dogs

Dogs

All Dolled Up and No Where To Go

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“All Dolled Up and No Where To Go” came from the frustration of watching great dogs, who happened to be pit bulls, wait too long for a home. The dogs let us dress them up, put them in front of strobe lights that must have been scary, all while minding all the “sit” commands we asked of them. Sound vicious? No. Extraordinary? Yes. There was a time when the American Pit Bull Terrier was considered a family dog in this country. They were a symbol of courage during WWI and the mascot of The United States Marine Corps. They were present in children’s film, most famously “The Little Rascals”, that’s right… Petey was a pit bull. We all know this history! We are dog lovers, we do not discriminate! But the sad truth is that many people see the media stories about pit bull attacks and believe that every pit bull will maul them. They hear about dog fighting rings and gang violence, and they may pity the dogs, but they surely do not want to adopt a pit bull with baggage. Most pit bulls, fortunately, have never been in a fight. They have never attacked children. The truth is, they are dogs. We love them and they are beautiful, but there is nothing different about them. They love you unconditionally, just like any dog who is treated with kindness and love. All of these dogs are available for adoption at Summit County Animal Control. They are all looking for a chance to show how great they are. Remember that many dogs do not show well in a shelter environment. Insist on meeting any dog on a walk outside the shelter or rescue. They are happier outside and their personality shines through.     

Dogs

Why Mutts Are Awesome

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Very recently I was volunteering at a local rescue. I was letting an adorable, kind, and wellbehaved pitbull-type dog out to potty. She is very pregnant! A car that was speeding by came to a quick halt when he saw us. He rolled down his window to inquire about the dog. He asked if I knew who the father was, if he was also a purebred pitbull (which by the way does not exist seeing as “pitbull” is not a breed), and I replied that this was a rescue and we do not know who the father is, just that this Mom-to-be needs a safe place to stay. He ask a few more questions before saying “That’s a shame, but I can’t raise no mutt” and drove away. The conversation angered me. Without getting into why this man wanted a “purebred pitbull,” I just want to say “mutts” are awesome! Mixed breed dogs are unique and do not look like any other both in the looks and behavior categories. Only in mixed breeds can you see the muscle and build of an English bulldog with the hair of a terrier and the face of a beagle! Because they have features from two or more types of breeds, some behaviors will not be as prominent. You may adopt that beagle/bulldog/terrier/whoknowswhatelse mix and the dog may never howl like a beagle, but still has those adorable ears! Mixed breeds are also known to be healthier. Bad breeding can cause a multitude of health problems and bring out the worst in a breed of dog. Mixed breeds, again since they have many types of genes, are less likely to develope these breed-specific problems. And by the way, dog competitions are still available to mixed breed dogs, and you do not have to be purebred to be a therapy dog! Beyond being healthier, mixed breeds are in need of saving everywhere! You can go to a pet store and buy a $600 dollar shihpoo, maltipoo, shih malti or other “mutts” they call designer breeds, or you could go down to a shelter and adopt your perfect mixed breed dog that already comes vaccinated and spayed/neutered for typically less than a $100 adoption fee. My sister adopted a lhasa apso/poodle mix and a cockerspaniel/poodle mix that both ended up in animal control facilities before they were a year old. They are great dogs! If you keep looking and don’t give up, anyone can eventually find what they are looking for in a shelter or rescue. I’d like to end on this: People often think that a dog needs to be “perfect” in order to love them, but dogs are dogs. These mutts are worth just as much as purebred, rare, expensive dogs! And to the man who could never raise a mutt, you obviously have never received their unconditional love and appreciation for rescuing them. If you are still not convinced that mutts are awesome, check out the hundreds of purebred rescues out there! We don’t care, as long as you’re saving a life and providing a home to one of the many homeless, unloved pets out there.

