Woof, woof....barking happy new year to you!

Woof, woof, till later, 

Zoey

6 great ways to challenge your dog’s mind

Reprinted from FB, Dec 30, 2016

https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-training/obedience/6-great-ways-to-challenge-your-dogs-mind?

By Nicole Pajer

Just like people, dogs get bored with the same old everyday routine. Keeping them mentally challenged and constantly exposing them to new things is just as important as taking them for walks and exercising them. Bored dogs develop destructive behaviors and take their negative energy out on things like your furniture.

Here are some creative ways to stimulate your dog’s mind so they don’t get bored and misbehave:

Related: 5 essential commands you can teach your dog

1. Work on a new trick

Every time you engage your dog in a training session, you are providing him with a mental challenge. Search around for new tricks to work on. If you’re ready to move past the basic commands, check out books, scan the Internet, and ask a trainer for ideas for new tricks and training ideas.

“My dog, Vince just recently turned 4-years old and I finally enrolled him in obedience school. It has changed both our lives. Now on days where I work him on new tricks and such, I have noticed that his temperament has calmed down. Challenging him mentally makes him much less anxious in general and he has become more relaxed around other dogs. Vince is proof that old dogs can definitely learn new tricks.” – Sara Hicks

2. Play with interactive games or toys with your dog

Purchase a doggie board game or a canine puzzle to challenge your pup. Engage your dog in a game of Dog Memory or Dog Dominos. Give your dog one of the many toys that allow you to hide treats and objects inside and engage your dog to figure out how to work them out.

“This sounds silly but I bought this board game that I saw at the store for my dog Snickers and I to play together. I put treats underneath a peg and she has to figure out which ones to lift up in order to find where the treats are. There is another version where I cover up the treats with this piece of plastic and Snickers has to spin the board around to uncover the treats. It really challenges her and I see her brain working so hard to figure everything out.” – Donna Marr

3. Run errands with your dog

Even a quick run to the mailbox, a stopover at a friend’s house, or a spin through the car wash will place your dog face to face with a variety of stimulants.

“Even just taking Ryker for a car ride or to the car wash is stimulating for him. He gets to see lots of different sights and sounds and experience new situations. He loves going and gets so excited. And I can see his brain working as it takes it all in. And when we come home, he falls right asleep, even though it wasn’t physically taxing.” – Jennifer Brody

4. Give your dog a job to do

Dogs are bred to complete tasks such as hunting and herding. When they aren’t able to fulfill these types of duties, they can get restless. Engage your dog in a game of Frisbee. Get him involved in a sport like agility or Flyball. Take him for a long walk, hike, or swim. Find jobs that fulfill your dog’s breed. If you have a retriever, for example, nothing will leave it more satisfied than a hearty game of fetch.

"I can take my dog for a walk or a run, but the thing that really makes her the happiest is a hearty game of fetch. I take a tennis racket to the dog park and hit a ball as far as I can. She will bring it back to me over and over again like it's her job." – John Kurmai

5. Introduce your dog to new faces

Every time your dog meets a new person or fellow canine, they are introduced to new sights, sounds, and butts to sniff. Taking your pup to places like the dog park will provide him with ample opportunity to engage his senses.

"I frequently take Bruiser to the dog park, which he absolutely loves! Bruiser constantly meets new friends there and finds people to sniff and get petted by. This has really made him listen better, less anxious and truly more satisfied." – Kat Malkowych

6. Give them new toys and rotate out the old ones

You wouldn’t want to play with the same thing every day would you? Then you shouldn’t expect your dog to continue to love the same toy that he’s had for months. Give him a toy to play with for a few days and when he grows bored of it, replace it with another one.

“Moogly has so many toys but still gets bored. It’s ridiculous! I am constantly bringing new toys into the house but he has a short attention span so they only keep him entertained for a while. We started keeping all of his toys in a bin in the closet and rotating them out. He has so many now and we’ll change up a new toy with one that he’s had for years and that he may have forgotten about. He loves this and whenever we switch them up, he is just as excited as when he gets a brand new toy.” – Katie Adams

Children and puppies

Reprinted from FB: Cesar's Way

http://cesar.mn/eYrnhw

Few images are as evocative of trust, loyalty, and friendship as a child with a puppy. Bonds formed between humans and dogs can be made incredibly strong when the relationship is formed early on, but it's very important that our children be taught how to interact safely and responsibly with their canine companions.

