www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc9xq-TVyHI

By Lisa J. Lehr

Perhaps you’ve just bought your first home, and for the first time ever you have an opportunity to adopt a pet. Or perhaps you’ve had a dog or a cat and are wondering if the other kind of pet would work for you. So which is better: dog or cat?

Consider the following questions.

How much space do you have?

Big dogs need space. Except for very senior dogs, they need a yard to run around in, or to be walked regularly. An under-exercised dog is likely to have behavioral problems, and you’re likely to be looking for a new home for him soon. Cats do just fine indoors (in fact they are much safer there), although several cats in a small apartment may feel crowded.

How close are your neighbors?

This question has to do with how much your pets are going to bother your neighbors. Barking dogs quickly make their owners unpopular. True, so do cats who dig and hunt in other people’s yards, but you can (and should) keep your cats indoors except under supervision. A barking dog can be heard over a significant distance.

How much maintenance do you want to do?

Dogs need to be walked, groomed, and usually fed on a schedule. Cats normally don’t. You may enjoy these jobs or be happy to pay someone else to do them. Just make sure you have a plan.

Which kind of “bathroom duty” do you prefer?

If your dog “goes” in your yard, you need to shovel it up before someone steps in it. If he “goes” while you’re out for a walk, you’ll need to bag it and bring it home to your garbage can. If your cat uses a litterbox, you’ll have to change it. (Some cats can be taught to use the toilet, but letting your cats roam freely outdoors just to avoid litter box detail is not responsible pet ownership.) So which one of these jobs is the least distasteful to you?

Do you want to be tied to a feeding schedule?

Cats are much more amenable to having a food bowl left out twenty-four-seven. Dogs are likely to either eat it all at once, or, if you leave for the day (or more), hoard it (not eat it at all), not knowing when you’re going to return to put out more food. Some dogs, however, are good at self-feeding, so if you’e adopting an adult dog, you may be able to select one who is.

Are you prepared to teach your dog to respect your property?

Yes, cats do claw the furniture and bite things. But the amount of damage a cat is likely to do is not in the same league with what dogs often do. We hear stories of dogs who shred the couch, dig a hole in the carpet, break a window to get out, chew up an entire wardrobe of shoes, etc. Cats are rarely guilty of these things.

Finally, lots of pets are in need of homes with puppy and kitten season. In addition, due to the poor economy, many people are abandoning their pets which often end up in shelters.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter as well as animal lover living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

by Lisa J. Lehr

Most of us living in Nevada County moved here because we like the rural environment. Rural environments include wildlife, and that, for the most part, is a plus; however, most of us also share our lives with beloved pets, and clashes between wildlife and pets often end in heartache for the pet owner.

Coyotes are a particularly ubiquitous wild critter here in Nevada County, and pets falling prey to coyotes is a far too common occurrence. The consolation—if there is any—is that, compared to a car accident, dog attack, or abduction by a person with evil intentions, death by coyote is quick and, as far as we know, relatively suffering-free. Coyotes kill to eat, and they do it efficiently.

Still, it is heartbreaking to lose a cherished pet, and it is our responsibility to take care of them.

Coyotes are difficult to eradicate. They are becoming alarmingly unafraid of humans, with daytime sightings becoming more frequent. Trapping and relocating coyotes is not as good an idea as it may sound, as any young coyotes orphaned by this process will seek easy prey—e.g., our pets.

They can be frightened, so if you see one, try shaking a noisemaker (like a can full of hardware) or throwing things at it. Fire a Super Soaker (high-powered toy water gun) filled with water or vinegar.

More often, though, we don’t see them lurking around our property, as they are naturally nocturnal. The key to keeping coyotes away from your home (and your pets, your children, and you) is to eliminate all that attracts coyotes—mainly food. Coyotes are generalists, meaning they’ll eat just about anything.

With that in mind:

·         Keep your cats and small dogs indoors at night; your medium and large dogs, too. Coyotes hunting in packs can take down a fairly big animal.

·         Rabbits, chickens, etc. that are kept outdoors need protection: strong fencing with a top, and/or a small enclosure inside it that they can hide in.