Dogs

Don’t Judge a Dog in a Cage

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Everyone has heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but we forget that we have to do the same for dogs. Often times the behavior one sees from a dog in a cage is not what they would see if they met the dog on a walk or a quiet room. Dogs who are scared off in a corner or even right at the cage door baring teeth end up being fine when removed from that environment. It is a sad but true fact that even after meeting these dogs outside, potential adopters still see a “shut down” or “aggressive” dog. Let’s try to put ourselves in the dogs shoes… or paws rather. We come to a new, stressful, loud place where dogs are always barking or crying. We were, at some point or another, once a loved dog. Either our owner surrendered us or we got loose and never found our way home. We are put into a cage. The staff and volunteers at this place care and try their best to get every single dog out at least once during the day, but what about the other 23.5 hours of the day? We sit and we lay and we watch as people pass us by. “No, not that one” we hear too often. We only have this small space to ourselves, cornered, as people stare in at us. Don’t they know that strong, long eye contact is a threat to dogs? It makes us nervous, those strangers talking and staring at us when we have no where to go. Some dogs don’t mind it at all and others retreat to the furthest corner of the cage and try to ignore the strangers. Personally, we decide that barking, growling, and baring our teeth gets them to move away much faster. It’s such a strange feeling, in any other place we would want that person’s attention, but here… stuck in this cage with all this cooped up energy turning into anxiety… It’s just too intimidating. Pay It Forward for Pets volunteers got to meet the most wonderful dog this past weekend while photographing!! Her name is Whitney. Canine behavioral trainer Ron Shannon brought her in the room and let us know to go slower, she was nervous and growled a little in the cage. Always on the side of caution, we listened. Quickly, however, Whitney’s tail started wagging, her ears perked up, and she was ready to play and receive attention. We kissed her on the lips, talked to her, asked her to do tricks, and wouldn’t you know this dog knew her tricks… even “sit pretty.” We asked her to do it over and over again until we got one of our new favorite photos: Everyone who works with pets can agree on this: They never stop surprising you, and they never cease to amaze you. Whitney was adopted pretty quickly and we heard from her new mom that she’s doing great in her forever home. Many people think that a dog that shows bad in a cage will have other aggressive behaviors. This simply is not true. The stress that these dogs go through in a shelter environment is abnormal for them and you can’t compare that to how they’ll be when they are in the comfort of a loving home. We’ve seen it time and time again though… dogs that show badly in a cage (bark too much, jump all over, spin, growl, retreat to the back, shut down) get passed up. Please remember that on your next visit to the shelter looking for “the one”– Don’t judge a dog’s behavior in a cage! Put yourself in their position and think about what they must be thinking. Furthermore, be smart and ask a staff member or volunteer about the dog. There is a big difference between being nervous of strangers/environment and cage aggression (where they are actually protecting their cage). Most of these dogs just need some time to decompress and are not trying to protect anything other than themselves. If you’ve read an awesome bio on a dog only to visit the shelter and see them acting badly in a cage, ask a staff or volunteer to introduce you to them on a walk. You’ll be amazed at their transition! And if you adopt them… they will only continue to blossom.

Dogs

Dogs in Shelters -The Truth

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We have heard every excuse in the book as to why people choose to buy a pet instead of rescuing one. We do not judge people, but we do know better as we work directly with these rescued pets. All the pets pictured in this article have been photographed by PIFFP and were at one point at Summit County Animal Control. Misconception #1: Pets are in shelters because they behaved badly in their previous home. This is the one we hear the most. However, most dogs end up in shelters to no fault of their own. The most common reasons: moving and can’t bring their pet, major life change such as getting married or having a baby, and allergies.Should these pets be considered “bad” because their past family could not be their forever home? Absolutely not. This is not to say that there are not dogs who need to learn proper manners in shelters. Many dogs have never been taught what is right or wrong and were punished by being abandoned by the “family” who failed to teach them in the first place. But wait, if you buy a puppy you’re going to have to teach them these same manners (i.e.sit, come, stay, potty training) so why not give a shelter dog a chance? Misconception #2: All shelter pets have “baggage” due to their pasts. Dogs live day by day. That’s the beauty of them! They do not worry about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Every dog in a shelter can be led by a human to become confident and amazing. And let us tell you, there is nothing that can make you feel as good as helping a dog or cat come out of their shell and trust again. Misconception #3: There are no purebred or designer breeds in shelters.  You may have to wait a little longer, but 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred. There are also many breed specific rescues all across the country. If you are determined to find a purebred dog, that’s okay (though we prefer mutts!), do some research on how you can still rescue! Check out how many purebred dogs we’ve seen just in the past year while working with Summit County Animal Control: Misconception #4: There is no way of knowing their background. With most pets, it is true that there is no way of knowing their full background. Every adopter should take their new pet to their vet within two weeks of them coming home to ensure that there is no preexisting illness or medical concern. Other than that, why do we really care? If you have truly fallen in love with a dog or cat… nothing can stop you from loving and caring for them. Misconception #5: Shelter pets are sick and carrying diseases. Disease does spread rapidly in shelter-type environments because of the number of animals they house and pets coming in at a rapid rate. However, responsible shelters take all precautions to prevent this from happening. You should be able to tell just by walking in if the shelter is clean or not just through sight and smell. Ask about their quarintining processes, and how they deal with sick pets to prevent the spread of illnesses. Misconception #6: There are no young pets available. We believe in spaying and neutering as this is the only way to stop pets from being euthanized in the long scheme of our mission. But there are plenty of young puppies available for adoption. Just like purebreds, you have to keep a closer eye out for puppies as the get adopted very quickly.