Greeting a puppy:

• Teach the child about "No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact."
• The introduction between puppy and child should be delayed until the child's excitement has passed and he or she is in a calm state of mind, able to focus on adult instruction. Never allow the child to make the first move.
• Keep an eye on the child's energy levels and note the puppy's reactions. Once you are satisfied that the situation is safe and under your control, show the child the proper way to give affection.
• Safety first! Don't be afraid to say no... if the situation appears unsafe for puppy or child, inform the child that the dog is in training and can't be pet.

Playtime:

Keep an eye on the scene at all times! Puppies and children should never be left alone together without adult supervision.

• Set some ground rules for off-limits play. Be sure that the child understands not to pull the puppy's ears or tail.
• Keep watch for signs of rough play, and correct the child or redirect his or her energy when needed.
• Observe the puppy's body language. Step in when you believe the puppy has had enough of playtime.

Photo not taken from Cesar's Way. Photo by David Citarella 

Heath issues and cleanliness:

Children are more vulnerable than grown-ups to the illnesses that pets can carry. Here are some helpful tips to avoid risks to your child's health.

Related: How to choose the best dog for your kids

• Make sure the puppy sees a vet regularly.
• Make sure your child washes his or her hands thoroughly both before and after playtime.
• Do not allow playtime around or near the areas where the puppy or dog relieves himself.
• Any and all excrement should be picked up from the lawn and surrounding areas frequently and properly disposed of.

It has been 3 years

since Danielle rescued Zoey and brought her to us to foster. Fred still believes we are fostering her and no one has come to adopt her. I guess we should let him in on the truth--Zoey found her fur-ever home 3 years ago.  (Although, sometimes it feels like 30 years!) She has come a long way in the time she has been with us. 

Arrival Day

Let it Be by Cesar Millan

By Cesar Millan

Show of hands — how many of you consider your dogs to be your children? Do you call them your “fur babies” and include them in family events? Maybe celebrate their birthdays, talk to them constantly, feed them scraps from the table?

Well, if you’re doing these things, you’re acting like a lot of dog owners. The problem is, if you are, then you’re doing all of the wrong things for your dogs. As I like to say, in Mexico, dogs are skinny but happy. In other places, they are fat and neurotic.

Related: 5 things you're doing that drive your dog crazy

Considering your dogs to be your children and humanizing them is actually the worst thing you can ever do for them.

This is probably one of the most difficult concepts for people to grasp when I try to teach them how to be Pack Leaders. And I can understand that. We have bred dogs to be cute and cuddly, and it’s completely natural for humans to want to love and coddle cute things.

This is completely natural for humans, but absolutely unnatural for dogs. To prove it, all you have to do is go to a dog park and look at which dogs other dogs gravitate toward, want to play with, and give respect to.

Hint: It’s not the ones we would necessarily describe as cute.

No. It’s the dogs that are calm and assertive. They may be big or small. They may be “cute” or “ugly.” They may even be handicapped in some way, but that doesn’t matter to the other dogs. All they see is energy, and the dogs that project calm, assertive energy are the leaders. That’s how it works in the dog world.

The reason it works is because most dogs need a leader. That’s how they’re designed. Dogs are social animals that live in packs and follow strong leaders, and most dogs do not want to be in charge. In fact, the quickest way to confuse a dog and make it act out badly is to try to force it into a leadership role that it doesn’t want.

And this is exactly what we do when we treat our dogs like little humans, fail to show them leadership, and give them nothing but affection, affection, and affection.

From the human point of view, we’re just being humane. From our dogs’ point of view, we are not.

Imagine that, as a child, you wanted to be a sculptor, and you were actually pretty good at molding clay into statues. It’s what you love to do, and you have talent... and your parents put you on the hockey team instead.

You’re not into sports, you can’t skate, and you’re terrible at hockey, but your parents are there at every game, cheering you on and telling you how good you are. And you hate every second of it.

That is what it’s like for a dog when we don’t let them be a dog, and no amount of praise or treats or affection is going to make your dog any better at not being a dog. This will, however, make your dog neurotic and confused.

The best thing we can do for our canine companions is to honor their instincts by being calm, assertive Pack Leaders, establishing rules, boundaries, and limitations, and giving them exercise, discipline, and affection — in that order.

