Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/54597
Saturday, February 4, 2012 – Daily News 7A healthPets & By LISA MOORE McClatchy Newspapers Responsible dog owners know how important it is to obey ordinances by walking their dogs on a leash, as well as picking up after them. Dog lover or not, no one likes stepping in the "deposit" left by a dog. Per- haps more frustrating and possibly dangerous, howev- er, is encountering loose and unsupervised dogs while enjoying a walk with your own dog. Preventive measures are often the best approach regarding this situation. Although it takes a bit of extra effort, it may be wise to drive to a location where you can walk with your dog without fear of encountering dogs on the loose. A quick drive through a neighborhood or park area where you plan to walk can give you a good idea of whether or not unleashed dogs are around. If you notice a loose dog at a distance, change direction and quietly move away and out of sight. Don't run, as this may draw attention to you and your own dog, but be willing to alter your walking route to avoid loose dogs. If you are surprised by the presence of an unfamiliar and unrestrained dog, remain calm and quiet. Having a solid sit/stay behavior on your own dog can come in handy in these sit- uations. Most dogs are just curious and want to get close to sniff at your dog, but if your dog remains in a sit/stay with you, there is no invitation given for the loose dog to come in for a close inspection. If your dog is out of control, on the other hand, barking, lunging or just pulling you toward the other dog, then the loose dog is more likely to move in for inter- action. Teach your dog a solid sit/stay and proof it around a host of distractions, so that it is useful to you when encountering a loose dog. Carrying a black pop-out umbrella can be of great benefit when encountering a loose dog. You can stop walking, place your dog on a sit/stay, pop open the umbrella and use it as a physical and visual shield. By standing still and moving the umbrella as the unknown dog moves around you, you can prevent him from getting a good look at your dog. If the unfamiliar dog comes in close, you can also use the umbrella to abruptly "push" the dog away, often without making physical contact. Although dogs are curious, they do lose interest rather quickly. If the unknown dog attempts to check out your dog but is thwarted at every turn by the umbrella, it is highly likely that he will lose interest and move on to something more interesting and attainable. Remain still and quiet until he is quite a distance away before resuming your walk. Carrying pepper spray may increase your comfort level, but this product should be used with caution. Under breezy conditions, the spray can come into contact with you or your own dog. While pepper spray doesn't do any permanent damage, it can be quite uncom- fortable to bear. In any of these situations, once you and your dog are safe, be sure to report any loose and unsupervised dog you encounter to your department of animal services. Whether the unfamiliar dog is unfriendly or not, loose dogs represent a hazard to pedestrians and drivers, neighborhood children and cats. On New Year's Day, a woman was attacked by a neigh- bor's three loose boxers as she walked in her almond orchards near Hughson. She spent more than eight hours in the emergency room being treated for the bites. Report any loose dog you see, and perhaps save a life — dogs properly contained can't do harm to others, or get hit by a car themselves. Irresponsible owners who are unwilling to properly supervise and confine their dogs are the real offenders in these situations, and should be held accountable. Animal Island: Ignore the early-rising dog By MARC MORRONE Newsday (MCT) Q: We have a wonderful 4-year-old Scottie who is extremely lovable and loyal. She wakes up every day at 6 a.m. for breakfast and a walk. That was fine when I was working, but I have just retired and would love an extra hour of sleep. We have tried walking her at midnight, but she still wakes up at 6 and drives us crazy. Can you offer any suggestions to change this habit? A: If the dog sleeps in your bedroom, this will be hard to stop. Basically, you reward her by getting up, feeding her and taking her out when she causes a ruckus. It is not unreason- able for her to wait until 7 a.m. if you walked her last at midnight, but to do this, you have to ignore her when she causes a ruckus at 6. This is hard to do when she is in the room with you. If she is sleeping elsewhere in the house, she will still cause a commotion for that hour between 6 and 7 and you are just going to have to lie in bed and listen to it while you bite your lip. But if you are consistent in not getting up until 7 for a week or so, she will get the idea. When she learns that carrying on like that does not get her anywhere, she will soon give it up and enjoy her extra hour of sleep. Q: About 5 years ago, we adopted a sibling pair of cats that had been physically abused. The male adapted beautifully. His sister is another story. She is very comfortable with my husband and my son. They can touch and pet her without any problem, as can male strangers. But she panics around me. She will take a treat from my hand, but if I get too close, she runs off. It bothers me that after five years of this, she has to live this way. I'd like to make things more comfortable for both of us. A: The female cat most likely associates you with some kind of a bad experience from her past. She cannot forget it if your making nice to her keeps reminding her of what hap- pened long ago. Every confrontation you have is like rubbing salt in old wounds caused by the person who abused her. The best thing to do here is to ignore her totally. Put food down for her every day — this is important, because she will see you doing something positive for her. Otherwise, just pro- ceed as though she is invisible. Be sure to pet and play with her brother as much as you can so she can observe that you are not the same person from her past. February 1st through 14th Food From The Heart canned food drive Look for these donation boxes at your favorite local businesses Express Your Gratitude We CHALLENGE all Red Bluff households to open your cabinets & donate 3 cans of food. Gold Exchange 423 Walnut St., Red Bluff • 528-8000 3rd activities Talking Dogs: Stay calm around dogs on the loose Annual Donate your non-perishable food items February 1st through 14th The perfect time to show just how much you care! Now City Wide! Look for the specially marked boxes and make your heartfelt donation at any of our participating merchants Adobe Road Chevron Food Banks are depleted after the Holiday Season...last year this campaign brought donations of 8,000 lbs of food-this year the project is City Wide aiming for 20,000. There will be a drawing from among food donors and 8 gift certificates valued at $25 each will be awarded to individual food donors. Only one donation per family per location, please! 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