Dogs

Fun Winter Activities for Your Dog

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Winter can be a drag when it comes to exercising our pets! Here’s some things you can do to make sure your dog stays healthy and active during cold, snowy days: Play hide and go seek. Start out with easy hiding places and call your pet to you so they can learn the game. Once they understand that you want them to find you, make the game a little bit harder. This is mentally stimulating and makes them use their noses! Plus it’s super fun when they get so excited that they found you! You can also play this game by hiding treats or their favorite toy, indoors or outdoors. If you have one available, a treadmill is an excellent way to burn off your pets excess energy. Like anything else, you want to train them right so that they enjoy walking on the treadmill and it doesn’t become a scary thing. Start off with just turning the treadmill on and giving your dog a treat. Once they become comfortable with the noise and movement of the treadmill, place them on it while it is turned off and again treat them. Start off slowly when when you begin to teach them to walk on it and always reward them. It may take a few days before you can start increasing the speed. Every dog is different with treadmill training. Teach your pet more challenging commands such as stay, roll over, wait, watch me, sit pretty ect.. There are so many youtube videos that explain how to teach your dogs tricks, or do call in a trainer to show you how. Maybe even enroll yourselves into a class or doggie day care. Depending on how cold it is, most dogs do like playing in the snow! Get out there with your dog and watch them prance around! Playing fetch becomes harder when the toy gets buried in the snow and your pet has to dig for it. Walks are still an option! We know it’s cold, but just like us, if you dress your dog up for the weather, most days they will be more than happy and willing to go on a walk. Get them a winter coat and some doggie boots to protect their paws from salt and ice. You probably won’t like it as much as your warm walks, but your dog will be grateful!

Dogs

End Breed Bullying

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Bullying is an unacceptable and reprehensible behavior. The act will often evoke a lifetime of sadness and distress in the hearts of those that have experienced it. We are grateful for those individuals who have made it their mission to bring education and support to their communities to cease this behavior. Sadly, our domestic pets have been bullied too. Since the late 80’s, the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Mastiff and Doberman breed dogs have been bullied. Labeled “a bully breed,” they have been subjected to discrimination in Ohio. Imposing harsh and unreasonable restrictions on pet owners, many municipalities made it very difficult to own these breeds. Even mixed-breed dogs showing physical characteristics of the breeds were subjected to discrimination. With the passing of House Bill 14, Ohio became the 49th state to eliminate breed-specific legislation and the wrongful labeling of dogs. Per Ohio law, a dog can only be judged on their past behavior and no longer on their looks. Though it is to the discretion of municipalities to adopt the law, we are hopeful that this newer mindset will be embraced in all neighborhoods. So, let’s celebrate our deserving Terriers with the hope that all dogs born, no matter what their breed may be, will know the love and kindness of humanity, and will experience a secure home for their lifetimes. If you are interested in adopting a Pit Bull contact Georjette Thomas at 330.760.0763. There are so many at the shelter that need you and your family – and an opportunity to be what they were born to be.

