It has been an amazing 6 years with Sofie Bear. She came to us a puppy full of spit & vinegar. The rescue thought she was a Collie/Shepard mix and would be about 70 lbs. Looking back she was probably older than 12 weeks when we got her because she stayed small. I think she is a Sheltie/Mischief mix.
Sofie was a smiling, stubborn, and playful puppy. She always had an independent streak and was head strong. She and I did lots of training in the first 3 years.
It is hard to remember, because time goes so fast, but it was somewhere around 4 years old that her night terrors and separation horrors started. That changed her a lot. But this year we finally got things under control with love, medication, and more love.
Sofie is my silly, rolly-polly, best friend, bundle of fluff (who happens to have some door eating and thunder storm issues). She has taught me patience, unconditional love, and mostly to see the world through the simple heart of a trusting soul.
The wind was howling at about 50 miles per hour. We went to the park anyway. The wind is ‘nature’s rake’ when it comes to leaves – blowing them everywhere. The street in front of the house is clear now thanks to the wind (but you should see the lawn). Sofie couldn’t stop barking with all the whistling through the trees. That isn’t static in the video, it is the wind. Doesn’t it sound like the ocean? Do your animals get agitated when the wind picks up? That my friends is the negative force of POSITIVE IONS.
The force of the wind causes positive ions, which can make people feel jittery. And if people feel it, I assume the animals do too. A positive ion is a carbon dioxide molecule that has been stripped of an electron (Note: science can be fun!). There are many studies that have found that positively charged ions have a negative effect on people. It is believe that positive ions contribute to everything from asthma to anxiety and depression.
Sadly, our modern day environments (tightly sealed homes, office buildings, malls) created tons of positive ions. Fluorescent lights, electrical equipment, computers, printers, televisions, clothes dryers, and even synthetic fibers in our clothes, carpets, and furniture, all contribute to this problem. Hair dryers and electric heaters are huge emitters of positive ions! How many times have you gotten shocked when petting your animal? STATIC = positive ions.
The opposite of positive ions, as you would expect, are NEGATIVE IONS. You find negative (what I call ‘feel good”) ions in nature. Large areas of water, for example, make people feel good. I think it is because of negative ions that people flock to the ocean and places like Niagara Falls. Negative ions are attracted to airborne particles, like dust, mold, viruses even, and they make them heavy so they fall to the ground.
Now before you go out and buy one of those expensive negative ion generators**, fill your home and life with things that generate negative ions. We have a lot of fountains with running water (also known as cat watering stations) through out the house. I run humidifiers. Water water everywhere.
I think that the reason shopping malls tend to have large fountains in the center is based on my negative ion water theory (I need to ask an architect about this). The stores are giant generators of positive ions because of the lighting, synthetics, traffic, etc. I know because a million years ago, I managed a clothing store in a mall. Every winter the plastic hangers would break constantly because things were dry, full of static, and brittle. A center fountain in a mall or office building might do a little bit to make people feel better. Crazy maybe, but I believe it.
** I never used (or could afford) a Negative Ion Generating Machines, but I think it would have to be the size of a room in my house to counteract the positive ions generated by everything else. I chose the water route. Maybe you have had a ‘positive’ experience with those machines, if so, let me know.
How does the wind effect your fur babies? Did you get blown away this week?
One of my coworker’s dog just had surgery for his other ACL (he is doing fine), but she told me that the dog is crated and on meds and is having trouble going potty. Of course the first thing that comes to my mind is PUMPKIN. This made me realize that maybe I should share with all my readers the remedies that I have used over the years. Since Louise has colitis, she goes back and forth with the consistency of her bowel movements. I find that pumpkin actually can work both ways, help them go, or go less. Here is my list of remedies for constipation. Add any ones you can think of into the comments.
1. Pumpkin: I feed the dogs pumpkin regularly. A tablespoon in their food is all they need. Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix (which contains a whole bunch other stuff especially sugar). When I make dog food, pumpkin is a main ingredient,
2. FiberSupplements: For regularity (we do this for the cats), add fiber, like Metamucil, to their water. There are many over the counter fiber supplements that could work. Check with your vet to see what she recommends and also for how much per pound of the animal.
3. Bran: You can try any kind of bran: rice, oat, wheat. This is one one of the most common remedies for animals and humans when it comes to constipation. I used to give my dogs wheat bran but I soaked it in chicken broth first, so that it was more easily digested and flavorful. Again, ask your vet how much bran per pound of dog.
4. Browm Rice: Did you know that brown rice is much more beneficial than white rice when it comes to fiber? You can sprinkle some on top of your dogs food with each meal.
5. Vegetables and Fruits: When not giving the dogs pumpkin with there meal, I give them either green beans, carrots, or peas. I buy the NO SALT cans (sodium is really bad for dogs) and wash the veggies well. This is just another source of fiber to keep it all pushing along. Louise doesn’t like fruit at all but Sofie loves cantaloupe. I know people whose dogs love apples. (Just make sure to remove the core and the seeds, because the seeds contain bits of cyanide which can be toxic.). Also try unsweetened apple sauce; Mojo and Zelda’s Mom freezes the little apple sauce cups and gives them as an alternative to Frostypaws.
6. Mineral oil: Mineral oil can get things moving but don’t give it directly. Make sure you put it in food. I give 1 tsp for 10 pounds of dog weight, but check with your vet.
7. Exercise: There is nothing like getting the blood flowing through exercise to help move things along. Take Fido for an extra long walk if you can.
8. Laxatives, Milk of Magnesia, or other medications: Some vets may advise a mild laxative or other medications. If it gets to this point, listen to the doctor.
There are many reasons why our furbaby’s get ‘concentrated.’ Hopefully some of these ideas can help loosen things up.
I can not believe that my baby girl is 7 years young today. She went from a scared little pup, afraid of her shadow, with a collar embedded in her neck and covered with manage, to a healthy, strong, companion. Happy birthday Lulu Belle, you are a gem.
From top right, Louise the day she rescued us (April 2010), Lu with Squash E Bear (June 2010), first fall (Oct 2010), first snow (Jan 2011), with baby Sofie (April 2011), Summer 2012, Winter 2013.
It is autumn now so the Monarch butterflies are passing through, maybe they’ll go all the way to Mexico. The Swallowtails will stay right here and another cycle of fluttering will start again in the spring. If you want to know where my eastern butterflies go in the winter -> click here. We love the ‘flutterbys’ and plant so that they will come and stay. The pool is surrounded by butterfly bushes (buddleia) and we have sedum and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), a form of milkweed. Monarch caterpillars ONLY eat milkweed. In fact, the monarch butterfly is also known as the “milkweed butterfly.” The milkweed plant provides all the nourishment the monarch needs to transform the Monarch caterpillar into the adult butterfly.
I know you don’t see many pictures of Stella on the blog any more because she is not in the general population, but Stella is still very much part of the Zoo. She lives in her own private suite and is much happier since we figured out what she needed. She does like when Sofie and Louise come to visit for a few minutes, but not the other cats.
To better understand Stella, check out Garbo in Grand Hotel (1932) – she “JUST WANTS TO BE ALONE!”
Happy Birthday, Miss Stella Bear. You are something special.
I want to be as close to Mommy when she is working as I can. So I get right under her chair. Sometimes she doesn’t realize I am there and she rolls on me…. Ouch!!! It is worth it to be with her all day, don’t you think? – Sofie Bear
Happy Wordless Wednesday
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
DogDaz Zoo 