Mon 8 Mar 2010

Chase Banks on Dog Treats!

Posted by Claire under dog treats, doggy treats
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Chase Knows Where There Are Counters, There Must Be Doggy Treats

Chase never met a counter she didn’t like; That’s because she makes friends with every human, and they give her dog treats galore! You’ve already seen photos of Chase poking her body through the WhistleStop Coffee Shop window during our Doggy Dundee walks to receive her morning doggy treats.

Now enjoy these photos of Chase making “withdrawals” from the Umpqua Bank  in Talent, Oregon. Of course, these aren’t the only counters onto which she leaps for dog treats. Basically, if there’s a counter (or a desk), Chase will ingratiate herself with the staff very quickly. One day I’ll get photos to post of Chase leaping with joy onto the counters of the Talent City Hall, the Talent Best Friend’s Animal Hospital, the Jackson County Animal Shelter, the Grange Co-op, etc. She’s given Doggy Dundee quite a reputation!

Uh-Oh, What’s This So Sad Chase Photo (Below) About?

One teller decided to tease Chase, and not deliver a treat “on command.” Chase looks sadder in this photo than I’ve ever seen her! No fair teasing good doggies!

No Treats?

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Mon 1 Mar 2010

Will Talent(ed) Chase Be On TV?

Posted by Claire under doggy treats
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America’s Got Talent Producer Films Chase!

G’day, Mates! Doggy Dundee is mighty happy and the two of us are having quite a laugh. Chase is really a “stand out,” so it’s no surprise that when the crew of the TV show, America’s Got Talent came to Talent, Oregon to audition acts, that, somehow, Chase would catch their eye.

Turns out Robert McCloud, Sr. Producer of America’s Got Talent, was on a walking tour of Talent with city representative, Amanda Springer. They were inside the WhistleStop Coffee Shop, when Chase did her usual morning leap onto the outside bench, pawed at the window, and stuck her head inside the shop for treats once the window opened.  McCloud got up, whipped out a hand-held, and photographed Chase, who hammed it up for a full minute, while good pal, Amanda, promoted the heck out of Chase, explaining, “This is Chase. Every morning on her walk Chase jumps through the coffee house window to get her treats, and then she has a regular ’round’ of stopping at my desk, onto the bank for treats, maybe the Vet, too, and, if she times it right, she gets Tri Tip slices from Picasso’s Pantry restaurant!”

Cross your fingers! I’m hoping the TV show uses a few seconds of Chase’s clip in the intro whenever this regional “Best Talent” airs. Talented doggy, Chase, is a star in my book (and my heart) no matter what! Don’t you agree?

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Fri 26 Feb 2010

Giardia Infects Dogs, Humans, & Cats, Too!

Posted by Claire under Sickness, dogs and cats
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Guard Your Doggy, Cat, and Self – Against Giardia

G’day Mates! Well, it’s not real good news when there’s an outbreak of Giardia in communities. Tough part is, Giardia can be transmitted between pets and people. Doggy Dundee hopes to educate you to help you protect you and your pet.

What’s Giardia and Why Should I Care?

Here’s the science stuff from Vin.com. “Giardia is of the genus of a protozoan parasite that is infectious to both humans and pets all over the world.” Well, that stopped me cold! Yes, humans and dogs and cats! It’s not often a widespread issue, but this parasite may begin to be seen in larger number of cases in particular communities, and then it’s a real issue! Of course, even if it’s just your pet that happens to get it, Giardia becomes a real issue for you. (The image of Giardia shown is courtesy of Germs and Worms Blog)

Giardia can be passed from pets to humans, and from humans back to pets. The pesky parasite lives in a host’s intestines, but those pesky cysts that break away in stool  can survive in the outer environment; while, usually,  this is for only a short period, “…if it is cold and wet the cyst can live for many months…ready to infect a new host.”

Two more problematic aspects of doggy Giardia are that: (1) the incubation period can be 5 to 12 days (in cats, 5 to 16 days), so it’s really tough for you to peg the time or place of the infection (Frantic folks may “assume” to know, but you really don’t); and (2), Giardia shed organisms intermittently, making it difficult to detect. 

How Is  Giardia Transmitted?

Contaminated water is the most typical source of infection (i.e. keep dogs away from bowls used by other dogs). But transmission can then be like the proverbial snowball. As examples, dogs (or cats) may walk in another dog’s stool residue or roll on grass/dirt (more…)

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Sun 21 Feb 2010

Boxed Puppy and Kitty Give-Aways

Posted by Claire under Spay-Neutering
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SPAY/NEUTER YOUR PETS

G’day, Mates!  It’s not “cute and cuddly” for Doggy Dundee to see a box of puppies (or kitties)  being given away (or sold) outside of a market or on a street corner. I gave a good lecturin’ to two guys giving away a box full of furry kitties outside Tark’s Market in Talent, Oregon the other day.  Why?