Stay calm, and let your dogs be dogs.

It's National Dog Day!

Mama wants to add some pics in memory of our family dogs who are no longer with us. According to Mama, Sierra, Jackson, and Louie were fabulous canines and they are truly missed. 

Now here are a few pics of little ole me and Dexter...we are fabulous
dogs too!

8 Toxic Foods for Dogs

To avoid a trip to the animal emergency room, keep your pooch away from these foods
Consumer Reports/ By Julia Calderone / July 30, 2016

Most pet owners know that chocolate is one of the most toxic foods for dogs. But according to a new update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there are other unexpected foods that can be can be downright deadly for your pup.

“Dogs in general react a little bit differently to diet variation than we do,” says Martine Hartogensis, D.V.M., the deputy director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance at the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Their digestive systems are simply not as well equipped as ours to process and eliminate certain foods, she says. They are used to eating the same commercial dog food every day, which is designed to provide them with all of the nutrients they need. Human food can throw dogs’ systems out of whack, and can cause both mild and serious health problems. Not all people foods are necessarily toxic foods for dogs, and not all dogs react to foods the same way. For instance, small dogs tend to be more sensitive than large ones.

After monitoring complaints and adverse events through the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal, the agency has identified the top people foods and ingredients that could land your dog a visit to the animal hospital.

1. Alliums
Onions, garlic, and chives—and any foods seasoned with them—are a big no-no for your pooch, as they’ve been associated with a disorder called hemolytic anemia, says Hartogensis, which can damage a dog’s red blood cells. The same goes for spices such as onion and garlic powder, too. If your dog happens to eat any of these alliums, watch out for symptoms of hemolytic anemia: disorientation, fatigue, listlessness, pale gums, and rapid heartbeat. As the disease progresses, they can also develop darkened urine, jaundice, and vomiting.

2. Foods That Have Gone Bad
Some dogs serve as little vacuum cleaners, cleaning up all the crumbs on the floor, but that doesn’t mean they can double as a living compost bin. If a food has mold or you think it has otherwise spoiled, don’t feed it to your dog. And take care to keep trash cans and compost bins in a place where the dog can’t get into them.

3. Fried or Fatty FoodsFoods that are overly fatty, such as fried chicken, are very toxic foods for dogs, says Hartogensis. If they eat enough, their pancreases can become inflamed. causing those organs to produce enzymes that can severely damage your pet’s intestines. This can be life-threatening, says Hartogensis: “It’s really scary to watch a dog come in with pancreatitis because they’re just vomiting like crazy.”

4. Grapes
Scientists aren’t sure exactly why grapes are one of the most toxic foods for dogs, or which compound in them makes dogs so sick, says Hartogensis, but there’s been a well-established association between grapes and acute kidney failure in some pups. This includes currants and raisins, which can deliver an even stronger toxic punch than a grape, because the fruits are dried and therefore the compounds are more concentrated than they are in grapes. If your pooch sneaks a grape while you’re not looking, even if it’s just one, watch for signs of kidney failure, which can initially include diarrhea and vomiting, and then abdominal pain, dehydration, lethargy, low urine output, and weakness, according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The smaller the dog, the fewer grapes it will take to make them sick.

5. Macadamia Nuts
Dogs seem to be the only species that can’t tolerate macadamia nuts, says Hartogensis: “Nobody has really figured out the toxic principle here.” A dog would have to eat a fair amount of macadamia nuts to get sick, Hartogensis says, but if they do, they can get depression, fever, muscle weakness, and vomiting. Pet owners should keep their dogs away from all nuts in general, Hartogensis says, but especially keep an eye on macadamia nuts.

6. Raw Meat--This one is controversial, please see comments one on

 www.consumerreports.org/pet-products/toxic-foods-for-dogs

You wouldn’t stick a piece of raw meat into your mouth, so why would you feed it to your dog? Uncooked meats can harbor potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can wreak havoc on the digestive system. While dogs are typically less prone to infections from bacteria like these than humans are, the bacteria can still make them sick, says Hartogensis. After working with raw meat, avoid potentially contaminating your dog’s food and treats by washing your hands thoroughly before dipping your fingers into their bone bag.

