Pet Tails

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Recently I have had to hear about two clients that had to make that decision to let go of their pet due to illness or age.  This is never an easy decision nor one that is taken lightly, and I have been there a number of times also in my life and it doesn’t matter if it is the first time you have had to do this or the 10^th time it is never easy to deal with.

Sometimes you may have no choice to make and your pet may pass on their own, which also is not an easy situation.  But often what has happened is I get asked by some of my clients “What should I do?” or “What would you do?”  My answer is not what a client may want to hear, but it also a realistic one.

So I am going to take you back to a conversation I had a couple of months ago with a client and dear friend Jane, who also is the Healing Touch Therapist I go to and I have recommended to a number of my clients for their pets and their physical issues or ailments.  When I asked her about the above situation, she put it to me a gentle matter of fact way.

She told me, “When a pet stops interacting in the daily routine of life with the owner or shows no desire to participate in daily life with their owner it is time.”  I believe that this is the best answer you can give a pet owner when facing the decision to terminate a pets life due to age and or illness,  Please note, I dislike using the word terminate or end, when referring to a pets life.

I have also seen too often clients that hold onto their pets for selfish reasons, and that is the one situation I want to discuss here. 

Recently I had a client whose dog was not fairing well.  He had been sick for a number of weeks and was declining at a steady pace.  Though the owner was taking steps to find out what the problem was and providing the pet with veterinarian care, he also was ignoring the fact that the dog was 14 years old, and that being a Golden Retriever, thought that he would just spring back like he has in the past.  But this often doesn’t happen when you have a dog that is of that age.

I am going to try to keep this as short as possible.

The dog had a relapse and had to have his medication changed, and the dog gave a heroic comeback but for only 3 days.  The owner was in complete denial about his pet and his condition, and just believed the dog was on the road to recovery, but he wasn’t, and I knew it as soon as I saw him.  The client had made plans to go away for the weekend, and I was scheduled to have the dog at my house for 2 nights.  All went OK, until I got the dog home.

The dog wouldn’t get out of my car, I had to assist him out and weighing close to 100 pounds it wasn’t an easy feat to do, I got him in the house which he did on his own, he went in and lied down, typical for a dog of his age.  He was tired, but not just tired in the physical sense, tired of it all.  I could see it in his eyes.

After 4 hours that I was on the road, I came home to check on him, and I couldn’t get him up, there was no reaction, from his eyes, his tail or facial expression.  He didn’t want to eat anything; food or treats.  I attempted to get him up, but he refused to leave the dining room floor and even though I got him outside, he again wouldn’t do anything, but lay on the deck.

Calling the client and explaining the situation to him, only made me upset.  He was in denial and said that the dog was just depressed and that was all that was wrong with him.  He stated, and I quote, “just yell at him, and he will get up on his own and go out.”  This I couldn’t believe.  The owner also said, “I’m not turning around now, he will be alright.  Just call the vet and see what she says.”  It didn’t matter what I said to the owner, he was in denial and refused to see that it was time to say goodbye to his beloved pet.  I did what the client told me to do, but again, even the vet said, there is really nothing left to be done, and she couldn’t believe the owner had left with his dog in that bad of shape.

Four more hours passed, and I called him again.  Though the reaction from the client didn’t change much, I told him, “I am not going to take responsibility if your dog should pass away while in my care.”  He again stated he couldn’t come home, (he was 6 hours away), and that the dog was just depressed and suffering separation anxiety.  I knew the client didn’t hear what I was saying, so I told him bluntly.  “It is time! That you should have not left with your dog in this bad of shape, he is not going to make the weekend, and you have to come home now!”  Again, he denied that his dog was dying, and said he would have his friend come over to get him and take him back to her place. 

The person showed up and she had the same attitude as the owner.  “Oh, he will be OK, once I get him back home, he is just depressed and misses his owner.”  She left with the dog, who still wouldn’t get up on his own and it took 2 of us to get him out of our house and into her car.

So the next day I got a call from the owner who did come home and made the decision to put the dog down and end his suffering.

