is heartworm positive. We had additional testing done to determine how severe. Fortunately, she’s in the early stage and should do fine with treatment. So we proceeded with getting her spayed since the vet felt she was healthy enough to undergo the anesthesia. And, thankfully, she did fine. But, as if that wasn’t enough, she’s also suffering with a severe skin infection, and being treated with antibiotics and steroids, in addition to thyroid and heartworm treatment meds.

Despite all of these ailments, Tish is a very sweet and happy little 6 year old girl. She just arrived at her foster home today ready to start her new life.

Due to the high cost involved in Tish’s medical care over the next several months, Tish will be in the Col. Potter Guardian Angel program. If you would like to donate a little toward the cost of her care, please visit the Guardian Angel page and fill out the form. She will be forever grateful!



We expect her new song will be “Happy Days Are Here Again” -- thanks to the care she’ll receive and the generosity of Col. Potter supporters

Monday, August 22, 2011

Frisbee flies into CP!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Frisbee was found as a stray and turned in to a small shelter. No one came to claim him and he was running out of time. A shelter volunteer contacted us for help. Fortunately, one of our volunteers who attended the WI cairn party was traveling in the general vicinity of the shelter on her way home and offered to pick him up and deliver him to the vet.

From all accounts, he sounds almost perfect!! “As sweet as can be”, “likes everyone”, “gives lots of kisses”, “housebroken” “walks great on a leash” “likes other dogs”. And besides all that he’s very handsome with his dark muzzle and multi-colored coat. Frisbee is estimated to be between 3 and 5 years old and weighs about 15 lbs.

Unfortunately someone gave him a very bad haircut (most likely using just scissors). But it will grow back and he’ll be even more handsome.

Welcome little guy! We’ll find the perfect home for you.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Please welcome Frannie!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Frannie was surrendered by her owner to a small rural shelter. They said she kept running away--no other reasons were given for abandoning her. The shelter described her as a sweet and friendly little girl who loves meeting new people and being held and fussed over. The shelter expected she would get adopted very quickly. However, after 6 weeks at the shelter and attending many adoption events, not one person applied. So the shelter contacted us for assistance, and fortunately we were able to say YES.

Welcome Frannie! We will help you find the perfect forever family.

Sunday Sweets

Sunday is full of SWEETS! Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns. If you have a sweet filled cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

Wrigley

Tucker fka Canada

Sparky

Smudge fka Champ

Gabby ~ Happy 2nd Birthday!

Ella

Abbie & Gem

Saturday, August 20, 2011

CP has TRANQUILITY & FASCINATION

Written by CP's VP of Intakes

I often wonder what thoughts go through the minds of these little furkids when--after years in small crates, producing litter after litter of puppies with little care or concern given to them--they reach freedom and for the first time ever enjoy a bath, a clean, soft place to lay, don't have to fight for food or water. These sound like the very basics and the bare minimum might be considered neglect by our own spoiled little snots who are accustomed to so much more!

The words Tranquility and Fascination come to mind as emotions these new found freedom furkids might experience as they learn to adjust to this new wonderful, yet scary and very different world. I would hope a sense of tranquility would envelope them and in time allow them to relax and feel secure. Fascination, even through their fear, would have to get the better of them simply because they are Cairns and it's their nature to be inquisitive and love to explore.

This week, two female Cairns won their freedom and now will hopefully experience the emotions they are named after.

Tranquility - black brindle, 5 years old, very shy and frightened




Fascination - black brindle, 5 years old, shy and frightened with a cute underbite.




In order for Col. Potter to be able to continue to help Cairns like Tranqulity and Fascination, we need the help of all volunteers, but especially need foster homes right now. The very busy season when dogs are released by breeders is just around the corner. In order to be ready to welcome these Cairns to freedom, we need to have the foster homes, ready and waiting to take them in. If you would like to foster for Col. Potter, please fill out our application online and someone will contact you.

Please help me Welcome Tranquility and Fascination -- your journey to a wonderful happily ever after has just begun girls!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Emergency Long Distance Downs from Taming the Wildside Dog Training

Contributed by Taming the Wildside Dog Training

Check out our new video! Learn a fun way to train emergency sits and downs and see how it could save your dog's life! Training important behaviors can all be done through games, clickers and targeting! Everyone loves strengthening their sits and downs in the hoops!! Once the dogs learn that there is a great reward in offering behavior in the hoops, they could not wait to get there!! So always have fun training, make it a game, relax and enjoy what your dog has to offer! If they make a mistake, it is not a big deal, just break the training into smaller steps!! Such a fun way to teach, but the importance of the behavior could be enormous!! Great job Advanced Family Dog class!!



or click here to watch on youtube


Thank you Terri Elkins, trainer at Taming the Wildside in Fort Worth, Texas, for sharing this with us. Please visit Taming the Wildside's blog by following this link.