Dogs

Every Dog is Different, Every Dog is Good

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People frequently like to clump dogs into categories. People often want dogs to like every dog they meet, be best friends with every cat, and act like a “babysitter” to their children. They want them to be calm but also fun. Very few dogs fully meet these expectations because very few dogs are perfect. Just as we do not expect other humans to be cookie cutter version of the ideal person, we can’t expect dogs to be this way either. I adopted a shih tzu two years ago, knowing that he had some issues that needed addressed through training. His nameis George and he was under-socialized and when he was scared he would bite (which was often). He’s small and very cute so people often times want to meet him. What they don’t know is that he is fine with being in the presence of strangers as long as they don’t look at him, don’t talk to him, and don’t go to touch him. He takes a long time to warm up to new people and if a new person were to try and pet him, he would snap at them. You’d be surprised how many people blame him and think he is a bad dog because he does not meet their expectations of what a dog should be. Why? Because George doesn’t love and trust someone the second he meets them. version of the ideal person, we can’t expect all dogs to be this way either. As humans, we don’t love and trust someone when we first meet them either. Additionally there are boundaries we expect strangers to respect. If a new person greeted me with a kiss on the lips, I would say that person disrespected my boundaries. And George only has his teeth to tell a stranger that they are disrespecting his boundaries. In a similar way, we can not expect dogs to like every dog they meet. I enjoy the company of other people, but sometimes a person comes along that I just do not like. So when a shelter or rescue claims that a dog is good with other dogs, that does not mean that your existing dog does not have to meet your potential new dog. And if the dogs do not like each other, that does not mean that they are no longer good with dogs. They are just like us in that way, but we often expect them to be better.  The same goes with “good with children.” There is a big difference between a child that respects a dog’s boundaries and a child that does not. Dogs can automatically sense that children are less mature and less predictable than adults, which sometimes can make them feel uneasy and other times they love it! It is important to always supervise children when they are with dogs. Children will be children and sometimes don’t think before they act. For instance, a family member of mine had their dog since he was a puppy, and he grew up around children. He was good with the kids. One night though, the dog was sleeping and their child laid on top of him suddenly and not very gently. The dog woke up from his deep sleep and snapped, scratching the child’s face. Thankfully, it was nothing major and the child was fine. We believe the dog realized half way through what he was doing. This incident does not make the dog bad. He reacted to a situation he should have never been put in, a situation that set him up for failure. My family member kept the dog, taught the child more about respecting a dog’s boundaries, and supervised them more closely.  The people who expect dogs to be perfect will always be disappointed. They are the type of people who return a dog for peeing in the house their first night. We do not want to judge, but we want to educate people to be realistic. Dogs are not perfect, they are all different. Many situations that test our dog require work on our part to set up our dog for success and not failure. My dog George has come a long way in 2 years, but it has been a slow process. He’s not a shut-in because he doesn’t like to meet new people. We meet new people frequently, but it is my responsibility to set him up for success and monitor his behavior and signals that show when he is getting too overwhelmed to the point where he may fail. Sometimes it is hard and I wish that George was different, but he’s my boy and I made a commitment the day I adopted him to love him and help him for his whole life.  So when you are adopting a dog, realize that generally speaking there is no such thing as a bad dog. Dogs are unique like people are unique. I often tell people to look past what they think they want and look at the union differently. Instead of asking “Is this dog right for me?” ask “Am I the right person for this dog?” Just last week I was asked by a potential adopter looking at a young shepherd mix (who was hyper and needed some training) “Is there anything wrong with this dog that would stop you from adopting her?” And I replied “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this dog. But you have to ask yourself if you can meet her needs. She’s energetic, can you walk her at least twice a day? She’s not trained, can you teach her? She’s young, are you able to keep her the rest of her life?” If more people thought about adopting a dog in this way, they may be a more successful pet parent. Love them for what they are, but never stop helping them to be better!

