Pet Blog By Bocci @ Bocci's Beefs: The Dog Whisperer

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Monday, October 03, 2016

National Walk Your Dog Week!

Are ya followin' me, Parental Unit?

Yes, you heard that right, it's National Walk Your Dog Week! And what better time than fall, with it's cool, crisp sunny days, crunchy leaves underfoot and the smell of cider in the air to take long, leisurely walks with your pup? (You do have cool, crisp sunny days, don't you...unlike the warm-ish, humid and dank days we're having here.) Regardless of your weather, check out some special ways to celebrate with your dog this week.

You know we've always advocated twice daily, as-long-as-you-can-muster walks with your four-legged best friend—you know it's great physical and mental exercise for both of you!

And before you go, check out these tips for getting the most out of walking with your dog from Cesar Millan, the "king" of the dog walk! You can even learn the basics of meditation on your walks, by trying to "experience what is around you without thinking it about it in words." Parental Unit says she's going to try that on our next walk tomorrow morning—along with some strong coffee...

Let us know how you plan to celebrate this special week with your pooch—we'd love to hear the stories of your walks!

Professional Dog Walkers Have A Secret Language

Did you ever wonder what professional dog walkers said about their clients—both the dogs and the dog's owners? Well, neither did we...until we saw this clever "Walkie Talkie" chart in today's New York Times. The author divides his "secret language chart" into the following categories: Types of Dog, Equipment, Technique, The Biz, and Clients, with examples of dog walkers' code language for each category. For example, an "N.D.F." is a "Not Dog Friendly" dog, "Belly Rub Tax", describes "The extensive petting a dog demands before it is prepared to get up and walk", and to describe clients who are fans of the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, the code word is "Cesaritis".

I've never had a dog walker, professional or otherwise (just Parental Unit and one friend), but I have no doubt these folks have lots to chat about...in code, of course!

Hmmm. I think I'd be called a "Puller" or "Marker". What about you?

Sweet photo of me by John Clark.

"LIving With Your Pet" Tips: Finding The Right Veterinarian

Me and my vet, Dr. Mike

Since we've written just recently about the importance of regular vet checkups, we thought it was important to share these strategies for choosing the right veterinarian for you and your family, courtesy of Cesar's Way. We think they really hit the mark!

Let's put it this way: While convenience (proximity to your home and extended office hours), along with pricing are important, you should also consider several more substantive factors. For example, why not schedule a brief consultation prior to a full-blown office visit, so you can see how your pets react to the office atmosphere, the vet techs and staff and the veterinarian. Bring a short list of questions so you can get an idea of the vet's philosophies on wellness care and disease treatment.

And here's our special recommendation: Ask what the office policy is for emergencies that occur during regular office hours. It's important to know whether you'll be able to rush your pet in for a minor emergency and be treated promptly.

You might also want to get recommendations from friends, local breeders or shelters and rescues, and interview several veterinarians. While you can always change vets, you don't want to have to do so because of a spat or a lack of comfortable rapport between you. So it's best to choose carefully the first time around.

Let us know how you chose your pets' veterinarian and any tips you might add to our list. We'd love to hear your stories!

Sunday's "Living With Your Pet" Tips: The Myths Surrounding Spay/ Neuter

Do I look fat or unhappy? Fabulous photo of me by Rachel Lauren Photography

It's hard to believe that many of us in the U.S. and around the world, still believe that spaying or neutering your dog will make your dog feel bad about himself in someway (no longer a stud/can't have babies) or cause weight gain. Many also believe that it's expensive. None of these statements is true!

What is factual is that millions of dogs worldwide are killed because they can't find homes, which directly ties to overpopulation caused by failure to spay or neuter companion animals. In honor of Spay/Neuter Awareness Month—World Spay Day in this Tuesday, February 25—Cesar Millan has tackled the problem of pet overpopulation by dispelling the top four myths surrounding spay/neuter.

These myths seem to spring from humans' projection of their feelings onto their dogs. As Cesar says, "Dogs don't raise a puppy for 18 years or dream of their puppy's wedding," so they're probably not mourning their inability to bear offspring, for example. Whatever the basis for these myths, education is the best antidote.