·         Don’t let your pets’ food become coyote bait. Cats are best fed indoors, and dogs should be fed only what they will eat all at once, with no leftovers.

·         Be careful with your birdfeeders. Place them close to your house, and clean up spills. Do not feed squirrels, deer, or other wildlife. Any naturalist will tell you that birds are the only wild critters we should feed.

·         Put garden compost in enclosed bins, and gather your ripe fruits and vegetables immediately.

·         If your cats wear bells on their collars, take them off. The same bells that supposedly alert birds to your cats’ presence also betray their whereabouts to coyotes. (Once you’ve cleaned up the birdseed, you’ll have fewer birds within your cats’ reach, anyway.) One final consideration: cats who wear bells learn to be stealthier hunters, which leaves us with no reason that cats should ever wear bells.

·         Besides food, coyotes are attracted to potential partners. An unneutered male dog will be attracted to a female coyote; a male coyote will be attracted to an unspayed female dog; both scenarios spell trouble. Spay and neuter your pets.

·         Mothballs and ammonia around your property may repel coyotes, as will a motion-sensitive light.

·         Consider a fence. The type of fencing will need to be one that deters climbing and is in accordance with the CC&Rs of your neighborhood; at least six feet tall and extending six inches below ground. Some clever person has invented a “roll fence”; it has a rolling piece at the top, which keeps your cats from climbing out, or any uninvited guests from climbing in. As they try to grasp the top bar, it rolls. Wild critters stay out, tame ones in, and you and your pets live happily ever after.

Coyotes will always be among us, but we don’t have to live in fear for our pets’ lives. Our best bet is to make them feel so unwelcome in civilization that they’ll pack up their families and move back to the wilderness.

See John J. O’Dell’s blog of when my dog Angel was attacked by coyotes Angel attacked

Also John J. O’Dell’s blog of Taylor Mitchell singer-songwriter killed by coyotes

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter as well as animal lover living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.–

Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi9GOvR3Ynw

Enjoy!

Precious Needs a Good Home

“Source: Lori Perry

Precious is an American Staffordshire Terrier that was rescued from a high-kill shelter. Before that she was severely mistreated by her owner. She has suffered much, most recently bloat, diabetes and a thyroid condition.  She was literally starving to death. Thanks to a quick pull by one of our rescuers, the wonderful staff at Johnson Ranch Vet Clinic and Patty, her amazing foster Mom, Precious is on her way back to the healthy life that she deserves.

Precious has special needs. She needs someone who is willing to feed and medicate her properly on a regular basis. She gets along great with other dogs and likes people. She needs space to run and play because she was in a cage for far too long.

Her most important need is to find than one special home that is out there waiting for her. She needs love, affection and understanding. She needs a guiding hand to show her good manners and that there are kind hearted people in the world willing to share their life with her. Call Patty at 916-204-3407 or email SacCaninePlacementASsistance@gmail.com.”

Angel, my Assistant

This is very uncanny, Precious looks almost identical to my dog Angel. Please see if you can help Precious, after all she’s been through, she really needs a good home.

Click here to see more dogs ready for adoption Scooters Pals

John O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
General Contractor
Civil Engineer

by Lisa J. Lehr

Nevada County is a very pet-friendly place. Most of us here have one or more pets. And pets, over the generations, have enjoyed a status upgrade from outdoor animal to family member, albeit one who lies under the table at mealtime rather than sitting in a chair like the other family members. Many people—including me—believe that a family without pets is incomplete, and a childhood without the experience of raising pets is a disadvantaged childhood.

That experience, though, almost invariably includes the death of a pet. It’s a fact that most people outlive most types of pets; almost all children who have a pet will, at some point, lose one. As difficult as it is for the kids—not to mention for the parents who must explain death—it’s an important life experience.

Sadly, some parents try to spare their kids the pain of losing a pet with some type of coverup—by offering another explanation for the pet’s disappearance, or by concealing the death entirely. The first scenario, mostly used with dogs and cats, usually involves saying it “ran away.” The “ran away” story is offered either when the pet is known to be dead, and the parents have discreetly disposed of the body; or when a pet has disappeared, its fate unknown. Bad things sometimes happen when pets go outdoors, and sometimes old or ill pets will go away to die alone.