We are all put into the situation of deciding when to terminate our pets’ life.  It is a difficult and challenging choice to make and I myself know I will have to go through it a minimum of 8 more times in my life.  But you have to keep in mind what Jane had said.  When your pet stops interacting in your life or even in their own it is time.  We as humans can’t keep a pet alive for selfish reasons because we don’t want to let go of them and be alone.  It is wrong for us to feel that way and to continue a pet’s suffering because we are selfish and don’t want to let go.  The quality of your pets life is more important than what we as humans need or want from our pets.  I know myself from the first time I had to make that decision or even when I witnessed it my first time when working with my vet, I cried too.  I always feel emotional when I hear about it from a client that they had to make that decision. It brings to the surface all those emotions I have of the first time and of the last time, and of the future times I will need to deal with.

Today I stopped by and visited with a friend/client of mine to see how she and her dog were doing and we got to talking about being a responsible pet owner, and how much it means and more importantly what it does mean.

I know that most of you have at least one dog or one cat and you care for them and give them love and attention, but being a Good Responsible Pet Owner goes beyond the basics.

We all adopt a dog or a cat and take them to get their shots and we give them love and nurture them, train them, play with them and are compassionate with them.  We get them neutered or spayed; ok maybe some of you don’t but you should.  You take them to the vet when needed for their annual check up and take them for walks too, maybe.  But what do you do when you are at work or worse when you are on vacation?

Believe me, I am not one to point a finger without also pointing that same finger to myself at times.  I too have all good intentions to take my dogs for walks or play time, but I realize that life can be hectic and chaotic, and the average person may not have the time.

The reason why I ask this question about what do you do when you are at work or on vacation have to do with the full care of your pet.

I see too often dogs that are kept in crates most of the day and most of their lives and that is all they know, and than the dog may become anti-social or develop behavior issues or worse become aggressive.  So I have to ask; “How would you feel being cooped up in a crate for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week? Wouldn’t you feel a little irritated at living that way?”  So now ask yourself, “Is this the life I want for my dog?”

Now you may be asking, “So what is the point you’re trying to make here?”  The point is that too often a pet is left unattended for long periods of time, and that is not a life of a pet; dog or cat.  They get lonely or depressed, and than when you do leave them out of their crate they may become aggressive towards other animals or other dogs, or even worse humans.  They may become destructive in a house, by tearing things apart or chewing on items that they know they shouldn’t.  But dogs may not always now right from wrong.  What I mean by that statement is dogs don’t know much difference between negative and positive attention; they just want attention.  This often happens with dogs that are left alone for long periods of time, especially if they are crated and not given “time” outside to play, socialize and interact with other dogs, humans or just the outdoors.

Dogs are social animals, they need stimulation, social activity, a “job” for some breeds, and time to exercise and explore their world. 

I do believe in crate training for dogs that are young and until you get them house broken and they do begin to know “right from wrong”.  But during this time when they are “crated” they still need time out.  A dog no matter what their age, if they are crated, should be let out about every 4 to 6 hours to relieve themselves and go on a walk or have some social play time with their human or a pet sitter.  And for older dogs that are considered “senior” dogs, they too need time out at least every 4 to 6 hours.

I know with my hectic schedule my dogs may be left alone for 8 hours at a time, but they aren’t crated either.  They have full run of the house and my yard when weather permits it.  But when I have days like that and I know I have the time I come home, I don’t even stop to feed myself, I put the dogs in the car and take them on a hike to a nearby dog friendly park.  And yes, the key words there are “I know I have the time”.  But I also make the time to do this especially if I have had a really crazy schedule that has kept me out of the house for long periods of time and away from Sherlock and Casey.  I do it because I know THEY need it.  They need this time with me outside to socialize and play with other dogs and to meet people.  On days I do this, I can just see in their faces and the expressions they make that they are so happy and you can see the stress of their day leave them. 

I like them, wouldn’t want to be cooped up in a house alone all day.  So when I can I take them with me on errands or just for a ride to visit a friend or a family member.  They get that stimulation outside of their normal routine of just me, the cats and the house.  By doing this, I find that my dogs are happy and more well adjusted to people, places and other animals.

So if you decide to adopt a pet; dog or cat, make sure you make the time for them on a regular basis.  Hire a pet sitter to come in a couple times a week and walk your dog and play with them.  When you go on vacation look for a pet sitter that can either stay at your home with your pet(s) or can possibly take them to their home or can come in multiple times during the day to visit, play and socialize with your dog. Because sometimes kenneling a dog may only mean more confinement.