7. Salty Snacks
In large amounts, foods containing excess salt can cause sodium ion poisoning in dogs, leading to depression, diarrhea, high fever, excessive thirst, kidney damage, seizures, and vomiting, says Hartogensis: “It’s almost like they get drunk,” she says. A potato chip or a pretzel probably won’t do much damage, but a whole bag might, according to the FDA. Make sure your dog has enough water at all times, especially if they’ve dipped into some salty snacks.

8. Xylitol
More and more, manufacturers are adding this low-calorie sugar substitute to processed foods and other products such as baked goods, breath mints, gums, mouthwashes, toothpastes, and more. Dog owners may not know that even just a little bit of the sweetener can cause a rapid spike in their insulin levels, which could cause their blood sugar to plummet to dangerous lows. “Even just a few pieces of gum can be pretty toxic,” says Hartogensis. Small dogs are especially vulnerable since the effects are dose-dependent. Symptoms of xylitol poisoning initially include vomiting, and can later progress to fainting, seizures, staggering, and weakness.

What about our feline friends? Cats can similarly be sensitive to certain foods, such as alliums, but according to the FDA, they are pickier eaters than dogs, and are less likely to eat something that will make them sick.

If you think your pet has been poisoned, first take the food away so that he or she doesn’t eat any more of it, says Hartogensis. Then you should call your veterinarian. If a vet is not available, you can contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435).The ASPCA might charge a consultation fee.

My note: Check out the FDA's site for 

Search on www.fda.gov for "Good Dog, Bad Food: Foods for People That Are Bad for Your Dog"

Is Pet Insurance Worth the Cost?

Mama's friend asked her to check Consumer Reports to see what they recommend about pet insurance. Dad will want to read this also. 

Like medical coverage for people, pet insurance policies are complicated. Here’s what we found when we analyzed the coverage from three health insurers.
Consumer Reports /  Mandy Walker / Last updated: March 30, 2016

Two years ago, Elizabeth Newsom-Stewart’s cat Fawkes ate part of a lily plant leaf. Newsom-Stewart, then a veterinary student at Cornell University, immediately knew the danger he was in, and rushed him to an animal hospital.

“Some lily plants are toxic to cats” she says, and may cause kidney failure. “Symptoms can take 12 to 24 hours to show. By the time kidney failure occurs, it’s almost always fatal.”

Emergency treatment, which included three days in intensive care, medication, tests, and lots of IV fluids, cost $1,783. But just three months before, Newsom-Stewart bought pet insurance, and it covered $1,327 of the bill. And Fawkes, now 4, made a full recovery.

A serious illness or injury can take a financial toll, even when the patient is a pet. Cancer treatments can easily run $5,000; surgery to fix a torn ACL from, say, a poorly executed jump off the sofa can cost about $3,300. Pet insurance is sold with the promise that by helping to cover some of your pet’s medical bills, you won’t be forced to consider “economic euthanasia” in the most dire circumstances.

But as helpful and emotionally comforting as it might be, is insurance really worth the price?

About 1.4 million pets in the U.S. and Canada were covered by a plan at the end of 2014, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, a trade group. That’s less than 1 percent of about 174 million pet cats and dogs, but up from 680,000 policies in 2008. Some of the increase may be linked to a surprising fact: Pet insurance is one of the fastest-growing optional employee benefits.

Major policy providers include the ASPCA (through Hartville), Embrace, Healthy Paws, PetFirst, Petplan, and Trupanion. Most cover only cats and dogs, but one company, Nationwide (formerly Veterinary Pet Insurance), also insures birds, rabbits, snakes, turtles, and other animals.

How the Plans Works

Like people insurance, pet policies come with a variety of deductibles, co-payments, and premiums. Unlike people coverage, you usually have to pay the vet bills in full and wait for reimbursement. But Trupanion launched a service in February that can disburse payments directly to vets on the day of service. The company says about 60 percent of its bills are already processed that way.

The cost of coverage can increase depending on your pet’s breed (purebreds cost more to insure because they’re more prone to some hereditary conditions), age (plans may cost more as your pet gets older), the rising cost of veterinary care, and the coverage options you choose, such as your deductible amount. Embrace and Healthy Paws pay a flat percentage of covered costs after your deductible is met. Other companies calculate reimbursements based on the “usual and customary costs” of vet care in your area. Embrace lets you pick the annual maximum amount it will cover each year ($5,000, $8,000, $10,000, or $15,000); Healthy Paws and Trupanion have no annual ceiling.