What will you do to celebrate World Spay Day?

Sunday's "Living With Your Pet" Tips: The Canine Bill Of Rights

Photo of Cesar Millan with the copy of the U.S. Constitution he received when he became a U.S. citizen.

Did you know that today is officially, by Presidential Proclamation, the Bill of Rights Day? And Cesar Millan has chosen today to issue his own Canine Bill of Rights, 10 "freedoms" for dogs of all nationalities. How about "The Right To Be Respected As a Living Being" or "The Right To Never Be Abandoned" or even, "The Right To Be A Dog", among others? Do you think these are "rights" that every dog in the world should have? We do!

And spend a few minutes to take a closer look at how Mr. Millan explains these rights. For example, when you buy or adopt a puppy or dog, it's for life. This means that if a dog has behavioral issues, you, the owner, owe it to your dog to help him or her work through those issues, rather than, say, return them to the shelter or dump them on the road. Even though this advice seems pretty obvious, it probably happens thousands of times a day in this country alone. One of our favorites is "The Right To Be A Dog". As Millan says: "We don't do our dogs any favors by treating them like human children. They neither expect nor can handle such responsibility."

Although the words of this Canine Bill of Rights are fairly clear on their face, how they play out in practical application and how intertwined each of them are is what's most interesting to us. It takes a lot of time and patience to properly train and socialize a dog (granted, some dogs are easier than others!). But the more time you devote to creating a "balanced" dog, through exercise discipline and affection, the more time you spend making sure that your dog is free of anxiety and unacceptable behaviors, the more places you and your dog can enjoy together—see Right #9, The Right To Take Part In Our World.

Let us know what you think of Cesar's Canine Bill of Rights!

Sunday's "Living With Your Pet" Tips: Why Daily Walks With Your Dog Are So Important

Fabulous photo of me by John Clark of Clark Creative

We're going to court a little controversy here, because we realize that the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, is not everyone's cup of tea. But as you've read here before, we believe that he's brought paradigm change to the dog world. In other words (and this is from Parental Unit's perspective), he's given us an entirely new approach to dealing with our dogs: "exercise, discipline and affection, in that order". And he also emphasizes the need to set "rules, boundaries and limitations" with your dogs, so they have some structure. But it's not always easy to understand what those words mean in practice, unless you've read his books and listened to him explain his philosophies-and then try them out to the best of your abilities with your own dog.

One of the reasons his message has resonated so deeply with Parental Unit is that she realized (pretty much after the fact) that it was her inaction that led her beloved dog, Carson, to such orneriness-and that led to, shall we say, unwanted behaviors, like him scarfing down indigestible objects resulting in four (or five) surgeries. Yes, she took him for daily walks, but they were too short-he simply was confined to the house too much to drain off his energy-and that energy went elsewhere. And at that point in her life, she didn't take the time to give him those "rules boundaries and limitations" that ironically, would have made his life much more expansive. Although she can't change the past and give Carson a better life, she can, and has, taken the time to give me lots of physical and mental exercise each day...but entrenched behaviors are difficult to change and she's still working on it!

We think this explanation from Cesar about why the daily walks with your dog are so important (he calls it: "The Need To Keep Moving") will help to motivate you to make nice long walks at least a once or twice a day ritual. Have fun!

Sunday's "Living With Your Pet" Tips: Be A Good Pet "Parent"

Fabulous photo of me by John Clark of Clark Creative

On Father's Day, we thought we'd share ideas (rather than tips) from a guy who's both a human parent and a pack leader: Cesar Millan. If you receive his newsletters like we do, you'll notice that while his focus is always dogs, his message extends beyond canines to both humans and our larger world. In today's newsletter, he discusses the differences between the role fathers play in human and canine packs-and those roles are significantly different.

He also reminds us that as much as we love our dogs and have made them part of our families, we're still two very different species, and you're really not doing your beloved pooch any favors by treating them like a human child. "Let dogs be dogs," Cesar says. And we couldn't agree more.

So what are you dogs and cats doing to help your humans celebrate Father's Day (while still being true to your species, of course)? Let us know!

