Search Results for: blog the dog park take two

Should You Get Your Dog A Flu Shot?

Today in “vaccines I didn’t know existed for dogs” (last time it was for Lyme disease): canine influenza. That’s right, you can get a flu shot for your dog. Pet website ZooToo takes a look at it. Apparently, dog flu is a thing. I have to say I’ve never heard of it, not the way I’ve heard about bird or even pig flus. The difference is that while those strains can pass to humans, canine influenza doesn’t. It’s basically just dogs getting the flu, in a particular strain that won’t infect us. So while we might have to worry about … Continue reading →

Just Shy: Dealing with One Dog’s Uncertainty Around Other Dogs

I’m just shy The more I think about my people dog, the more I become concerned. What if I’m just refusing to see the truth, that my dog has developed potentially aggressive behavior? Sure, she’s never actually fought outside of the initial problems she had with the puggle last year, but I couldn’t help being concerned that her dislike, or at least wary disinterest in, other dogs could develop into something worse. Chihiro had her yearly vet visit last Thursday so I explained the situation to the vet and asked her for advice. I know that veterinarians aren’t necessarily specialists … Continue reading →

A People Dog

My dog is a people dog. She loves people. If she can hear someone, her tail wags and butt wiggles until she’s able to see that person. Sometimes her enthusiasm gets a bit out of control; she jumps, she barks, she rolls around, until she’s able to bask in that much-desired attention. All of this is great, right? Definitely. However, Chihiro’s deep love of people – seriously, I know a lot of families with dogs and I go to the dog park and I’ve met few other dogs as desperate for human attention as Chihiro – seems to come at … Continue reading →

Dolphin Intelligence Sparks New Ethics Debate

A unit in my college environmental ethics class studied the different ethics systems we follow in order to determine how we treat others. It focused on sentient verses non-sentient: the idea that some life, although not as intelligent as humanity, is still aware of itself (animal) and that other, while still alive, has no self-awareness (plant). The question of sentience was one factor used to determine what level of ethical treatment was appropriate for different members of the environment. Up until now humans for the most part have lumped all animals into one category and treated them the same: humanely, … Continue reading →

The Dog Park: Take Two

When Chihiro was a puppy I took her to the dog park to socialize her. But my experiences there were disheartening; my little puppy was rushed by several much larger dogs upon her entrance each time, and their owners did nothing to hold their dogs back until she adjusted. Add this on top of the fact that my hound dog would rather wander and sniff than bound and play in the fenced-in dog park, and the trip just didn’t seem worth the effort. Two years later things are different. Over the summer Chihiro learned some negative behaviors from a friend’s … Continue reading →

Mom With Service Dog Struck by McDonald’s Manager

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A mom in Georgia brought her two twin sons into a McDonald’s. Her sons have autism, and they have a service dog that assists them. One of the managers at the McDonald’s decided to confront the mother about bringing a dog into the McDonald’s, and then proceeded to physically strike this mom. Jennifer Schwenker did what many parents from all across America typically do. She brought her two, young, twin sons into a McDonald’s for a quick, kid friendly, meal. Her sons have autism and use a service dog, named Barkley, to assist them. In order for service dogs to … Continue reading →

PetPlan Has Tips to Keep Dogs Safe This July 4th

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Most people enjoy celebrating Independence Day. There are barbecues to attend, and fireworks to watch. Unfortunately, those things can cause your pets to feel anxious. It could also expose them to potentially dangerous situations. Petplan Insurance has good advice about how to keep your pets safe this 4th of July. How does your family celebrate Independence Day? This weekend is going to be filled with parades, backyard barbecues, and, of course, fireworks. Many people get a day off of work to relax, spend time with their families, and enjoy some 4th of July celebrations. These types of events can be … Continue reading →

Avoiding Amusement Park Sticker Shock

How much would you pay to fly through the air on a ride that features two pendulum arms that swing through 230 degrees of rotation, reaching 81 feet high and 45 mph? The family thrill ride, dubbed “Barnstormer” is yours for the boarding this summer at Dollywood theme park in Tennessee. Now, would you pay more or less to ride the Barnstormer than the Rev-O-Lution at Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut? The ride features 24 outward-facing seats on a spinning disk that moves back and forth along a halfpipe-like track? Fortunately, you won’t have to dig too deep to experience … Continue reading →

Dog: Elephant’s Best Friend

I’ve wanted to post this video for a long time. However, I try to space out my articles about cute animal videos, or unlikely animal best friends, and this is one of both. It just might edge out the hand-holding otters for my favorite animal video on the internet. A few months ago CBS Evening News highlighted the extraordinary events at The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. While the sanctuary is ostensibly for elephants and caters mostly to them, it does take in other needy animals, particularly stray dogs. Because there are 2,700 acres at the Sanctuary, there’s plenty of … Continue reading →

Severe Peanut Allergy Sparks Controversy at School

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Some of the parents of children who attend a public elementary school in Florida are asking that a child in that school be removed from the school entirely, and home schooled instead. The first grader in question has a peanut allergy that is severe enough to be classified as a disability. The parents of some of this child’s peers are resistant to having their own children make changes that would serve to protect her health. It seems that the situation has gotten completely out of hand. The Edgewater Elementary School, a public school located in Florida, has a controversy going … Continue reading →