We are a nation of dog lovers. There are so many of us that we influence our communities, businesses and animal welfare laws for the better. Compared to a decade ago, we can practically take our dogs with us everywhere now. Soon it will become natural for us to take our dogs with us when we decide it’s time to move into a senior living facility.

When I read an article about the U.K. moving away from its own status as a nation of dog lovers, I thought that it was a good topic to pose to the Grouchy Puppy community on Facebook for comment. One responded with a perspective of being a recent ex-pat to the U.K. with three greyhounds. Because I believe in the positive influence from sharing our personal experiences, I asked Cindi if she’d share a series of guest posts on what it was like for her to move from the US with her dogs, and to answer some questions about what life is like for dog lovers there.

I hope people will learn a little from Cindi's experiences about life across the pond as a renter with big dogs. Take it away Cindi...

The condensed version of my move to the U.K. was, gee, get everyone their vaccinations, ship the dogs over, rent an apartment, pay the pet deposits and easy peasy, right? WRONG. SO. WRONG. When I first moved to Scotland, the entire process brought me to tears several times. I should also point out, large-scale apartment complexes do not exist here like they do in the U.S. For example, you may have a big high-rise building in your city, but only 50% are rented out by agencies or private landlords. Most rentals here are private apartments (more akin to condos) or homes rented out by property management companies on behalf of private landlords. How did all my friends with dogs in various parts of the U.K. do it? 

Evie checking out her new neighbourhood in Scotland [Photo: C. Patterson]

No Pets. No Children. No Families.
Why was I having so much difficulty? Granted, I have big dogs (60-80 lb. range) but it shouldn’t be so hard, right? Apartment and houses alike always had the dreaded words “no pets” in the advertisement. But in a bit of comeuppance, it was equally gratifying to see homes and apartments advertised as “no children” or “no families” meaning they would only rent to professional singles or couples. I was also lucky and in a position to pay 6-12 months of my rent up-front (and as a foreigner, many landlords required this as well) as a bargaining chip to allow my dogs. After some desperation, I used social media to my advantage and lamented my plight to a local reporter, who called me when I was still in the U.S., about the lack of housing (and affordable housing) for pet owners. Thankfully, this article ended up being published, and I was able to use it in “selling” myself to potential landlords!

I believe strongly in the power older dogs have for enriching our lives. Opening your heart and home to senior dogs is worth the inevitable future loss. Why? That answer varies for many of us, but it could be simply that you appreciate quality over quantity. I learned this from experiences with my beloved dog. After she passed on, I miss her but the feeling of gratitude I have for the quality of time we had together overwhelms any sadness.

When a loved one passes away, their loss can knock you for a loop, even when they are showing signs their time with you is coming to a close. Imagine the devastation when two loved ones unexpectedly go within days of each other? That recently happened to long time senior dog lovers and adopters, Karl and Jessica.

If you missed them, I recommend you read their three guest posts from earlier this year, about their senior dog journey: It started with Tara, Continued with Bobo and Jameson, and their journey is Destined to Continue.

Karl and Jessica shared their sudden loss in an email, which they graciously allow me to share below. I hope you'll read it and take away the message of how the enrichment you get from caring for and about older dogs, far outweighs any pain.

An update to our Senior Dog Journey

The joy found outside between kids and dogs is contagious! 

 

Wait for meeeeeee 🐾 #adventureswithdogs #dogsandkids #mansbestfriend #getoutside #dogsthathike #dogstagram

A photo posted by grouchypuppy (@grouchypuppy) on Aug 20, 2016 at 8:59am PDT

When someone compliments me today, on my photo taking of dogs, I think of her. This old dog gave me lessons every day, and the price was love and kibble. A real bargain, wouldn't you say?

It's never too early to learn kindness and compassion towards each other, and for animals. Young children are often first exposed to animals through their first toy dog or stuffed bear. As they begin to learn reading skills and watch educational programming, it's a good time to show them the differences between the pretend care of their toy and real caregiving for their family dog.