Sunday's "Living With Your Pet" Tips": Housebreaking A Puppymill Dog

Fabulous photo of me by John Clark of Clark Creative

We think these strategies from Cesar's Way, specifically designed for housebreaking a dog rescued from a puppy mill, are thoughtful, and with a lot of patience, seem (fairly) easy to accomplish. Sheri Lucas, who wrote these tips, is a dog trainer and rehabilitation expert and operates a humane society called "Second Chance at Love". She also has trained with Cesar Millan for many years.

And it seems that strategies like "closely supervising your dog" and taking him or her outside as soon as you see sniffing and circling behavior, rewarding your pooch after eliminating outside, and maintaining calm, assertive energy throughout the process would work for any puppy or adult dog new to your home, regardless of their past. The article also includes several links with related training tips that we think round out the basics for bringing a new dog into your home.

We hope you find this information helpful...and always remember to have patience with your pets. You know, not all dogs can read and write like I can, so they may need a little extra help to learn even basic commands, especially those with a puppy mill background. Whoever said "patience is a virtue" sure was right!

Sunday's "Living With Your Pet Tips": When Your Aging Dog Loses His Eyesight Or Hearing...

Actually, it doesn't have to be an aging dog who lose his or her sight or hearing, it's just more common-and more expected-just like it is with humans. Take Parental Unit for example: She's already wearing reading glasses over her bifocal contacts and can't hear a word her students say in class...but I digress from the important tips offered in this article from Cesar's Way.

It not only lays out the typical symptoms of both eyesight and hearing loss in canines, it also provides numerous thoughtful, gentle ways to help your pooch cope as these senses diminish. It fact, with the proper care and help transitioning, most dogs with even significant eyesight and hearing loss can enjoy their normal routines...with a bit of help and caring from their Parental Units.

We hope you enjoy these tips and your Sunday!

Sunday/Monday, "Living With Your Pet Tips": How to Choose Pet Health Insurance

It turns out that to wisely choose pet insurance, you have to do "due diligence", including research among the policies, reading the fine print and finding out information the old fashioned way, by asking direct questions of the insurance company representatives-just like you do when choosing among human health insurance policies.

But it sure helps to know what to look for at the start, and this detailed discussion from Cesar's Way provides what you need to know to start your search. And the good news: it doesn't seem to be nearly as expensive as human health insurance. According to this piece, "dog owners can expect to pay between $15 a month for a basic plan to about $75 for the most comprehensive coverage. [And] Most policies will reimburse 80-90 percent of a claim."

Now that doesn't sound too bad to us, considering that Parental Unit paid $12,000 total for five surgeries and one mini dialysis for my predecessor, the ornery wire fox terrier, Carson. As soon as she can afford her own health insurance or obtains a full-time job that provides it, she vows to cover me and Bella!

Sweet Carson, pre surgeries...

How about you? We'd love to know how many of our pet owning friends have either invested in pet health insurance or wish they had!

(Almost Wordless Wednesday)...And World Stray Animal Day

We'd like to take today's (supposedly) Wordless Wednesday post to promote a worthy cause: World Stray Animal Day, which conveniently, is... today! This day is especially near and dear to my heart, because I was a stray once, too. According to records kept by the shelter, I was found, collarless, roaming on the highway next to the shelter. And Parental Unit noticed that for the first few months after she adopted me, I showed a "strong desire" to explore dumpsters and trash cans...hmmm.

Photo of me on the day I arrived in my forever home (see Bella hiding under the coffee table-ha!)

It wasn't until the fall of 2010 that over 100, Dutch stray animal organizations came up with the idea for a special day to draw attention to the plight of stray animals worldwide, and to encourage folks to take a few minutes out of their day to perform one small act to call attention to this day, help a stray animal (or two or three), or whatever individuals feel they can do.

And this initiative was super successful in its first year (April 2011)-events were organized in 15 countries-so the momentum for this year is already in place. And it turns out that Cesar Millan is this year's ambassador for World Stray Animals Day (see our Facebook post with Cesar's video here). And you're sure to enjoy reading this interview with the founders of World Stray Animals Day on Cesar's Way.