Dogs

Setting Up Your Adoption for Success

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As dog lovers, we all get that excited feeling when we see a dog. For most of us, it doesn’t matter the breed, size, or age of the dog… we just love them and want to pet them and take them home! So going into your local animal shelter to find your new companion can make most of us overwhelmed with excitement! After all, there are so many unique dogs and cats- and you can only pick one! Often times, we witness people feeling pressured to make a decision on their first visit to the shelter. Certainly, there are many instances where an adopter finds their dream-dog right away; however, we advise people who have decided to add a companion to their home to accept that it may be a process prior to stepping foot into a shelter. Pay It Forward for Pets believes every companion animal deserves a chance to prove how great they are, but we also realize that there is a lot of match-making involved in pet adoption. Not every pet is right for your family, just like you’re not the right family for many pets. Though, that’s not a reason to give up hope and go buy a puppy! There’s a homeless pet out there that needs you, you may just need to spend more time looking. After all, pets are a 10-15 year commitment and you don’t want to rush the process of finding your new best friend. Here’s a hypothetical situation, but we’ve seen versions of it often… Someone, let’s call him Steve, goes into adopt a new dog with the best intentions. Steve’s life would be great for a laid-back, middle-aged or senior dog. He has a full-time job, enjoys quiet weekends, he’s independent, he likes short, relaxing walks in the evening, and chilling on the couch at night in peace. Steve is very much aware of what he enjoys doing, and he’s looking for a dog that best fits his lifestyle. So Steve decides to take a trip to his local animal shelter. Walking into the shelter, the first dog he sees is… let’s say… a hyper 1 year old shepherd mix with beautiful blue eyes that’s not at all what Steve was looking for… but she’s just so beautiful and so unique and everyone loves her! The volunteers tell Steve that while this dog is wonderful, she needs a lot of exercise and basic obedience training and has separation anxiety and the list may go on. So excited, that goes in one ear and out the other and Steve adopts the wrong dog for him.  Now we aren’t saying this hypothetical 1 year old, blue-eyed shepherd is a bad dog. She’s just not the right dog for Steve and likewise, Steve isn’t the right human for her either. Steve needed a mature dog to go with his more sedate, relaxed lifestyle. Little did Steve know that while he was infatuated with the shepherd mix, there was a senior dog a few cages away that has been routinely passed up by potential adopters because he’s not playful enough, he only likes short, relaxing walks, and he’s a couch potato. This dog would have been perfect for Steve’s lifestyle but now Steve has this high-energy shepherd mix.  The final outcome will go one of two ways: Steve will honor his commitment to the active shepherd mix and completely change his lifestyle to make her the best dog she can be… or Steve will return the shepherd mix which is a traumatic event for the dog and something that leaves Steve heartbroken and hopeless about finding a companion. We’re writing this article because the second example is what happens more often than not. Who’s to blame here? Certainly not the shepherd mix, though she will endure the most mental stress and confusion. The staff? They were happy a cage opened up to help another dog. The volunteers who tried their best to educate the adopter? No. Really it all comes down to Steve. Instead of admiring the beauty of the shepherd and maybe taking her on a walk before moving on to a dog that would better fit his lifestyle, Steve got too excited. He got too caught up in the process and he lost his sense of reason. Here’s our recommendation: Write down your ideal dog. Start off simple.  How old do you want the dog to be? Puppy? Adult? Senior? What kind of energy level do you want? Low? Medium? High? Pause here… If you answered that you wanted a puppy with a low energy level we’ll tell you right now to start over. You want an adult or senior dog. Now, what about size? Do you have size restrictions where you live that later down the road could cause you to have to return the dog or find a new place to live? What are your thoughts on dog hair? If doesn’t bother you, great. If it does, you will have to get a dog that doesn’t shed as much but that usually means you have to get them groomed every couple months… is that in your budget? Will your new dog be around other dogs, cats, kids? ASK whether your potential new dog would do good with them before signing the adoption papers. ASK what’s the proper way to introduce your new dog to new dogs, cats, or children. And FINALLY, the most important question of all: What would be a deal breaker? What behaviors, if any, a pet exhibited would make you return the pet to the shelter? It’s ok… be honest with yourself and the staff. Honesty, NOW is better than later. If you know that you wouldn’t be able to handle a dog chewing up your new rug, say it. Though there’s no 100% guarantee that this won’t happen, the staff and volunteers may have a good guess as to whether a certain dog would do that or not. If you’ve done the homework and have […]

