Archive for 2013
By Project Your Bubble for LIPetPlace.com
In 2013 Teach Your Pet This One Life-Saving Thing
Protect Your Bubble identifies the most important command every dog (and dog parent) should know
Every year we set new goals for ourselves – lose weight, get healthy, land a promotion, find that special someone. But what about our dogs – should we set goals for them? The folks at Protect Your Bubble pet health insurance brand say yes! And they’ve narrowed it down to one very important thing. In fact, it’s one of the most important things you can ever teach your dog – it could save his or her life one day.
It’s called emergency recall and most pet loving families have neglected to teach Fido this command for a number of reasons – it can be tough to train, it can be boring (for your dog) to learn, and it’s not used very often. But boy will your tail be wagging when you need to use it and your dog listens.
An ‘emergency recall’ command is very different from a ‘come when called’ command, according to pet behaviorist and certified dog trainer Kate Jackson with Jabula Dog Academy. “Dogs are used to hearing the word ‘come’ and often there are strings attached – they’re in trouble, they’re leaving the dog park or they’re headed to the vet. Because the ‘come here’ command is used so often, many dogs decide to ignore it to avoid the consequences it may bring. That’s why teaching an emergency recall is so important – it’s the ‘drop everything you are doing and come running back to me immediately’ command.
Watch behaviorist Kate Jackson discuss this command.
This command should be reserved for emergencies ONLY – your dog is running into traffic or headed towards a dogfight or an aggressive or dangerous situation. “It’s extremely important not to overuse this command so your dog doesn’t become conditioned to ignore it,” says Kate. “He or she should come immediately when this command is used, no questions asked. In the event of an emergency, it could be the difference between life and death.”
“As a pet health insurer, we see many injuries that could have been avoided,” says Stephen Ebbett, President of Protect Your Bubble. “Believe it or not, ninety two percent of pets will experience a severe accident or emergency in their lifetime. We believe that an emergency recall command can save our pet-loving customers a lot of heartache. It’s not a very well known command, so we want to spread the word. It’s a great goal for 2013 – teach your pet this one life-saving thing.”
If you don’t already use an emergency recall command and you’ve trained your dog to do other tasks, this command can be taught by using positive reinforcement and repetition. If you’re not comfortable training your dog, Protect Your Bubble recommends searching for a certified trainer in your area and finding one with whom you and your pooch are comfortable. And remember, for those with a Protect Your Bubble pet health insurance policy, behaviorists can be covered under certain policies, so give us a call to find out (toll free 1-855-792-7387). Training this command will help ensure a healthy and happy year with your beloved furry family members.
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Protect Your Bubble is available online, via mobile app or phone, and allows consumers to understand, buy and protect what’s most important to them. The insurance company offers the following types of insurance plans: Pet, Car Rental Insurance, Travel and Gadget. Pet plans provide up to 90 percent reimbursement for covered vet charges for eligible accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions and behavioral treatments and alternative therapies. They allow owners to visit any licensed vet in the country. Additionally, annual deductible options start at $100 which only need to be met once per plan year.
This is a sponsored post for LIPetPlace.com to teach a life saving command to your dog.
by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.comn
The 137th Westminster Kennel Club dog show is the super bowl of dog shows, while I have been to Westminster many times before, this is the first time I have been at the evening Best in Show. Talk about the air being electric with excitement throughout the crowd, the handlers and even the dogs were jumping around the ring. As dog owner, I love all breeds of dogs, my first dog was a mixed breed dog, a cock-a-poo from an oops litter…from a neighbor, then owning a Doberman as an adult and a Pit Bull (Max!). But seeing so many different breeds in one place at one time is any dog lovers dream whether you covet a lovely mixed breed or have a purebred, doesn’t matter to me – love ’em all. And the funny thing is, it never gets old – Westminster is the place to be if you want to see hundreds of different breeds. And as sporting events go, the crowd was doing the ‘wave’ during the commercial break before the best in show!
If you have never been to Westminster, live in the tri-state area and love dogs – this is a must do event. It is well worth the trip. You can talk to the owners-breeders-handlers of the dogs entered, and if you are someone who is looking to adopt a purebred dog, this is a great place to learn about the breed and find out if the breed you were thinking is for you. Then of course, contact your local animal shelter as many, many purebreds are there waiting for you.