Almost all policies exclude pre-existing conditions and may exclude breed-specific conditions (or charge you more to cover them).

What They Cover

You can pick a plan that insures costs due to accidents (such as injuries caused by motor vehicles), or accidents and illness (including arthritis, cancer, and colitis). Some providers also offer wellness coverage for certain routine care, like annual exams, flea and tick treatments, and vaccinations. Eighty-one percent of pet insurance policies are accident and illness plans for dogs; 14.6 percent provide the same kind of coverage for cats and other pets. Only about 4 percent of the market is made up of accident-only and wellness coverage.

The insurance trade group says that accident and illness coverage per year averaged $473 for dogs and $285 for cats in 2014. Accident-only policies ran $158 and $132, respectively.

To compare costs, we asked four providers—Embrace, Healthy Paws, Nationwide, and Trupanion—whose parent companies comprise roughly 75 percent of the market, to estimate what their accident and illness policies would cover for a specific dog and cat. After initially agreeing, Nationwide decided it would only provide data for its policy that had accident, illness, and wellness coverage, so we didn’t include the company in our analysis.

We used the vet bills of Guinness, an almost 12-year-old Labrador mix from Westchester County, N.Y., and Freddie, a mixed-breed cat from Fairfield County, Conn., who’s almost 9.

Guinness had few health problems over the years until he was diagnosed with skin cancer last fall. Treating him required two costly surgeries and expensive follow-up care.

Freddie has been relatively healthy; he had one pricey dental cleaning under anesthesia, and has been prescribed cat food and medication to treat infections. We did our analysis assuming that their owners had signed them up for coverage when they were just a few weeks old, and we adjusted each medical-care charge into present-day dollars to judge how their expenses would have been covered.

Playing the Odds

For Freddie, only the Healthy Paws policy would have paid out more than it cost, in part because of its lower premiums.

If you have a pet like Guinness with a costly condition or illness you want to treat, we found that pet insurance may pay out more than it costs you. In our exercise, a Healthy Paws plan was the only one that paid more than it cost.

But if his owner continues to cover cancer treatments, all three plans may be worth it. In 2015, for example, Healthy Paws and Trupanion would have reimbursed the owner over $3,000 more than they would have charged for coverage. Embrace would have covered more than $4,000 over the cost of its plan

Of course, our results are for a single cat and dog; vet bills are different for every animal, and there’s no way to predict whether your pet will become sick or injured. But if you’d like help with unexpected, large vet bills, a plan may be worth considering.

Talk with your vet about the medical costs your pet’s breed will usually incur, and ask about his experience with different pet insurers.

Download sample policies from insurance websites and read them thoroughly for limitations, exceptions, and co-payments. Consider skipping wellness coverage if possible and paying for it out of pocket. Last year routine vet care cost cat owners just $196 and dog owners only $235, according to the American Pet Products Association.

If you don’t want to pay for pet insurance, consider starting an emergency savings fund for pet care instead. If you find you need help with a big pet medical bill, the Humane Society has a list of organizations that may help pay for it.

More Ways to Save

Take steps to keep your pet healthy to trim medical costs

• Ask your vet which vaccines you can skip. Some effectively prevent serious and costly diseases, says Louise Murray, D.V.M., a veterinarian and vice president of the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City. But ringworm, for example, is a mild condition and its vaccine isn’t that effective, she says.
• Guard against parasites. Fleas can cause life-threatening anemia, and ticks can spread Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. An inexpensive topical solution can keep the bugs at bay.
• Spay or neuter your pet. Doing so can help prevent health problems, including some cancers. Many shelters or chapters of the ASPCA provide low-cost or no-cost spayor neuter surgery.

Click here for more info: http://www.consumerreports.org/pet-products/is-pet-insurance-worth-cost/

Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the May 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Good advice

Do you know how to approach a dog correctly? Approaching a dog so that it does not feel threatened can help prevent dog bites from occurring.

May 15-21 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

Happy Mother's Day

The Real Top Dog

Cesar's Way / May 1, 2016

By Cesar Millan

When you hear the term “alpha male,” what do you think of? You probably see some loud, powerful, overbearing man in a position of leadership — a CEO, professional athlete, or drill sergeant.