Dogs

Accepting and Helping Dogs with Anxiety

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 It’s almost 2016, and our society has made great strides when it comes to educating people about mental illness. No longer should people have to be ashamed about depression, anxiety, or personality disorders. We realize now that mental illness should be looked at the same as physical. It’s beyond a person’s control, and they shouldn’t be judged for it. We have come a long way and it’s something society should be proud of. But working in animal rescue, we notice that these strides do not always protect our furry friends.      We mention that a dog has anxiety, and suddenly that dog is broken, used-up goods, undesirable, maybe even bad. People judge them. Dogs are supposed to be happy all the time, right? They’re getting fed and they have people that love them, so they shouldn’t be unhappy. Why can’t they just get over it? The past is the past. Once they’re shown enough love, they should be fine. There’s a ton of other dogs out their that would feel lucky to have their life.     Can you imagine thinking this way about a person who has anxiety? No, and it’s time we start applying these new understandings to animals as well.      Dogs can suffer from many different causes of anxiety. Unlike humans, there is almost always a source and therefore a simple solution for their nervous behavior.      The most common is probably fear of strangers. Was that dog treated badly by a stranger? Or were they just never socialized? Doesn’t matter, the result is a scared dog, cowering in the corner, flinching at sudden movements or maybe they lash out, show their teeth… act tougher than they are.      Another common one is separation anxiety. The dog can’t stand when their person leaves. That person who has become their world. “What if that my person never comes back? Why did they leave me?” Just like everything else, separation anxiety has different levels of severity. Some dogs cry or bark nonstop and others go as far as hurting themselves.      Other common causes of anxiety in dogs: confinement, traveling, loud noises, vet/groomer visits, sudden movements, other dogs, thunderstorms, men, women, people in uniforms, certain objects- heck we’ve seen dogs be scared of toasters!  Photo Courtesy of canine behavioral trainer, Shannon Duffy of Your Good Dog      Most likely these anxieties occur for 3 reasons: the dog has had a bad experience in the past, the dog has never been exposed to what’s causing the anxiety, and/or their present or former owners let small fears grow into big fears. So what do you do? Stick them on doggie Prozac and hope they get better? No, though sometimes medication helps and is necessary, it often times makes your dog very sedate and never deals with the underlying issues. Our behavioral trainers say that they’ve never met an anxious dog that couldn’t be helped through a consistent exercise routine combined with slow/steady exposure to what is causing their fearfulness.      It doesn’t take a special human to deal with canine anxieties, but not everyone has the lifestyle/personality to handle them. Someone needs to be patient and committed, as well as make the time to do what needs done and understand how to help their pet. Not everyone is meant to adopt a dog that has anxieties, but one shouldn’t give up on a dog at the first sign of hardship. Every dog can work through their anxiety with the help of their owner. What we often see happen is a dog has “issues” and they are surrendered/returned to the shelter, so that they can become someone else’s “problem.” That dog’s anxiety just got a whole lot worse! Would you stop being friends with someone who has anxiety? Divorce your spouse for freaking out over something you see as stupid? We hope not. We hope you’d try to understand that person’s feelings, and recognize that they need their friends and family to be supportive as they learn to live with their anxiety.      Why can’t we do this with dogs? They offer us their whole heart, loving us unconditionally… and we can’t help them past their worry, show them that life is good and there’s nothing to fear, because they have us to take care of them?      When you initially notice you pet’s nervous behavior, the first thing you should do is let your vet know, and make sure that there is nothing that is causing your pet pain. If you vet recommends medication to help their anxiety, don’t be afraid to refuse for now. Contact a behavioral trainer (we have three listed below that we highly recommend) and tell them what’s going on. Contrary to what a lot of people think: love doesn’t fix anxiety and only giving affection without training makes anxieties worse. Do a session with a trainer you trust, listen to what they are saying- your dog will never feel balanced without your dedication.       You will probably have to adjust your routine, but you have to evolve in order to make a change. Most often, a dog just needs more structure. They feel unbalanced because their life seems unsteady. Though dealing with canine anxiety does take commitment, it’s not as hard to help your pet as you might think. Dogs with anxiety do so much better when they have a routine. Additionally, professional trainers can show you easy ways to expose your pet to what they fear. And you know what… your bond with your dog will be better than ever!     Don’t ever give up on your dog because we can assure you that they would never give up on you. Dogs improve our lives tenfold, and when it’s time that we have to help them… we step up! We don’t surrender! 🙂      As far as the small percentage of shelter dogs who suffer from anxiety. Just know this- They are not broken, […]

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