 First, it means the pet owner wasn’t responsible and ended up with an “unwanted” litter. Second, it means that at least half of  “unwanted” pups/kits will be carried home by people who also won’t “spay/neuter” and so that young puppy/kitty will be, unfortunately and painfully, having its own many  ”unwanted” litters, which, in term, over several future years adds up to hundreds of thousands of unwanted animals born every year. That means more strays, and more shelter dogs and cats, ferrel kittens, sick animals (infecting other animals), and just plain hungry, or mean, animals bred down the line.

Here’s some stats per an SPCA website. They state that, “These statistics as to how just one litter can result in hundreds to thousands of unwanted pets:

The Prolific Cat
1st year 3 litters = 12 offspring
2nd year 144 offspring
3rd year 1,728 offspring
4th year 10,736 offspring
7th year 370,192
The Prolific Dog
1st year 4 offspring with 2 females
2nd year 12 offspring
3rd year 36 offspring
5th year 324 offspring”

So, people, make life easier for pets and everyone, and “Just Say Yes” to spay/neutering your pet. Even if you adopt a pet from a boxed give-away, be responsible and have the pet checked by a vet, so a diseased pet can receive proper care and not infect other animals. (Parvo, mites, giardia, and other illnesses require immediate care). Then, when it’s old enough, spay (female) or neuter (male) your doggy or kitty. 

Doggy Dundee volunteers at an animal shelter, and know the result of this human neglect and human stupidity. (Yup, no pulling the punches on this one, and I don’t care if you have a Ph.D. , if you don’t spay/neuter, you’re a dolt! More info about SPAY/NEUTER MYTHS HERE.

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Sun 7 Feb 2010

February =National Spay & Neuter Month

Posted by Claire under Spay-Neutering
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G’day, Mates!  Shelters, vets, and other organizations across the country are partnering during February’s National Spay and Neuter Month to make it easier for pet owners to ”just say ’no’ to pet pregnancies.” From February 1 through 28, 2010, SNYP and FOTAS are partnering on a Prevent a Litter month campaign in which people can purchase a discounted certificate for a pet spay/neuter procedure.

Where To Purchase Discounted Certificates?

Pet Country in Medford and White City; the Ashland Grange CO-OP; and at all Medford Mini Pet Marts.

Pay just $25 for a cat spay or neuter certificate, or $65 for a certificate to spay or neuter a dog up to 60 pounds. (Note: For dogs over 60 lbs., a pet owner who has paid for the discount certificate will just have to pay an additional $10 fee to the vet at the time of the dog’s surgery). Click on SNYP for more info, and continue reading to learn about the health reasons you should spay/neuter your pet…

(more…)

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Thu 4 Feb 2010

Meeting New Doggy Friends

Posted by Claire under Finding stray dogs
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Finding Stray Dogs = Meeting A Neighbor

G’day, mates!  Not all dogs go stray coz their owner’s a dolt. Sometimes mistakes happen – and a perfectly well-mannered and cared for dog can suddenly decide to “carpe diem” and make a dash, squeezing through an inch of almost-about-to-close doorway.

Doggy Dundee got a chance to meet one of those marvelous “dogs that got away” – A neighbor came huffing over, “Have you seen our dog, Shay?” Truth be told, these folks were so quiet I’d never even known they owned a dog! I assured the owner that “she be right” (it’ll be fine/work out, in Aussie), and said I’d help her find the stray dog. So, the owner ran one way down the street, and I turned the other way, soon hailing a couple girl skateboarders, and asked if they’d spotted a stray dog, and those kids laughed and pointed behind a bush behind me where, sure enough – what a beaut! – Shay was sniffing about. Called the stray pointer, who bounded out to greet me right nice. Then hailed the owner, and we ended up having a nice meet and greet, so, thanks to Shay going on a walkabout, Doggy Dundee’s made a nice cobber (eh…that’s ‘friend’ in Aussie).

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Sun 31 Jan 2010

Stray Dog Shadow Still Wanderin’

Posted by Claire under Finding stray dogs
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Will Owner of This Stray Dog Ever Learn?

Doggy Dundee sometimes ends up finding stray dogs that have been found before, but Shadow is a “favorite” stray dog – a regular of ours. Matter of fact, he was one of the original dogs that resulted in the creation of this blog. However, Shadow’s owners aren’t favorites, though their lack of due diligence borders on laughable – You see, Shadow is one stray dog Doggy Dundee has found wandering the streets of Talent numerous times; We’ve even decided to write Shadow up on at least a couple posts before.