We hope each of you will do one small thing to help the world's stray animals today! As always, thanks for your support.

And while you're here, why not join the fabulous BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Hop and make a few (hundred) new friends...?

P.S. Stay tuned for a very special post coming bright and early tomorrow morning!

More "Living With Your Pet" Tips And A Very Special Video

We're a tad late in getting these "Easy Like Sunday Morning" pet tips to you today-it''s more like, "Easy Like Late Sunday Afternoon"! But pull up a chair and enjoy reading this important overview of spot-on flea and tick control from one of our favorite holistic veterinarians, Dr. Karen Becker. Although Dr. Becker has some serious concerns about these medications, she realizes that they may be necessary in some situations and provides practical tips to minimize your pet's exposure to them.

Speaking for Parental Unit and me (don't I always?), these monthly flea and tick control medications have been real lifesavers for us here in the hot, humid Midwest. Parental Unit remembers the "old days" when pets and their frustrated owners only had those smelly flea collars, which she swears to this day, attracted, not repelled the fleas. And she also not-so-fondly recalls having to "bomb" her apartment after one particularly nasty flea infestation. But the fact remains that you pet parents are applying insecticides directly to our skin, so not only should precautions be taken, but the applications themselves should be minimized to the best of our combined abilities. And Dr. Becker's tips provide invaluable ways to do just that.

And in today's edition of Cesar Millan's newsletter, he's written a beautiful story about the effects of bullying on today's youth, told through the eyes of a very special 14 year old boy, and Cesar himself.

Photo of Cesar Millan and Junior courtesy of Cesar's Way

It's hard to believe that the calm, assertive Dog Whisperer himself was ever bullied, but indeed he was, as he recounts in this very personal story. But he's helping others stand strong against bullying with the It Gets Better Project and video-and we think this is great! Enjoy the video below:

http://www.cesarsway.com/newsandevents/cesarsblog/Cesar-Millan-It-Gets-Better

Cesar Millan's Show!

I'm going to turn this post over to Parental Unit, since she's the one who was lucky enough to see Cesar Millan's live tour last night (the only canine there was Cesar's dog, Junior, and I hear that he wowed the audience just like Cesar!)

Now, most of you know that I've been a huge fan of the Dog Whisperer for many years now, and I think he's a real game changer-he taught me and millions of others to think in a totally different way about our relationship with our dogs. Although I've benefited from this knowledge, the real winner is Bocci and the other dogs I come into contact with-I've learned to respect dogs (yes, I still call Bocci my furry best friend), for the glorious species that they are, not as an extension of me or like a human companion. So, I do my best to fulfill his needs first-and that starts with lots of exercise, every day-but that's the easy part. For me, it's difficult to consistently set the "rules, boundaries and limitations", i.e., discipline, that I know will benefit him. As Cesar said during the show, "discipline is not punishment", it's more like leadership-and you're in charge of giving your dog the direction and fulfillment he or she craves.

Now let's get to the show!
Here I am arriving at the Palace Theater in downtown Columbus...What? No red carpet?

In an earlier post, we mentioned that a reporter described the audience as roaring with laughter during most of Cesar's show in Providence, Rhode Island, and we couldn't quite figure out why-we knew from his show and interviews that the guy has a good sense of humor, but keeping the audience in stitches for two hours?
Well, I can assure you that there wasn't a dry eye in the house in Columbus either-the audience, including me, howled (you'll pardon the pun) pretty much straight through the program. Who knew that Cesar could expertly do different "voices', both human and dog, and act out all the parts in his stories-from the hyper-excited gal spotting a beautiful Golden Retriever on a walk, to Cesar's first clients, who thought shrieking and hiding their dog in the bathroom were the appropriate response when a visitor (in this case, Cesar) knocked on their door?

But these wildly funny stories told us about ourselves and our sometimes unsteady emotional states, and how we transfer this imbalance to our pets-then claim that it's the dog who is having problems or misbehaving.