Friday's Funnies!

Raising Duncan


by Chris Browne

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Taming Tip from Taming the Wild Side Dog Training

Contributed by Terri Elkins, Owner / Trainer -





Taming the Wild Side Dog Training



Note from from CP Blogger: We would like to thank Terri Elkins for allowing us to post her weekly taming tips on our blog. Her training facility is located in Fort Worth, Texas.

Taming Tip #18:

Practice one behavior that your dog already knows, but add distance to it. Such as, "coming when called", "sit", or "down". Reward your dog for performing the behavior and staying as you increase the distance, but remember to increase the distance slowly and do not always add distance but "Ping Pong" your distance. You "Ping Pong" distance by taking two steps away, four steps away and then only take one step away, then you might go five steps away, keep the number of steps random and do not always increase, make it easier for your dog by decreasing the distance, and keep the number of steps random. Remember to click and treat to help your dog succeed

Each week we'll share a Taming Tip for you, your family and friends to do with your dog(s)! These tips will help teach your dog real world manners in a fun way. Leave us a comment and tell us how it went!

Please follow this link to visit their blog!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

CP foster Dividend arrives in Texas!

Contributed by Dividend's foster mom



There's a new girl in town. I picked up little Dividend this morning from Miss Kim's husband, who was nice enough to bring Divi home from her spa week. She is much sturdier looking than I expected from the report of severe tick infestation when she came in. She was good for my husband, and kept her crate dry last night. I gave her a little shower, and then we did some brushing. No vermin at present, but her hair is VERY thin/almost moth eaten in places. She investigated the toy bed and selected an orange snake to drag around. She wasn't thrilled about picture taking. This was the best I could do.

She seems like a sweet girl. I hope my guys don't ruin her.

Amy in Texas is fostering Dividend who will be available for adoption after her evaluation period.

Wacky Wednesday!

Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.

A big shout out to Stella, for being our Wacky Wednesday model this week!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Back to School Anxiety

Lowcountry Dog Magazine
by Erin Thomas


So, you’ve gotten used to the kids being home all summer. The hustle and bustle, the midday grilled cheese sandwiches, a yard full of neighborhood playmates- what a fun time of year! But guess who else was used to having the extra company at home? Yep, your pup! Now that the house is empty and the kids have gone back to school, it’s like an empty-nest syndrome, except that the remaining occupant of the home is busy chewing the remote control and the couch!

The simple fact is that dogs are pack animals. It's natural for them to want to be with companions, canine or human. If the family's schedule changes and a dog finds himself alone for longer periods, he definitely may experience loneliness or anxiety.

"Any living being can have a hard time transitioning from a care-free life of fun, games, and cavorting outdoors all day with loved ones to being suddenly all alone inside the house with little to do," says Dr. Kat Miller, assistant science advisor for the ASPCA.

Separation anxiety can spark many different behaviors, including chewing or scratching at windows and doors, excessive barking, compulsive grooming, chewing or tearing up furniture or household items, excessive drooling, and even soiling the owner’s belongings. Most of these behaviors typically occur within the first hour of the owner leaving the pet. Although pet owners may believe that their pet is trying to punish them for leaving them alone, the dog is actually experiencing panic.

So, what can you do to make Fido feel better- and to stop the destructive behaviors? Have no fear, there is hope! Here are some helpful tips:

- Always tell your dog goodbye (or Ciao or Ta-ta or anything as long as it’s always the same!) every time you leave him. The idea is to condition your dog to hearing the phrase often and knowing that you always return later.

- Leave clothes with your scent on them around the house for an added sense of security while you’re gone.

- Leave the television or radio on while you’re gone. Human voices can provide reassurance that humans still exist during your absence.

- Hire a professional pet sitter for midday play-and-potty visits. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but it will give your pup the added human interaction, as well as the extra exercise!

- Leave your dog with an interactive toy (a Kong filled with peanut butter, for example) to help keep him busy, especially during the first hour after your departure when he’s most anxious.

- As difficult as it sounds, ignore the dog for several minutes before leaving the house and when you return. Excessive excitement (or consoling) will only emphasize that there’s a reason for him to be upset and may add to his anxiety.

- “Give your pet plenty of exercise and interaction when your family is home, or in the morning before he'll be left alone, and feed him breakfast afterwards,” suggests Dr. Bonnie Beaver, Executive Director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. "An important equation to learn is: tired muscles + full belly = a relaxed, sleepy pet.”