These images all tend toward negative stereotypes about masculinity: insensitive, loud, opinionated, and pushy. An alpha male resolves conflict by escalating it and then winning in combat, whether actual or symbolic.

So when people use the expression “alpha” in the dog world, they tend to think of the same negative images, seeing the alpha as the aggressive leader who will attack and kill any challengers. But that’s never what the term meant in the dog world. The alpha is just the dog (or mating pair) leading the pack

To put it in perspective, here’s one example of an extremely alpha male: Gandhi.

That may seem surprising. After all, wasn’t Gandhi a pacifist, determined to achieve his goals through peaceful resistance instead of armed conflict? He never gave the impression of being physically strong and was never loud or bossy. Nobody could seem farther from being the classic alpha male, right?

And yet Gandhi led his fellow Indians into a revolution that took on one of the world’s most formidable empires, and they won, becoming an independent nation again.

Gandhi’s secret to being a great leader was his calm, assertive energy — and this is also the key to being a true alpha, whether you’re a dog or a human. A leader cannot lead through fear or intimidation. They may be able to control their followers for a while, but it’s a following created by coercion. Since it’s not based on trust or respect, it will fall apart at the first opportunity.

After all, how many dictators wind up being assassinated by their own military or inner circle?

The difference with humans is that we will follow an unstable leader who uses strong-arm tactics to bully us into control because they often use arguments based on emotion, usually fear of the unknown.

Dogs don’t work like this. If an unstable dog tries to become the alpha, the other dogs will either not follow at all or, if it becomes too extreme, they’ll gang up and drive that dog from their pack without hesitation.

Researchers found a perfect example of a true alpha in the Yellowstone Park wolf pack. He was a male known as M21. He never lost a fight to a rival, but he never killed a rival he defeated. According to Yellowstone’s biological technician Rick McIntyre, one of M21’s favorite things to do was to wrestle and play-fight with the wolf pups. But what he really loved, McIntyre explained, “Was to pretend to lose. He just got a huge kick out of it.”

Of course, the other big difference between human, wolf, and dog alphas is that the canines have always allowed either males or females to assume the leadership role. They don’t decide based on gender. They decide based on energy. It looks like humans are only just catching up to that one.

So the secret to being the alpha is to always have calm, assertive energy to earn your dog’s trust, respect, and loyalty. The only thing that changes is the degree of assertiveness you may have to use. A timid dog requires very little assertiveness provided that you’re calm enough, and it goes up the scale from there. An aggressive dog requires a much more physical correction.

The only dogs I’ve ever had to put into a submission position are those that are trying to be overly dominant themselves. This isn’t a technique that I learned from any trainer or behaviorist, though. I learned it from the dogs themselves. It’s exactly what a mother dog will do to correct her pups when they’re out of line — roll them on their backs and hold them down until they submit. She isn’t trying to intimidate or coerce them, though. She’s making a simple statement of fact: “I’m the one in charge here.”

The secret to being the alpha — the Pack Leader — is to find the right balance between being calm and being assertive and remembering that a true leader will use whatever technique is necessary to maintain control, but always from a place of love.

Stay calm, and let your dogs respect you.

https://www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesars-blog/The-real-top-dog?utm_content=A+true+Pack+Leader+cannot+lead+through+fear+or+intimidation.+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cesarsway.com%2Fcesar-millan%2Fcesars-blog%2FThe-real-top-dog&utm_campaign=&utm_source=Facebook&utm_term=&utm_medium=1462129728

Follow-up to Just Pups in Paramus

Just Pups Owner Charged With 134 Counts Of Animal Cruelty

67 puppies were found in a van outside the Just Pups store in Paramus, NJ last month.

By DANIEL HUBBARD (Patch Staff) - April 27, 2016

PARAMUS, N.J. — Vincent LoSacco and his brother Leonard were each charged Tuesday with 134 counts of animal cruelty for keeping 67 puppies in a van in near-freezing temperatures outside LoSacco's Just Pups store in Paramus, said Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal.

Paramus police found the van just before 3 a.m. April 3 while patrolling the parking lot. The officers heard crying and whining coming from the van, police said. As many as four puppies were crammed into some cages. Some could not stand up and were covered in feces and urine, the prosecutor said.

The temperature inside the van was 38 degrees when police found the animals. There was a heater inside the van, but it did not adequately heat the inside of the van, police said.