So, just for the record, Shadow was (again) wandering the streets near  Talent Ave and Wagner Creek the other day. I rushed from the coffeehouse – and left my lunch cooling - to nab the sweetie. Uh-oh, no extra leash, no car, and food on the table! Fortunately, Matt, a coffee and doggie lover who was enjoying his brew outside, used his cell phone to call the numbers listed on Shadow’s tag. As usual no answers, but one number would lead to cues to call other family member numbers,  and eventually a girl answered. Sigh…she was busy in Ashland. Couldn’t we “just take the dog home?  I’ll give you the address.” Meanwhile, another customer had loaned me twine from his car so Shadow could be more easily contained, and Dan, the coffee house owner, was feeding Shadow some chicken salad. Matt told the girl he’d wait so she or someone else she might call could come and pick up their dog. (Are you noticing how many strangers it was taking to take more care of Shadow than the owner was doing in those moments?).

After 40 more minutes, Matt finally gave up (Grrrrr…) and drove the rain-soaked stray dog - in his beautifully emaculate car – back to the “no one at home” house. He managed to enclose Shadow on a porch, hoping Shadow didn’t stand up, knock the knob, and rush away again. Shadow is an expert at leaving – especially when doltish doggy owners don’t lock gates or doors. So, dear readers, who represents the smarter species?

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Fri 29 Jan 2010

A Doggy That Got Away

Posted by Claire under Finding stray dogs
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Older Stray Shephard Eludes Doggy Dundee

G’day Mates! Alas, not all Doggy Dundee tales end happily. In the dark of this evening I thought I spied a shadow move down a side street of Siskiyou Boulevard in Ashland (Was walking back to my car where Chase was waiting for me to be done at the chiropractor’s).  Sure enough, it was an older German Shephard showing signs of some rear leg difficulties and with plenty of tuffed fur that needed grooming.

Finding stray dogs is never a problem, and catching them is usually not much of a problem for Doggy Dundee; Tonight, though, this particular stray dog was too elusive even for me. After tailing this stray German Shephard for awhile, he slowed and showed himself under a street lamp where he’d started munching something delectable that had been tossed aside by some littering person. I tried enticing the stray, but, unfortunately, he was too spooked, and I couldn’t get a hand close to him, much less a leash on him. He’d come close, but not close enough before scooting back into the darkness. Too bad, coz I could see he had an ID tag, so returning this pooch to his owner might have been easy. Hope he’s safe and someone can get this stray dog back to his owner, or he finds his way home. A dark stray dog walking across dark streets (and so near a main street) isn’t a good thing.

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Sun 24 Jan 2010

Doggy Dundee Birthday Soon – Aquarius

Posted by Claire under animal shelter, doggy birthday
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Chase’s Doggy Birthday – Gift to FOTAS?

G’day Mates! What can you do for a birthday dog who gets everything (and does lots of good, too)? How about donating to the organization that helps the doggies (and kitties) at the Jackson County Animal Shelter where Doggy Dundee spends lots of time?

The Doggy Dundee birthday DATE is January 28th (Both Chase and I share a birth date – How’s that for a great “coincidence” – Not often doggies and owners share a birthday!). That ORGANIZATION would be the Friends of the Animal Shelter , which is celebrating its 20th “birthday” year in 2010. FOTAS is a 501(c)3 non-profit that has been helping pay for animal medical care, defray some lower-cost adoption fees, building walking and agility areas, and has a lot of volunteers who are out daily – in all kinds of weather – walking, playing with, and loving on the animals at the Jackson County Animal Shelter. All that work is very necessary, because the animal shelter doesn’t receive any money from the state’s General Fund; ergo, the work FOTAS does is essential to maintaining quality care for the shelter dogs, cats, and other animals.

So, anyone wanting to say “Happy Birthday, Chase,” can send a donation check made out to “FOTAS” to this address: FOTAS, P.O. Box 92, Ashland, Oregon 97520. (Donations are tax deductable).

W/Colleen Macuk -Shelter Mgr.
W/Colleen Macuk -Shelter Mgr.

 

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Sat 23 Jan 2010

Chihuahua Highway Pee-Pee

Posted by Claire under Finding stray dogs
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Boyfriend “Forgets” Dog

That Heads Down Highway

The tiny, vanilla-colored stray dog was a chihuahua, happily following his nose along Hwy. 99 in Talent, Oregon, sniffing delightful grass scents along the curb. Fifteen inches or more to the left and he’d be smushed mustard. Finding stray dogs is par for Doggy Dundee so we sacked plans, and pulled our car into a driveway, mindful that if this stray dog spooked and ran into traffic it wouldn’t be pretty. Thankfully, this chihuahua hadn’t been a lost dog long, coz he was curious and friendly rather than fearful or defensive, and ran into my arms and gave Chase a “licking.”

Oscar was his name (thank you ID tag), and since the Anjou Apartments were right there, we headed into their office and the manager called the number on the tag – Yikes! The woman owner was pretty “pissed” that her “pea”-brained boyfriend had let the dog out and “forgot him” (apparently again). Grrrrr…Guys, what’s with you?

Assured the woman would immediately call the doltish boyfriend to pick up Oscar, the manager suggested I let Oscar down to play with her dog in the office. Nice — until Oscar peed all over their carpet. Hmmm…Seems “p” runs in the family.

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