We all know just how tough it is to leave our four-legged companions at home, especially when you know that they suffer in your absence. Luckily, with a bit of knowledge and care, you can help make the periods of separation much easier. And best of all, getting your kids involved will not only make them feel as if they’re contributing to Fido’s care, but it will help Fido not miss those dog days of summer quite as much!

Erin Thomas is the owner of Summerville’s Lowcountry Pet Sitters, the area's premier in-your-home pet care service. For more information, please visit www.LCPetSitters.com or call 843-327-7487.

Monday, August 15, 2011

What's that Lump?

Lowcountry Dog Magazine
by Daniel IslandVet on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011




Dogs and cats are notorious for developing lumps and bumps on their bodies over their lifespans. {Ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and rodents are not immune to lump (mass) formations either}. Many of these are benign growths, and often self-resolving, but some may be malignant or infectious in nature so an accurate diagnosis is warranted.

We recommend any new swelling or growth on your pet be examined as soon as possible once detected. We will examine the mass by visual inspection and by palpation. Some common growths may be identified by gross examination alone, for example, oral papillomas and sebaceous adenomas. However, the vast majority of growths need to also have a microscopic evaluation to obtain a diagnosis. This is accomplished by a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) of the mass.

Fine needle aspiration is performed in the clinic during most routine exams and sedation is very rarely needed. A small gauge needle is inserted into the growth and gently maneuvered within it. Gentle suction is often applied to a connected syringe. The maneuvering of the needle and the suction help to obtain a sample of the cells that make up the growth. The sample is then delivered onto a slide which is allowed to dry, then stained, and viewed under the microscope. General veterinary practitioners are able to make confirmed diagnoses a vast majority of the time. There are some instances where suspect diagnoses need to be sent to a veterinary pathologist for further identification and/or confirmation.

I try to inform pet owners ahead of time that growths may be “wall-to-wall” cells, so obtaining and observing a cell sample is relatively easy in that case. However, there are many growths where the cells may not exfoliate well or the growth may be more like a blueberry muffin and the abnormal cells are the blueberries that we are attempting to “blindly poke”. In these scenarios we may not always get a diagnostic sample (even after repeated sticks with the needle) and so we’ll often recommend that a surgical biopsy or complete excisional biopsy should be performed.

It’s important to pay attention to any new growth/lump/bump/swelling on your pet and have it examined as soon as you can. We will often be able to give you a diagnosis of what it is the day we check it out and then lay out a recommended treatment plan. Many times we’ll recommend “watchful neglect”, but there are those lumps that may be cancerous or painful to your pet and so the sooner we diagnose the sooner we can manage it.


Many of these are benign growths, and often self-resolving, but some may be malignant or infectious in nature so an accurate diagnosis is warranted.


Daniel Island Animal Hospital is a small animal veterinary clinic located in Charleston, SC on Daniel Island. They focus on general medicine and wellness including surgery, dentistry, radiology, and emergency care for dogs, cats, and small mammals. Teri Macklin, of Island Dog Cuts, provides grooming for dogs and cats in the facility. Their team is dedicated to personalized patient care and friendly client service.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

His name is Earl!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Please help me welcome Col. Potter's EARL. This adorable four year old wheaten boy was found last fall running loose on a busy street. Luckily, he was friendly and a dog loving woman was able to catch him. Despite doing all she could to reunite him with his owners, she was not able to do so. She and her husband fell in love with him and kept him. Fate had other things in mind though, and he wasn't able to stay. This loving family reached out to Col. Potter, hoping we could take him in and find him a wonderful home. CP said yes!

Earl is friendly, loves to play ball, run through the water sprinkler, and enjoys a good belly rub. He will be a wonderful addition to a very lucky family.

Sunday Sweets

Sunday is full of SWEETS! Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns. If you have a sweet filled cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

Radar

Finnegan & Miri Meadow

Chance (fka Jumbo)

Carmen

Saturday, August 13, 2011

ADDED DIVIDEND TO CP's BALANCE THE BUDGET

Written by CP's VP of Intakes



While the federal government finally came to an agreement on the US budget, the stock market across the globe has reacted with a wild ride the last few days. Investors have had to fasten their seat belts once again and prepare for losses in their portfolios. Col. Potter, on the other hand, managed to reap a Dividend yesterday amid the chaos on Wall Street.