The Paramus Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Animal Cruelty Task Force determined that Leonard LoSacco, who works for his brother, transported the puppies from his brother's puppy farm in Missouri, Grewal said. The trip took several days and Leonard LoSacco arrived the night before the police discovered the van, the prosecutor said.

With his brother's knowledge, Grewal said, Leonard LoSacco, 51, parked the van in the "far back parking lot" and left, anticipating that the puppies would be unloaded the next day.

Both LoSacco and his brother were charged on summonses. They are due to be arraigned in Bergen County Central Municipal Court May 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Vincent LoSacco was written up earlier this year violation Missouri state code regarding the keeping and sale of dogs and puppies. The violations ranged from having unhealthy dogs to not maintaining proper health records. He denies running a puppy mill and doing anything wrong.

There used to be four Just Pups stores in North Jersey, but two of them were shut down earlier this year amid animal cruelty allegations.

Inspectors found three dead dogs inside a freezer at the Just Pups location in East Brunswick in January. The East Brunswick Town Council voted to permanently revoke Vincent LoSacco's health license March 28 and shut the store down. The Paramus Board of Health is meeting next week and could recommend the Borough Council make a similar move at its next meeting.

Vincent LoSacco reads from a prepared statement in response to animal cruelty allegations after 67 puppies were found in a van outside his Just Pups store in Paramus earlier this month. YouTube

Top 5 myths about shelter dogs

Reprinted from Cesar's Way / https://www.cesarsway.com/


Part of Cesar’s mission is to promote rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of dogs. There are millions of homeless dogs in the world, and a large number of them are currently in shelters waiting for one of two options: a forever home, or death. Often, people are reluctant to adopt shelter dogs because of certain preconceived notions about them. Here, we debunk five common myths about shelter dogs.

1. They’re in the shelter because something is wrong with them

This myth comes from common misunderstandings about how dogs wind up in shelters in the first place. The perception is that dogs end up in animal shelters because they were strays, they were seized in police raids, or they were aggressive. So, they will tend to run away, they will have emotional problems because of how they were treated, or they are just vicious.

But, in reality, a big reason that dogs wind up in shelters is because they were given up by their owners for reasons that have nothing to do with the dog’s behavior. A lot of families give up their dogs because they can’t afford them anymore, or they are forced to move to a place where they can’t have dogs or, worse, can’t have a dog of a particular breed.

Related: If you can’t adopt...

Dogs also end up in shelters when expectations and reality don’t meet — that little Dalmatian puppy grew up into a large, energetic dog living in a studio apartment, or that lap dog that was so cute in the pet store became uncontrollable and dominant because its cuteness earned nothing but affection, affection, affection, so the dog never had any rules, boundaries, or limitations.

The only thing inherently wrong with a shelter dog is that it’s in a shelter and not with a loving family.

2. You’ll never know their history

While this may be true, it’s not a bad thing, because that shelter dog will never really know its own history, either — especially not once it’s brought into a loving home with good Pack Leaders. Dogs don’t dwell on the past, and we shouldn't either, especially when it comes to dogs.

There are shelters that offer a glimpse of the dog’s story, but that’s not necessarily a good thing because, again, humans like to dwell in the past. Whether the dog was abused by children, thrown out of a car, rescued from a dog-fighting ring, or whatever traumatic event she went through, it's past. Dogs live in the moment.

A dog's past will only be a problem if you constantly dwell on what happened before the shelter. The dog forgot about it once it wasn’t happening anymore, and you can help the dog forget as well by not triggering anything that resembles that early trauma.

3. They may have a disease

Yes, they may, kennel cough being particularly common. However, most shelters nowadays will also provide you with a voucher for a subsidized or no-cost first vet visit, and the more devastating diseases have vaccines that are routinely provided by the shelter, like the DHPP(Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus/Parainfluenza) shot, as well as a rabies vaccination. Shelters also make sure that dogs are free of fleas and worms, and they provide spaying and neutering as part of the adoption process.

4. They aren’t purebred

And…? Unless you’re a breeder or are looking for a professional show dog, mixed breed dogs are a much better choice. They are generally free of genetic or behavioral problems that are typical of some pure breeds, like hip dysplasia in German shepherds or incessant digging by terriers.