Note: We don't have photographs taken during the actual program because, well, we were not supposed to take pictures during the show, and I wanted to respect that rule (although many in the audience were snapping away.) The downside is that we didn't get a photo of Junior, who was joyful throughout. Cesar pretty much let him do what he wanted, with the stage as his boundary. He made his way on several occasions to one of the theater staff standing right against the stage to give his face a good lick, and then gave himself a hearty roll on his back that had the audience cooing in unison.

So here's a picture of the empty stage taken before the show...glad they don't send me on the road, eh?

Although I've watched nearly every episode of Cesar's TV show, read his books, and have read and seen numerous interviews with him, I still learned a lot from this show-somehow the stories he told helped to deepen what I already knew, and gave me renewed energy to put that knowledge into practice. And I think seeing Junior and Cesar interact for those two hours sealed the deal-what a gorgeous relationship-so clearly based on mutual trust, respect and love. Don't we all want that kind of bond with our dogs?
At the end of the program, the audience spontaneously gave Cesar and Junior a well-deserved standing ovation-and they were still laughing!

Here are a few (not very good) photos of Cesar and fans taken at the "meet and greet" after the show.

Cesar with his arms around two fans, and his lovely assistant, Allegra, off to the side.

The woman nearest Cesar on his right in this photo is the mother of one of his employees-her son designs his website and edits the video content for the site. According to his mom, he loves his job!

And last but not least is yours truly and Cesar!

We hope you all get the opportunity to see Cesar Millan's live tour-check out his remaining tour dates in the U.S. and Europe here: www.cesarsway.com/news/appearances/Fall-Winter-US-Speaking-Tour Announced

Once again this year, our friends Carrie, from All Things Dog Blog and Paris and John from DogTipper have teamed up to host a "dogs only" Super Bowl party extraordinaire. They've aptly dubbed in "Super Dog Sunday"-ha! Just check out their sites to participate and you, too, could win some grand prizes-the list will make you drool (or at least make your pup drool!).

Their sponsors will be donating proceeds to this year's charity recipient, Petfinder.com, so it's a win-win-win situation! You can also link up with their Super Sunday Blog Hop below to join in the fun-today's just one big party!

P.S. Stay tuned here at Bocci's Beefs for our round-up, with pictures aplenty, from our fabulous evening out at Cesar Millan's show-we'll be posting in just a few more hours...

Saturday Pet Blogger Hop And "Timmy's Weekly Disaster" Contest!

Happy Saturday to everyone-and whadayasay we go hoppin' right away?!
We'll meet at the Old Elm Tree, chase some squirrels, and then visit everyones' blogs together-how does that sound? And if Timmy is so excited to see Cesar Millan's show tonight in Columbus, Ohio, that he refuses to leave the house (or is that Parental Unit?), so be it! We're chasing squirrels and blog hopping!

Photo by www.rachellaurenphotography.com

Here are just a few, easy-to-follow rules for joining this hop:

__ Use the Linky tool provided to sign up. Note: if your blog is not pet-related it will be removed from the list.

__Follow the three hosts at the top of the list (and while you're at it, follow us-we'd appreciate it!)

__ Peruse these fabulous blogs and follow and comment as you desire.

A hearty congrats to our Week 45 winner! And don't forget to enter our "Timmy's Weekly Disaster" contest next week. Here's the initial write-up of the contest to get you started: boccibeefs.blogspot.com/2011/03/announcing-fun-contest.html.
We had a hard time choosing among all of the excellent (and hilarious) submissions-thanks! Just click on Timmy's red text above and congratulate the winner yourself! (Notice anything suspicious here?) Feel free to enter on our Facebook page-it's easy and fun: www.facebook.com/pages/Boccis-Beefs/190090017696328.

P.S. Don't forget to check out our coverage of The Dog Whisperer's show tonight on Facebook and Twitter-and stop back here tomorrow for a full recap!

Boo, Schmoo: Halloween Safety Tips For Your Pet

We all want to have a little bit of extra fun with our pets on Halloween-that's what the holiday is all about, right? Well, yes, but...we should be extra careful during the days before, during and after Halloween, because our four legged friends aren't aware of some of the special hazards to them like we are, or like we should be if we're responsible pet owners.

So before you start your Halloween festivities, please take a few minutes to read this round-up of safety tips from reliable pet resources and incorporate them into your daily routine, as necessary.