The final member of the Balance the Budget kids finally made her way to the safety and security of Col. Potter. Little Dividend was not able to join CP a couple of weeks ago because she had recently whelped a litter of puppies and had to stay behind to care for them and wait until they were weaned to earn her freedom. We were not able to bring her puppies into CP, but they will all be heading for family pet homes shortly.

Please help me welcome Dividend, an adorable little 3 year old black brindle girl to the Col. Potter family.

My thanks to Don S. who provided the ride to freedom for Dividend.

This just goes to show that CP will always endeavor to deliver a Dividend to our bottom line ...

Friday, August 12, 2011

A lucky girl joins CP!

Written by CP's VP of Intakes



Sometimes it takes a little longer for some furkids to find their way into the loving arms of Col. Potter. Sometimes love just isn't enough when a family's circumstances change and they find themselves in an emergency situation and need Col. Potter to step in immediately. That's what happened to this little girl and how her life has been intertwined with CP for the past few years.

It all started a couple of years ago when a neighbor of Kathy and Barney's answered an ad for a free female Cairn. They had seen Kathy and Barney's pack in the yard and thought they were neat little dogs. They didn't have this little girl home two minutes when she yanked her leash out of their hands and was off to the races. Immediately Kathy and Barney jumped in to help and luckily she was caught and returned to the family. Over the next couple of years, Kathy and Barney mentored the family and beat the drum to get her spayed in their efforts to keep this little girl safe, always offering CP's help if needed.

The family was unexpectedly asked to move out of their rental home a week ago and could only find a different rental to fit their needs that would not allow dogs. Then this weekend it became urgent that they find somewhere for her to go within 24 hours or they would be forced to take her to the shelter today. Yesterday this little girl said a sad good-bye to her former family and joined the CP family.

Please help me welcome Besame, meaning "kiss me" in Spanish. Sometimes it's our volunteers who make the difference in a little Cairn's life and that certainly was the case for Besame!

Friday's Funnies!

Raising Duncan


by Chris Browne

Thursday, August 11, 2011

10 Things every Dog Owner should Know Part 2

Lowcountry Dog Magazine

Bea, Zander and Neha

(Continued from yesterday, please scroll down to see Part 1)

6. Body language is the dog's primary mode of communication.

Dogs rely heavily on body language to communicate, and a person’s body language can easily be misinterpreted. If a dog jumps on you and you respond by pushing it down with both hands, the dog may think you want to play, in much the same way it would play with other dogs. When people greet a dog, they often do not consider whether or not the dog actually wants to meet the person.

7. You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Although we cannot teach dogs to reason, we can teach them to “think.” Dogs are continuous learners and have good memories. The three things that primarily influence a dog’s behavior are association, instinct and experience. Dogs recall information with associative stimuli, such as similar situations. People cannot explain to a dog—as they would to a child—not to eat food off the floor. The only way for a dog to learn that lesson is for the owner to correct it immediately using voice sounds and body language as soon as the dogs tries to eat the food. By conditioning your dog and effectively showing it what you consider good and bad behavior, you can help any dog change its behavior.

8. Bad behaviors may be natural, but they do not have to be normal.

Most people consider digging, chewing and jumping as unacceptable dog behavior. To dogs, however, these are natural actions. Dogs will do what their instinct tells them unless otherwise trained. To teach a dog what behaviors are and are not acceptable, a dog owner must leverage a dog’s association and experience to directly impact how it behaves. A dog owner needs to associate a dog’s bad behavior with a bad experience, such as a harsh voice tone, and good behavior with a good experience, such as high-pitched praise. In this way, a dog will learn what acceptable behavior is.

9. What is the right way to discipline a dog?

Since dogs cannot reason like humans, they are not deliberately naughty, despite what many people might think. Instead, their behavior is always determined by either instinct or experience. A dog will do only what comes naturally or what it has learned through association; therefore, it is not productive (or even logical) for humans to get angry with a dog. Moreover, physical force is both inappropriate and counterproductive. This includes using your hands for correcting. Since dogs do not have hands, they find that form of discipline to be provocative and threatening. For this reason, dog owners should use their hands as little as possible when training, and when you do, dogs must always associate your hands with gentleness and pleasure. Because dogs learn from association, they will comprehend your message only if it is delivered in a timely manner. A correction must be issued at the precise moment the dog is either contemplating or actually doing something wrong. Sometimes it may be difficult to catch your dog in the act, but you can create situations that will cause a dog to misbehave and then correct it on the spot.