Mixed breed dogs are also just much more interesting looking, since they don’t follow the strict standards required for purebreds. Finally, if you live in an area with breed specific laws (BSL) that ban certain dogs, like pit bulls or Rottweilers, having that other identifiable breed in the mix can avoid issues with your dog being outlawed.

5. They’re too old

Adopting a puppy can be an attractive idea — you get to start out with a four-legged blank slate, and raise it to adulthood. However, people often focus on the “cute” part and forget the reality of raising a puppy: It can be just as intense and difficult as raising a child, and it’s also a full time job.

Sure, it only takes about a year and a half to raise a puppy, as opposed to eighteen (or more) for children, but that can be a year and a half of having things chewed up or peed on, having your rules constantly tested, and having a growing ball of energy rushing around the house.

You can also never be absolutely sure with a puppy what you’ll wind up with as an adult. You may want a medium size dog and the shelter thought that the puppy you've adopted was mostly beagle. What happens, then, when the other part turns out to be a St. Bernard or Great Dane and the dog you expected to weigh 30 pounds tops out at 150?

Particularly if you don’t have a lot of time to spend on training, an adult dog around 1 or 2 years old can be ideal. They usually come with all the useful features pre-installed: Housebroken, they know some tricks, they’re used to people. If they do have any behavioral issues, they will be much easier to fix at this point — assuming that they show up at all, which they may not if you do things the right way.

And don’t discount senior dogs, which are those aged 7 years or more. Senior dogs can be ideal for lower-energy households, or in situations where you don’t want to commit for ten or fifteen whole years but still want a loving companion.

So, next time you want to add a dog to your family or your pack, adopt don’t shop — you’ll save a life and find a faithful friend at the same time.

No bomb searching for me...

Woof, I can do all of this except search for bombs. My only search is for balls and stuffies that I can pull apart. Sorry, Kyla, for tearing your jaguar apart on Sunday. Mama says she will stitch him up and you won't even know where he was hurt. Can't promise I won't do it again so my advice to you is not to leave any stuffies where I can get them--like off the floor.

Anyone notice how gentle I was to the little rug rat on Sunday? I couldn't resist sniffing her while she was locked in the high chair. She smells so sweet (maybe that was the food Kyla fed her)! I think she is a baby who has a lot of hair. Note Kyla's jaguar sitting safely next to her.

Woof, woof, till later, 

Zoey

Please take a moment to read this important post

This is an usual post for my blog but Mama and I think it is very important to help spread the word. 

Rae is my Mama's long-time, good friend Joan's great granddaughter. Joan is very good to me and this is the least I can do to help her granddaughter. 

Please, if possible, make a donation to the fund. Any amount will be appreciated and all the funds will be used for Rae's care and education. Thank you in advance for your kindness.

https://www.gofundme.com/v7ytymvg

This is my grandniece, Raevyn. What an amazing story she will be able to share one day and I'm asking for everyone's help to ensure she has all of the resources available to her. I made a promise to her the night she was born that I would always be here for her and do all that I can to support her and ensure she has every opportunity available to every person fortunate enough to be born in this amazing world.

Raevyn (Rae) is not my blood but she is my family by any and all accounts. 
Her mother has been in my life since she was a toddler and I love her as much as anyone can love another human being. 

Rae's mom, my niece, is a single parent and has been recently diagnosed with avery aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has been enduring chemotherapy as frequently as every other week.  The chemo is being delivered via a port that was surgically implanted in her head to access the tumor that is wrapped around the sacrum (lower spinal column) which infiltrated the central nervous system and cancerous cells have been found in her brain. There is another port surgically implanted into her chest to deliver the chemo to the rest of her blood stream to hopefully destroy the other masses the size of oranges within her pelvis.

If anyone has seen the effects of chemotherapy on a person, you know its not possible to take care of yourself let alone a toddler who requires constant care.
My niece is unable to work and therefore has no money to pay for daycare for Rae. 

I'm pleading with you all to help me raise enough money to pay child care for up to a year so Rae has a safe place to go during the day to allow my niece to heal and get better for Rae, for her family and for me.

The money would go directly to the facility and any excess would go into a college fund for Rae to be used to further her opportunities later in life and give her a platform to tell the story that is incredibly and uniquely, Rae.

Thank you for reading and please know that anything you are willing to contribute is a huge help and graciously accepted.

Woof, woof till later and thank you, 

Zoey Elizabeth