Having a young child aware of what it means to care for another living creature, especially a beloved family pet, can help grow their empathy. A very popular children's character has been tapped to help educate youngsters in a new book series. 

Photo Credit: Brian Blanco/AP Images for Bayer Animal Health

Bayer Animal Health has partnered with the iconic storybook character Clifford the Big Red Dog to create custom “Clifford Goes to the Doctor” books, which features tips for families to prevent bites from fleas, ticks and mosquitos which can carry diseases, such as Lyme disease and Ehrlichia, also known as companion vector-borne diseases (CVBD).

To celebrate the limited-edition book, Bayer Animal Health Veterinarian, Dr. Dan Carey joined Clifford at a local elementary school in Miami, FL to read the book to first graders and share important pet care tips.

Bayer Animal Health also donated more than 1,600 copies of “Clifford Goes to the Doctor” to elementary schools throughout the Miami-Dade School District.

We live in San Francisco and had a dog who wasn't interested in going for hikes on local trails or up Mt. Tam. She loved a good neighborhood walk, and as a youngster, an afternoon at the beach or in the park. While we weren't terribly worried about her picking up ticks, we watched over her closely for fleas. We used a topical flea and tick medication every month that could penetrate her thick Husky-Shepherd neck fur. We also gave her monthly heart worm tablets.

Though we didn't like the idea of applying chemicals on our dog, we knew prevention was important and better than the alternative. In her final years, when she'd stopped going further than around the block, we stopped the topical flea and tick medication, and separate heart worm pill. We switched her to a tablet that offered flea control, heart worm protection and warded off intestinal parasites.

Unfortunately every year 1 in 79 dogs test positive for tick borne illnesses such Lyme Disease. Umbecca, a reader of the blog and our Facebook page shared this important story about a Catahoula dog named Ruger. I hope you'll read it and that it helps you understand better why our pets need to be protected from all nature of parasites.

Why tick prevention medication and regular vetting of dogs is important

Ruger was pulled by Janeen's Catahoula Rescue from the SPCA in Fresno, where he was turned in as a stray, with a plan to go directly to Oregon.  His vet check revealed that he has tick borne illnesses Lyme Disease and Anaplasmosis. He is currently in temporary foster care in California until he is well enough to travel. If you are interested in helping fund his medical or travel expenses, following his progress, or adopting him after he is well, scroll to the bottom for more information.

This is Ruger's story:

Is this a wolf in leopard-unicorn clothing rather than sheep? A treat walking in San Francisco, with or without a dog, is our many murals. 

You find yourself surprised again, and again, with what people draw on buildings, or next to a window. The Mission District has many large and colorful drawings along alleys that are wonderful. Each week you can find a new piece of art, and this summer I've been seeing more organized walking tours taking visitors to the best exhibitions.

Not having my dog Cleo to take on walks, I enjoy coming across these various murals featuring canines. I feel like strangers are reminding me how much this city loves dogs. They are as fascinated by the different shapes and personalities of dogs as I am. These are often unexpected visual reminders on my walks that tell me I made the right choice all those years ago to call San Francisco home. 

Though I currently don't walk or hike some of my favorite city trails as often as I did with my dog, here are four of my favorite places to take a dog in the city:

Keeping our pets safe during the summer months means watching out for hazards like toxic herbicides on the grass, knowing the signs of heat stroke, avoiding discarded chicken bones from barbecues and protecting lost dogs fleeing from fireworks.

With summer concerts and festivals in full swing, please remember your four-legged family members. Celebrating July 4th with family and friends is a wonderful tradition and holiday, however in the excitement of your first sparkler, don't forget your dog.

Just call me a fool for any happy dog who is dying to show you the ball they so cleverly caught at the park.

Warning! Happy pit bull spotted in local park. Proceed with caution, or you'll find yourself late for work because said dog will convince you to throw the ball for her.