10. Do dogs sense the world differently than humans?

Dogs experience the world nose first. Smell is the most dramatic sensory difference between humans and dogs. Dogs have about 25 times more olfactory (smell) receptors than humans do and can sense odors at concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than humans can. A dog’s sense of smell is also closely linked to taste. A dog is so scent sensitive, it is usually the smell not the taste that will cause a dog to reject food before it even enters its mouth. In contrast, humans have 5 times more tastes as dogs and tend to taste something before deciding if they like it. Also, a dog’s eye lacks certain components found in a human eye. As such, dogs see the world in shades of black, white and gray and have better night vision. Visual acuity also varies by breed. Due to the positioning of their eyes, short-nosed dogs can see things in the distance with more depth perception than longer-nosed breeds. Hearing is also acutely developed in dogs. The distance from which it can hear things is 4 times farther than a human. Dogs’ hearing is also selective: they can sleep beside a blaring TV but wake up as soon as they hear something not related to the TV sound. Dogs process only what they want to hear.

Information presented by Amy Clear, Dog Behavioral Therapist & Trainer, Bark Busters.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

10 Things every Dog Owner Should Know - Part 1

Lowcountry Dog Magazine

Bea, Zander and Neha

At Planet Bark, we feel that education is important and each month we pick topics that we find relevant to our clients and offer them opportunities to ask questions and receive information. We do this in several ways; we have a bulletin board that we post informative information on in our resorts, we provide handouts and written materials for our clients to take with them, and we offer free quarterly seminars to our clients and the community on an array of topics related to their dog and dog behaviors.

Since there is a plethora of things that every dog owner should know, we tried to narrow it down to ten. A lofty goal, but we tried none the less! If you have a questions, please feel free to comment on this post and we will get back to you shortly with our response.

1. A dog is a dog.

Some people assume their dogs communicate the same way that humans do and, therefore, they try to communicate with dogs the way they would with another person. This is the greatest misconception of many dog owners. Although domesticated for thousands of years, dogs in the wild have always lived in packs. Today, dogs live by the same rules and exhibit many of the same behavioral patterns as their wild ancestors. Therefore, as dog owners, you need to realize dogs have different needs; to effectively train your dog, you must first understand its instinctual pack behavior.

2. All dogs think in terms of the pack
.

In the wild, dogs have always lived in packs. They instinctively know that living with others, under the leadership of a dominant member of the pack, enhances their chances for survival. Therefore, pack animals not only want to live with others, but they also are content having leaders who are strong, consistent and fair. As a dog owner, one of your responsibilities is to learn and model these characteristics so that you will be accepted as the pack leader. Thus, your dog will learn to respect and obey you.

3. Dogs don't understand English.

To believe your dog fully understands human-based communications is as unreasonable as thinking you know everything your dog is trying to say when it barks. A dog’s communication is limited primarily to barking, growling and other guttural sounds, and they also rely heavily on body language. By understanding how dogs communicate, you will avoid the mistake of telling your dog one thing while your body language and voice sound tells it something completely different.

4. Dogs are not spiteful.

Dog owners often say, “My dog chewed the furniture because I left him home alone.” There are a number of reasons why dogs misbehave, but spite is not one of them. Although many people want to believe that dogs think like humans, dogs do not. They have only two sections to their brain and, therefore, have limited ability to reason. Thus, they cannot disobey out of spite. Knowing the real reasons why dogs misbehave requires understanding how they think and learn. Dogs react in a way that makes sense in their environment. When a dog disobeys, it is usually for one of three reasons: 1) it does not understand what you want, 2) it does not consider you its leader, or 3) it is suffering from some kind of stress or fear. By understanding the true nature of dogs, you will be better prepared to diagnose problems or behaviors of your dog.

5. What makes some dogs aggressive?

One of our favorite sayings is, “You can take the dog out of the wild, but you cannot take the wild out of the dog.” This means simply that the dog’s natural instincts are never far below the surface. Sometimes this behavior manifests itself as aggression because a dog will do only what its natural instincts tell it to do unless trained otherwise. The most common cause of aggression is fear of the unknown, that is, whatever the dog cannot understand or does not recognize as normal. A dog’s response to fear is instinctual. When a dog becomes frightened, it will do one of two things: fight or take flight. One breed of dog is not necessarily more aggressive than any other. The diminutive Chihuahua can be just as aggressive as the larger German shepherd. The only real difference is the amount of fear we perceive based on a dog’s size and its ability to cause harm. As dog owners, one of our responsibilities is to condition our dog daily to reinforce dominance (leadership) over the dog. Leadership increases our ability to control and teach our dogs what is and is not acceptable.

Part 2 tomorrow!

Wacky Wednesday!


Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

A big shout out to Carmichael, for being our Wacky Wednesday model this week!