The second coverup method is most often used with small pets—fish, turtles, reptiles, perhaps rodents. In these cases, the parent removes the deceased pet while the kids are at school or asleep, replacing it with a similar one and hoping the kids won’t notice.

While beliefs about the afterlife and where pets “go” when they die may differ, and parents are entitled to some leeway when it comes to this subject, saying that the pet “ran away” does more harm than good. Death, as difficult as it is, is final. It offers closure. It’s part of the denial, anger, acceptance cycle that the experts agree we go through in loss. “The pet ran away” leaves kids vulnerable to false hopes and endless, unresolved speculation about what might have happened to the pet.

Why doesn’t he come home? Doesn’t she love us anymore? Is he hurt? Cold? Hungry? Is someone holding her prisoner? Did he find someone else he likes better? Why? Is my doggy or kitty ever coming home? Shouldn’t we be trying to find him? Why aren’t Mom and Dad as anxious to find her as I am?

Eventually, the child will be old enough to figure it out. Or enough years will have gone by that the pet couldn’t possibly be still alive, and the child gives up hope. But there’s no real closure. And that spoils the memory of the relationship they had.

That’s cruel.

If you know what has happened to the pet, and it’s something upsetting—e.g., it was hit by a car or attacked by another animal, and you have found the remains—the truth can be somewhat softened for younger kids. You don’t have to tell the whole truth. If your pet has simply disappeared, however, make every effort to find it! It’s amazing how often a lost pet will turn up just a few doors down, simply because the owner never bothered to put up “lost pet” signs. And if your pet has been taken in by some kind person, he or she will happily stay in the new home and forget about you. Your child, however, doesn’t forget.

Swapping dead pets for new ones is an insult to the child’s intelligence. Parents may get away with it for a while, but doing so simply postpones the inevitable and difficult “death” question. If a child experiences the death of a pet before that of an important person (a grandparent, for example), he or she is better prepared for this bigger loss. Interfering with this natural life lesson will only make the harder lessons…harder.

Here are some ideas for helping kids cope with the death of a pet:

• Hold a funeral. If it’s a small pet, bury it in your yard. If it’s a large pet (or if it’s deep winter and the ground is frozen), you may need to have him or her “cared for” by your veterinarian. If the pet has gone missing and there is no body, have a service anyway. Place a memorial marker in your yard. Let each child say something about the pet. Pray if it’s appropriate to your belief system.

• Make a memory book. Include pictures of the pet, her tags and other mementos. Let the children contribute drawings, poems, or stories about the pet’s life.

• Display pictures of the pet around the house to assure the kids that the pet hasn’t been forgotten.

• Encourage children to talk about the deceased pet. Never suggest that they “get over it” or forget about it.

• Wait a while before getting a new pet. The child may not be ready to transfer his or her affections, and may even resent the new pet for not “being” the old pet.

• Strenuously resist any temptation to “fool” the kids by rushing out and getting a new lookalike turtle, fish, mouse, etc.

So when your family experiences the loss of a pet, take the opportunity to teach your children or grandchildren how to deal with death. Deep-six the “ran away” story. Fido or Fluffy or Buddy or Tinkerbell died. Went to doggy or kitty Heaven, crossed the Rainbow Bridge, returned to Mother Earth—whatever fits with your beliefs. But never say it ran away, unless you know for certain that it did. And never pull the pet-switch trick.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter as well as animal lover living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

I happened to be walking directly across the highway from my office in Cedar Ridge to the dog groomers to see if I could get an appointment to have my dog Angel get her nails trimmed. Sandy Hall, famous for owning the tallest dog in the world happened to be there and I asked her if I could take a picture of her latest dog Brewster.

Sandy owned Gibson, who stood 42.6 inches tall, measured from the ground to the top of his shoulders and measured 7 feet 1 inch all stretched out and standing on his hind legs. He weighed 180 pounds. Gibson passed away on August 7 of this year due to bone cancer.

The dog in the picture is the latest dog that Sandy owns and is only 14 months old. Sandy says the dog will continue to grow until he is three years old. He weighs in at 140 pounds right now and as you can see in the picture, is pretty darn tall already.