From Martha Stewart's top veterinary consultant, Dr. Pia Salk (yes, her uncle, Dr. Jonas Salk, developed the polio vaccine), the ASPCA, Dog Fancy Magazine and last but certainly not least, Cesar Millan, this advice discusses the full range of possible safety issues, including cats as escape artists, the dangers of candy and even whether we should "dress up" our pets at all.

Photo courtesy of Cesar's Way

Dr. Salk's tips are extremely practical- "I" is for Indoors and Identification! - and include her popular tips from last year as well as a new update:
dailywag.marthastewart.com/2011/10/halloween-hazards-part-1-2.html and dailywag.marthastewart.com/2011/10/halloween-hazards-part-2-2.html

The ASPCA's Top Ten Halloween Safety Tips, www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/halloween-safety-tips.aspx, put a new spin on what "trick or treat" really means, for both you and your pet: Can you say, electrical wires and real candles in pumpkins?

Dog Fancy adds a bit more detail about the "whys" and the "why nots" of candy, pumpkins and costumes, oh my! www.dogchannel.com/dog-news/2011/10/18/haunting-halloween-hazards-for-your-dog.aspx?cm_mmc=5033597

And our favorite and (the one and only) Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, share his thoughts, along with other dog behavior experts, about dressing up your pooch for Halloween. Hint: Know your dog! Some actually like it, but some don't, and for good reason. www.cesarsway.com/newsandevents/dognews/Should-We-Dress-Up-Our-Dogs-on-Halloween?utm_source=mobilestorm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=halloween

We hope you enjoy reading this information and have a fun and safe Halloween!

P.S. Look forward to pictures aplenty from our foray into a big spooky party, when we enter our neighborhood's Halloween Pet Parade this Sunday...

Bad Dogs!

Or so they're made to appear on a new TV show that premiered on Animal Planet just last Saturday. As I'm sure you've noticed, most of the successful dog rehabilitation/training shows have focused on the dog and his or her owner working together to remedy the dogs' errant behavior. (One of our personal favorites is The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan).

Photo of some of the offending dogs featured on the program courtesy of Animal planet via The New York Times

But this new show, aptly titled, "Bad Dog!" lets the canines have their way, and then celebrates all of this wild behavior by posting the offending dogs, and all their wild ways, on You-Tube. As this review in a recent New York Times said, "Animal Planet has run up the white flag on Saturday night. The dogs have won...the battle against growling, biting, territory marking, furniture ripping and garden-bed digging is unwinnable."

We're not fans of this type of show (although in all fairness, we didn't see it). We don't think programs should feature dogs that exhibit out-of-control behavior without some sort of attempt to remedy that behavior, because it's often that type of behavior that gets a dog sent to a shelter or, say, dumped out of a moving car. But what do you think? We'd love to hear your ideas!

Bocci's Monday Musings' Round-Up!

First, thanks to all who took the time to leave such detailed comments-we love it!

Photo of me by: Rachel Lauren Photography

Now, let's get down to business. We technically had 10 comments and they were divided evenly between options #3 and #4. Let me explain: If Parental Unit had the self-control, dog observational skills, and consistently radiated calm, assertive energy, like say, the Dog Whisperer, she probably would have chosen #4, which on the surface, appears to be the best choice. But keep in mind, Parental Unit knows that I stiffen up and put out weird vibes around dogs who are bigger than I, and this was a stray pit bull with no owner to intervene in a possible confrontation. I think Rachel's comment (#4) explains my reasoning very well.

So Parental Unit did in fact stamp her foot and shoo the dog away-she had to do that several times until the dog finally left. But when she saw that the poor dog was afraid and cowered a bit from the "shooing" she felt like a real creep! By the way, the dog actually seemed friendly and was really beautiful- white with black markings, so Parental Unit felt even more terrible.

As soon as I was dried off, Parental Unit inexplicably ran outside again in the downpour to see if the dog was anywhere in sight-but no luck (What she would have done if she found him is a mystery to me).
As soon as she was somewhat dry, she called animal control to report the wandering pooch. For what it's worth, the kind staffer at animal control did think Parental Unit did the right thing by putting my safety and her own first...