This year Las Vegas took odds on the Doberman winning the Best in Show…of course I am typing this as I sit in the press area on the floor and I am really pulling for Fifi the Doberman to win…but if an American Staffordshire Terrier wins the Terrier group then I will be really happy if the AmStaff wins. (neither won… 🙁 )
People come from all over the world, as well as right here on Long Island and the tri-state area to compete, to be spectators and to cover the event. This year the show was at the Piers during the day, and at Madison Square Garden at night. I was originally not planning on going to the piers, but after downloading the Westminster app to my phone, (which was an awesome tool by the way!), I saw that there were shuttle buses, and wow did they run smoothly. Kudos to the organizers!
This show unlike some of the even smaller local outdoor shows, you can walk through the benching area, see the dogs getting groomed, and get up very close to watch them compete for their best of breed during the day time. It’s quite an experience.
This cutie in the benching area holding his favorite toy and posing for the camera!
The excitement of best in show really builds when the lights go down and the dogs come out one by one with the spot light on them. Tonight when the Old English Sheepdog came out the thunderous cheer in the Garden was deafening. Talk about dog lovers in the crowd! The Affenpinscher also got an the crowd going nuts…and just like that the Old English Sheepdog got Reserve Best in Show, the first time this was awarded at Westminster, and Banana Joe the Affenpinscher won Best in Show. It just so happened that his owner, a young women was standing behind me in the press area, and when he won, she was greeted by hugs and cheers from friends and family and was shedding happy tears. Years of work go into a BIS dog and years of competition, it was a sweet moment to see up close. Congratulations to Banana Joe and to every single dog who competed in the 2 day event.
Banana Joe the Affenpinscher takes Best in Show!
Duck Tolling Retriever
Click HERE to see tons of additional Photos!
by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
The 2nd annual DoggyBowl was held yesterday at the Petco in Glen Cove, hosted by the Smushed Face Meetup group run by Heather Lehrman of In Home Pet Services of Nassau’s Gold Coast. What is a smushed face you ask? Adorable French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and a few other breeds that have, well a smushed face! While their owners tailgated, the pups – dressed in their favorite team football jersey’s – ran around and tackled each other while trying not to fumble the ball! The event was also a fundraiser for the Glen Cove Animal Lovers League, where owners made donations for pictures taken on site for the rescue group.
Frenchies vs. Boston Terriers!
Pierre sniffs out Bear
Lilly in her Giants dress!
Robyn Elman, Founder & President of In Home Pet Services, and Heather Lehrman of IHPS of Nasssau’s Gold Coast with Herbie.
More tackles!
BOL!! Very close up of this Pug who would not stop moving! A bit blurry!
Pek mix cutie!
Chicken may not be a smushed face but he was having a blast!
And Gracie at her first meetup!
Snow Dogs! ...
By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
What is better to do on a freezing cold Saturday? Bring your dog to the park so they can romp in the snow of course! The park wasn’t that crowded but here are a few adorable dogs that were lucky to be taking for a walk in the snow.
Look at this big Berner! Dante, what a sweetie!
Didn’t get this big fella’s name, he is smiling for the camera no less.
Lester the Doxie was keeping warm in his dog coat, style circa 1980s! Too cute!
Love those eyes! Just stand out so much more in the snow, don’t ya think?
This girl was just a pup at a year old! Pretty redhead. 🙂
Do you know where this is?
This girl was so sweet, a mix breed of beauty! Another redhead…hmmm a theme going on today?
This sweet Shiba was 14 and didn’t want to look at the camera – but is sister to the above dog, and another redhead!
Ok, so not a dog, but pretty…
Olivia!
Olivia, the sweet 13 year old CCI dog!
Look how pretty!
And of course, my Max!
by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
While many of us who treat our dogs like kings, (or queens) may never understand why any dog owner would treat their dog this way. For some it is the way they were raised, their culture (where dogs are considered outside animals), or just lack of education on dog care – and for many it is a lack of money to properly care for their pets – but many of the owners say they do actually love their dogs. I know what you are thinking, but many rescue groups that work in these communities report that educating the dog owners, and helping them is what helps people see the light and bring their dogs inside, get them spayed and neutered and want to learn more about dog care. And many are willing to do this because they have been shown a better way by kind dedicated people who want to help. These unbelievably amazing rescue groups who instead of going and telling the people in the communities everything they are doing wrong, they go in to help the dogs, educate the owners and families and even the communities in which they reside. Often the animal rescue groups often end up helping the the humans in the families too, just an incredible bunch of volunteers.
I have said for years, that education is the key to anything in life, and if it goes to help the dogs in these photo’s and their owners – I applaud the groups like, Almost Home’s Training Wheels Program and Break the Chain.