Sandy is very determined to raise money to help fight canine bone cancer and is working with an organization called Morris Animal Foundation.
For more information about Gibson go to Gibsondog.com  and for PiMorris Animal Foundation go to  Morris Animal Foundation

Site was corrected November 23, 2009 Sorry about that Sandy!

My name is Zachery, I’m a Shetland Sheepdog and I’m also known as a Sheltie. I am small because I’m just the right size for my native country the Shetland Islands. I don’t like to brag, but I’m one of the smartest dogs on earth, well, not quite, but I’m sixth from the top of dog breeds when it comes to intelligence.

Some of my best friends, beside my owners Christie and Amanda, are the two cats in my house. My owners play silly games with me, taking a red laser light and shining it all over the place. I chase the laser light just to please them, and also because they don’t own any sheep for me to chase. You know, I just love to chase and herd things, so this is the closest I can come to doing that in the house I live in.

I’m getting up in age now, so I sleep a lot and go for short walks. However, in my retirement, I really would like to have for a ranch style dog house in the country. I also want some acreage with a flock of sheep so I can show my stuff and get some exercise. I’m sure Angel can find something for me.

This is just what I’m looking for!

Written by Christie O’Dell. Christie is my daughter and a school teacher. Amanda is my grand-daughter.

Send us a picture of your dog and a little story about your dog and we’ll publish it

For more information on this great dog read Wikipedia Shetland Sheepdog

Anyhow, Angel has no new dog listing this week. Lots of potential clients saying they’re going to send in pictures of their dogs with a little story, so hopefully they will do that soon.

So to fill in the rest of the week, we found one of her relatives starring in this video of the pug versus the peacock.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhVwhJmFmfQ

(If you can’t see this video, you need to download flash player to see it)

According to Pug-Wikipedia

“The expression of the Pug belies its true sense of fun. Pugs are sociable dogs, and usually stubborn about certain things, but they are playful, charming, clever and are known to succeed in dog obedience skills.

Bred to adorn the laps of the Chinese sovereigns during the Shang dynasty (before 400 BC), in East China, they were known as “Lo-Chiang-Sze” or “Foo” (ceramic foos, transmogrified into dragon, with their bulging eyes are very Pug-like). The Pug’s popularity spread to Tibet, where they were mainly kept by monks, and then went onto Japan, and finally Europe.

This breed may also be referred to as a “Lion Dog” or “Foo (or Fu) Dog” due to its resemblance to Chinese guardian lions just like the Pekingese dog breed from China of similar origin and resemblance to Chinese guardian lions which are considered a guardian spirit.”

What do you think?

Louise & Molly

I’m looking for a green environmental dog house preferable with solar roofing and bamboo floors. I would like a deck running along the front of the house because I love l to just sit and watch the birds and listen to the crickets. I’m a good watch dog.

In the meantime, I have a really nice house my mom and I live in and I sleep with her every night since I was born, I like it that way.

My mom is a singing teacher; she loves to sing too, my job is to greet all the students at the door and to make them comfortable before they start their lessons. So I jump in their laps and lick their faces. I’m pretty tried by the end of the day.

Photo courtersy of Doggy Dream Homes
All we need are solar panels on the roof and it’ll be just what Molly wants.

Mom and I are so close that she hardly goes anywhere without me, we have been kicked out of a lot of places.

I love to play tricks on mom and when she is sitting at the computer playing Mafia Wars, on Facebook, I get bored. I start talking to her, I speak englis, she thinks I want to go outside because she isn’t paying attention so she gets up from the computer, but I just want her to chase me around the house and play ball, this always makes her laugh so hard.

My most favorite times ever is when we take our road trips to the town of Sonoma. Boy do I have a ball because dogs are welcome everywhere, I see and do things that I have never seen in my life before. I heard a dog say “being here is just like living in France.” Wow, I was impressed!

Story by Louise DeLucchi

Send us a picture of your dog and a little story and we’ll post on this website. Send your information to: E-mail Angel

If you are looking to buy or sell a home E- Mail John O’Dell