This sweet pit bull girl came running up while we were admiring the view from Bernal Heights in San Francisco. She jumped up on the bench in front us to be sure we didn't miss her "show and tell" performance too. 

Best kind of strangers!

I may never have met this dog before but with her happy face, and incorrigible demeanor, she is no stranger to a animal lover. Am I right?

Three years ago, while looking across the room at my old dog, I had five fast responses to anyone fearful of loving a senior dog pop into my head. Reading through them this weekend, I still think they hold up and make good examples of why you should never let your fear of heartbreak prevent you from having an old dog in your life.

After our Cleo passed late last year, I have had many encounters with older dogs and each time they made me laugh and shake my head at these myths. 

Some people think having an old dog is the opposite of fun. I beg to differ with them. 

Check out these five myth-busters:

Myth 1. They're boring.

Fact: How can you be bored when you have this face around keeping you in stitches?

Myth 2. They're expensive.

Fact: We eat the same foods as she does, only minus the kibble. Even her pills are delivered via high-grade liverwurst that we share.

There are many sweet senior dogs who are blind like Kiki who show us that you don't need eyes to live.

 

Well, that's one way to sleep in a bed. #shibainu #noeyesnoproblem

A photo posted by Lisa (@dogoverload) on Feb 6, 2015 at 8:59am PST

My own dog lost her vision but navigated very well for years. Being surrounded by people who loved her kept her sassy personality front and center. I think she even slept like Kiki at times.

The time has come for every state to let go of defining dogs as property. Remember that scene in When Harry Met Sally, when Carrie Fisher is fighting with Bruno Kirby over a wagon wheel coffee table? That ugly table is property, the blue plate in Billy Crystal's hand is property, a dog is not.

Resolving pet custody disputes. Should a dog be considered property, if we are finding more court cases of people getting awarded visitation rights? 

Case law from the United States shows that two distinct tests have emerged to resolving pet custody disputes: firstly, the application of pure property law principles as discussed above; and secondly, the application of a ‘best interests of the animal’ test which has similarities to the ‘best interests of the child’ test used in many countries to determine the residency of children in disputes between parents. On the whole, the courts in the United States have used the property law test and rejected the ‘best interest of the animal’ test. However, in a growing number of cases the courts have been reluctant to rely solely on property law principles. 

Source

The pivotal scene of "that's mine, this is yours"

How do you feel about dogs being legally defined as property, like a toaster?

Happy Valentine's Day to all the dogs we love, starting with our first love, Snoopy...

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While San Francisco may be chilly and wet, causing many dogs to hide under the blankets rather than face a wet butt and soggy feet outside, much of the country is freezing with heavy snowfall. 

The ASPCA has created an animated infographic highlighting essential tips to help keep animals safe when the temperatures drop. This graphic not only includes ways to protect your pet in chilly weather, but also has vital information on how to help dogs that may be left out in dangerously cold conditions or cats that are living outdoors. 

Baby it's cold outside! Here are five ways we can keep pups safe in cold weather:

This holiday season has been rough because the loss of my sweet old dog is still fresh. We have delayed putting up any decorations that remind us of her, and we skipped putting up stockings all together because I can't bear to see hers.

Given that my dog didn't need me now, I decided to fly to Arizona to visit my mother. She's up there in age and with our shared background loving dogs, I knew she'd know what to say to help me manage my grief.

Have you ever had one of those times when you are just so surprised by your reaction to something? Where you are caught off guard by the passionate response you have to a random commercial, or highway billboard or maybe a magazine ad.

I had one of those experiences as I paged through the SkyMall catalog while on the plane south. SkyMall was filled with every gadget no one really needs. As I flipped the pages, my eyes landed first on a $24 "Pet Tiding Stone" that memorializes your pet using a rock and not your pet's ID tag or collar. Then scanning to the right, I see this...

...and I almost lose my sh*t in broad daylight.