So if you are sitting there reading this and want to know how you can help Almost Home needs hay and you can contact them by clicking here and the sooner the better with Hay for our temperatures are going to stay very cold for the next 5 days. The difference in a donation of hay and/or a dog house, can mean the difference in a dog living through this extreme cold. Both groups are always in need of donations throughout the year, please contact them to help! See end of this article for locations to drop off donations for Break the Chain.
Photo Credit: Almost Home Training Wheels Program
This picture was just taken recently in a community on Long Island, not somewhere in the south or in the middle of the country, but right in our own backyard. As a dog owner, who’s dog has four different dog beds, one upstairs, downstairs and two in my office – I can’t imagine the thought of tying my dog up, and leaving him out side with just a dog house to survive the frigid temperatures we are having. It was 9 degrees when I woke up at 7am today and when my dog went out, he was out for a quick minute and was shivering when he came back in. However what you may not realize is that the dog picture here is allowed to legally be kept outside like this. Why? According to the NYS Agriculture and Markets Article 26, the dog owner has to provide proper shelter to keep the dog from inclement weather with proper insulation, (like the igloo dog house picture here), hay or straw to help keep him warm, fresh food and water to be keep outside. So by law, the owner of dogs like this, are abiding the NYS law.
NYS Agriculture & Markets Law:
§ 353-b. Appropriate shelter for dogs left outdoors. 1. For purposes of this section:
(a) “Physical condition” shall include any special medical needs of a dog due to disease, illness, injury, age or breed about which the owner or person with custody or control of the dog should reasonably be aware.
(b) “Inclement weather” shall mean weather conditions that are likely to adversely affect the health or safety of the dog, including but not limited to rain, sleet, ice, snow, wind, or extreme heat and cold.
(c) “Dogs that are left outdoors” shall mean dogs that are outdoors in inclement weather without ready access to, or the ability to enter, a house, apartment building, office building, or any other permanent structure that complies with the standards enumerated in paragraph (b) of subdivision three of this section.
2. (a) Any person who owns or has custody or control of a dog that is left outdoors shall provide it with shelter appropriate to its breed, physical condition and the climate. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation,
Article 26 AGM 01/11
punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for a first offense, and a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars for a second and subsequent offenses. Beginning seventy-two hours after a charge of violating this section, each day that a defendant fails to correct the deficiencies in the dog shelter for a dog that he or she owns or that is
in his or her custody or control and that is left outdoors, so as to bring it into compliance with the provisions of this section shall constitute a separate offense.
(b) The court may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of any fine imposed for a violation of this section by the amount which the defendant proves he or she has spent providing a dog shelter or repairing an existing dog shelter so that it complies with the requirements of this section. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the seizure of a dog for a violation of this section pursuant to the authority granted in this article.
3. Minimum standards for determining whether shelter is appropriate to a dog’s breed, physical condition and the climate shall include:
(a) For dogs that are restrained in any manner outdoors, shade by natural or artificial means to protect the dog from direct sunlight at all times when exposure to sunlight is likely to threaten the health of the dog.
(b) For all dogs that are left outdoors in inclement weather, a
housing facility, which must: (1) have a waterproof roof; (2) be structurally sound with insulation appropriate to local climatic conditions and sufficient to protect the dog from inclement weather; (3)
be constructed to allow each dog adequate freedom of movement to make normal postural adjustments, including the ability to stand up, turn around and lie down with its limbs outstretched; and (4) allow for effective removal of excretions, other waste material; dirt and trash.
The housing facility and the area immediately surrounding it shall be regularly cleaned to maintain a healthy and sanitary environment and to minimize health hazards.
4. Inadequate shelter may be indicated by the appearance of the housing facility itself, including but not limited to, size, structural soundness, evidence of crowding within the housing facility, healthful environment in the area immediately surrounding such facility, or by the appearance or physical condition of the dog.
5. Upon a finding of any violation of this section, any dog or dogs
Article 26 AGM 01/11
seized pursuant to the provisions of this article that have not been voluntarily surrendered by the owner or custodian or forfeited pursuant to court order shall be returned to the owner or custodian only upon proof that appropriate shelter as required by this section is being provided.
6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any protections afforded to dogs or other animals under any other provisions of this article
You can drop off donations for Break the Chain to the following locations, they always need dog food, bully sticks, hay and contact them to find out what else can be donated:
Armellino’s
Melville Rd. Huntington Station
Directly across Jericho Turnpike from Peter Andrews
9 Cliff Ave.
Sayville, NY 11782
151 Pine Acres Blvd.
Deer Park, NY 11729
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