The winner is...well, it's probably a tie between Rachel (comment #4) and Peggy (comment #9), but Parental Unit always worries about an off leash dog getting hit by a car and made that exact comment to animal control. She also gave me a biscuit right after my toweling off because she knows I hate it!

So the winner is Peggy Frezon, author of that fabulous blog, Peggy's Pet Place. Congrats to Peggy!
If Peggy will kindly send us her snail mail address, we'll mail her the Innova coupon for a free bag of dog or cat food-a $17.00 value!

As always, thanks for sharing your comments with us.

Flying The Friendly Skies...With Your Pet

In the Travel Section of today's New York Times, there's a fabulous article that discusses the "how to's" of flying with your pet, including preparation, prices, what can go wrong ("Incidents of animals being lost, injured or dying have recently risen"), and even separate pet airlines and pet "vacation" alternatives are thoroughly vetted.

Here's a quick summary of the article's tips:

1. Make sure you have the right carrier: the required dimensions vary by airline and size of plane-and some are determined by individual flight, so it's best to contact the reservation desk.

2. Book early: airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin, for example.

3.Prepare your pet for travel: according to The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, who's now the pet travel expert for the Best Western hotel chain, you should "acclimate your pet to the carrier by placing it on the floor of the car so the pet can feel the vibration as it will on a plane, ...use lavender oil as an 'association scent' to help your pet relax on the plane...and take your dog for an extra-long walk or run to help drain his energy before the flight."

4. Check out "pet only flights" provided by Pet Airways, that currently serves nine destinations across the U.S.

5. Give your pet its own vacation: Remember those upscale pet "spas", conveniently located near airports, that we talked about in this post: boccibeefs.blogspot.com/2011/05/posh-pet-accommodations-for-travelers.html? Well, they're mentioned here as an alternative to taking your four-legged buddy with you.

Read and enjoy the full article here: travel.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/travel/what-to-know-when-traveling-with-your-pet-practical-traveler.html?hpw. Don't forget to "big-ify" the clever drawing that accompanies the article).

And speaking of flying...for the first time that Parental Unit can recall, there's a Robin's nest in our Crab Apple tree with four babies that are soon to take flight-without much preparation or even a ticket! But we're sure that along with plenty of worms, they've gotten excellent words of wisdom from their mom. When I saw Parental Unit's ample butt stuffed through the upstairs window, I couldn't imagine what she was doing-but here are the photos to prove her sanity.

Isn't the nest gorgeous? A work of art!

The State Of Shelters Across The U.S.

As Parental Unit and I were perusing our Sunday edition of Cesar's Way, we noticed a detailed and enlightening article by Cesar Millan that discusses the state of animal shelters across the United States. It certainly helped us put in perspective the relationship between the number of total dogs, the number of dogs in shelters, and the relationship of spaying/neutering to our country's problem of overcrowded shelters. When the statistics are presented together, it's a devasting picture for both our companion animals and the people who love them. But there's lots we can do to reverse this situation, and this article also gives us practical ways to help.

Here's the beginning of what Cesar has dubbed his "State of the Shelter Address":

This week, President Obama delivered his State of the Union address. We felt it was an appropriate time to take stock of what’s going on in our animal shelters around the country and give you a fair and honest picture of what’s working, what’s not, and how you can help. After all, it’s not about asking what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

It has been my mission through the Millan Foundation to create and deliver community education programs and promote animal welfare by supporting the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of abused and abandoned dogs. Every year approximately 5 to 7 million animals enter our shelters, and 3 to 5 million are euthanized. This means about 60 percent of the dogs in our shelters will be killed. While those numbers vary from state to state, this is the broad scope of the State of our Shelters, which we are sad to report, is mediocre at best.

Read the full article here: www.cesarsway.com/news/dognews/State-of-the-Shelter-Address?utm_source=mobilestorm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Jan11NL_5

As you all know, I spent some time in a shelter myself, but was lucky enough to be adopted after only a few days. Here I am making myself comfortable on Parental Unit's new rug within a few hours of arriving in my forever home.