I hope that you find this helpful to you, because being a good responsible pet owner is not a small commitment; it is and can be for 10 to 20 years of your life, but it is “their” lifetime.

Feel free if you like to comment and make suggestions on other subjects you would like me to research, discuss or write about.  Oh, don’t worry, I am not running out of subject matter.  I have a long list of items to discuss.

Being a pet owner I deal with a lot in my own home, (having 2 dogs and 6 cats), and being a pet sitter I experience a great deal of joy from animals that I care for in my clients’ homes.  So though this may not be a “helpful” informational posting, I wanted to share with you what makes my day happy and bearable.

I wake in the morning usually before the sun even rises and the first thing I see is my beloved companion, Sherlock laying next to me sound asleep or just beginning to wake up himself.  I receive a big kiss from him and I give him a big hug and I tell him I love him. That is how my day starts, usually.  Oh, I have those days that start out on a pleasant note and than step out of bed and head to the door to let the dogs out and I step in something wet or mushy, and have to hobble to the bathroom to wash my feet off.  I have those days too.  But since I take dogs into my home I have to expect these little interruptions of my “happy” moments that start my day, but I don’t let them spoil the opportunity to enjoy another day with my pets and another day at this life.

In the winter when all the cats are in, I usually wake to at least 2 or 3 in the bed.  One laying on my chest to let me know he is hungry or the whiskers from another brushing against my face and the little wet nose against my check, to wake me and to tell me it is time to get up.  All these pleasant little moments I have on a regular basis, and I enjoy every one of them.

When I go to a client’s house and visit with there pets, I am also met with lots of wags or wiggles from their 4 - legged children that are waiting for me or nudges and meows from the family cat.  Knowing I am there to take them for walks or to let them out to explore “their” world or to pet them and give them some TLC since their owner is gone. These are the happy moments.  But I also experience the same occurrences I have in my own home in their homes too from time to time.  The “accident” that happened after the owner left because their 4 – legged child couldn’t hold it or worse has a stomachache or digestive problem.  It happens, and I don’t fret over it.  This is life with a pet and I take it in stride.

Believe me there are days that aren’t so “happy go lucky”, and they aren’t filled with pleasantries, I have them too.  But those too do fade and I remember the good times I share with my own pets and the ones I visit on a regular basis.  The joy you see in their faces when you walk in the door and they hear your voice, and they know you care and love them.

Everyday life can’t be filled laughter and smiles, but owning a pet brings you back to the simple things that matter.

Like right now Max the boxer, who has been staying with me all weekend, is so happy playing with his ball that he is just walking around making it squeak.  It brings him so much joy and makes him happy.  It’s the simple things that matter and we should all take that into account when we start our day.

I’m not trying to be philosophical or preach about life in general.  But when you see a dog play with his ball, or run through the yard or dive into the creek or pond and you see them “smile”, that is what internal happiness and joy is all about.  Or a cat finding play time in a paper bag or trying to catch a moth or bat around a waded piece of paper for minutes or hours at a time.  They all seem to be “happy” with the simple things in the world around them.  I see it everyday and because of this, I have tried to become the person my dog thinks I am and by doing so, being a better person to those around me too.

Have a Happy Wonderful Day Everyone!  And as always, Thanks for reading!

Yes, the title doesn’t really tell you what this posting is about.  But I guess because it has been weeks since I posted anything because of my work schedule, I thought I would post something that I think says something about how I approach a great deal of factors in my life…and yes it is animal related.

Rules of the Dog

Live Simply.     Love Generously.         Care Deeply.    Speak Kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drinks lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVER DAY!

And in the last couple of weeks my schedule has been getting crazy, but I have made the time for those that I treasure and find important in my life.  So you just have to remember that the grass can always be cut tomorrow, vacuuming can wait a couple of hours, and the laundry can wait another day, but your friends, family members, or those people that are important to you may not have tomorrow.

Print this out and hang it where you can read it from time to time, when you feel that life is becoming overwhelming, it may help you stay focused on the simple things in life that can bring you more joy and appreciate all those around you.