The importance of being altered
"Up to 90 percent of animals entering shelters in Texas are destroyed."
Dog Fancy, August 2003
Myth: A female should have one litter before she is spayed.
Fact: Medical evidence shows just the opposite. In fact, females that are spayed before their first heat are healthier overall and live longer.
Myth: I don't have to worry. I always find homes for the puppies and kittens.
Fact: Even if you do find homes, can you be certain the animal will be welcome when their cuteness wears off? And how many of them will go on to add to the overpopulation problem by having litters of their own? In addition, for every puppy and kitten your companion animal gives birth to (and you find homes for), an animal in a shelter will die from a lack of a good home.
Myth: My pet will get fat and lazy.
Fact: Not true. Pets gain weight because they don't receive the proper diet or exercise.
Myth: My animal is a purebred. I'll find homes for the puppies or kittens.
Fact: One out of every four animals brought to shelters across the country is a purebred. There are too many animals, mixed and purebred and too few homes.
Myth: I want my dog to be productive.
Fact: Spaying and neutering does not affect a dog's natural instincts to protect its home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by its sex hormones.
Myth: I want my children to see the miracle of birth.
Fact: But your children do not see the tragedy associated with unwanted pets. There are many wonderful books and videos on birth you can show your children.
There are not enough good homes for the dogs and cats we have, and more are born every day. Become a part of the solution to this problem. Have your dog, cat or rabbit altered today and enjoy the benefits of owning a neutered pet.
A. Your pet will be more content. Unaltered animals often want to find a mate and can be overly aggressive.
B. Your pet will be healthier as he or she will be less susceptible to certain cancers.
C. Your cat will be less likely to spray his territory inside your house.
D. You will not have to ward off male cats and dogs when your female is in season.
E. You will not have to find homes for the offspring and you won't have to suffer the heartbreak when some or all of the puppies and kittens don't find homes.
Pet Pages, June 2004-May 2005
Question: I'm having my dog neutered. Will it change his personality?
Answer: One concern we often have in neutering our pets is the effect it will have on their behavior, weight, etc. Here are the facts:
1. There are no statistical data showing that neutering pets makes a significant impact on personality, other than to decrease some aggressiveness.
2. There are no statistical data showing that neutering our pets makes them lazy or fat. There are a LOT of data showing that our pets get fat and lazy because we feed them too much and exercise them too little.
The bottom line is to have your pets neutered, monitor what they eat, and be sure they get enough exercise.
Ask Dr. Larry column, Healthy Pet Magazine, Fall/Winter 2003
Fleas can be a nuisance, especially if your home has pets that frequently go outdoors. To treat your animal companions, an
effective natural product is Flea 'N Tick Be Gone, which is based on plant enzymes. If you want to get rid of fleas in your
home, you can try pyrethrins , the active insecticidal ingredients found in chrysanthemum extracts. These will kill
the fleas, degrade rapidly in the environment and are relatively nontoxic to humans (although it can aggravate asthma). Neem,
a powerful insecticide obtained from a tree in India, is also an option, as a diatomaceous earth. This is the fossilized
"skeleton" of a one-celled sea algae often used by organic farmers to kill insects-try sprinkling it on carpets, furniture
and areas where fleas tend to hide.
www.DrWeil.com, January 14, 2004
Your eyes and ears itch, your nose always runs or clogs up, and you have chronic bouts of sneezing. Your doctor confirmed a dander allergy and suggested you get rid of your pet. But you can't do that. Are there alternatives? You bet -- although they may not give you complete relief.
"The major allergen in dogs comes from their pelt, saliva, urine, and feces," explains Jonathan A. Bernstein, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Cincinnati. "If someone is allergic to their pets, we recommend avoidance measures. Dog allergy injections have not been proven that effective. While medication can help reduce symptoms, it is not a substitute for avoidance."
Rather than trying to avoide the entire dog, try to reduce your exposure to its allergens:
- Bathe your dog weekly. "Use special emollients to reduce allergen levels emitted from the dog," Bernstein says.
- Have another family member handle grooming chores, ideally brushing your dog outdoors.
- Create an allergy-free zone that's off-limits to your dog (your bedroom is a good choice), so your body has a period to recover from the assaults of your allergies.
- Avoid upholstered furniture, carpets, draperies, and other fabrics in your allergy-free room, as allergens can permeate fabrics. Try to reduce the use of carpeting and fabrics in other living areas, as well.
- Avoid the dog's favorite chair, pillow, etc., and consider keeping him off all furniture in your house.
- Vacuum frequently with HEPA vacuum or standard vacuum with double layered bags to reduce allergens in carpets.
- Use HEPA free-standing filters to reduce airborne dog allergen levels in the bedroom and living room.
- Also, keep in mind that allergies are often like potato chips -- you seldom have just one. By treating or reducing your exposure to other allergens, you might reduce your reaction to dog allergens.
Dog Fancy, September 2003
"No breed of dog is hypoallergenic," Charles Miller, DVM, of Durham, N.C. says. "Most human allergies to dogs are due to the protein in [dog's] dander,
which is composed of dead skin cells, scales, and flakes that the animal is continuously shedding. Some breeds do, however,
appear to be less allergenic. These include: Basenjis, Maltese, Bedlington Terriers, Schnauzers, Bichon Frise, Poodles,
Chinese Cresteds, Portuguese Water Dogs, Soft Coated Wheaton Terriers, Irish Water Spaniels, Italian Greyhounds, and Kerry
Blue Terriers.
Miller Notes that allergies can be specific to individuals. "Other breeds may be tolerated better by certain [people].
Current research also suggests that exposure to pets in early childhood may protect children from developing allergies."
Dog Fancy, March 2005
Pit bulls, despite their press, are not naturally aggressive toward humans.
What we call a pit bull today originally descended from the Molossus, a large, mastiff-like dog originating in ancient Greece before making its way to Britain on trading ships. A number of dogs emerged from that on breed,
including mastiffs, alaunts, and bulldogs. The latter became the dog of choice for Tudor England's thirst for blood sports such as bull and bear baiting. When the Victorians put a stop to that, dog fighting became the trendy
new sport, and somewhere along the way, the old bull-baiting dog was crossbred with a terrier, giving it both strength and speed. It's believed this breeding practice began in Staffordshire, England. Hence the name Staffordshire bull terrier.
When America was colonized, people brought their dogs. In 1898, the American pit bull terrier became the foundation breed of the UKC, a new canine registry. Because it didn't have pure bloodlines, the AKC wouldn't even recognize the dog for years.
By World War I, pit bull terriers had become America's dog. Their strong bodies, sweet temperaments, dependability and loyalty made them the nation's canine mascot on war posters. They were used in countless advertising
campaigns in the following decades. Victor, RCA's famous canine riveted by his master's recorded voice, was a pit bull. And a pit bull "sold" shoes for Buster Brown. They were the dog of choice for legions of celebrities, from Thomas Edison
to Fred Astaire to Woodrow Wilson. And they became celebrities themselves. Petey, the Little Rascals mascot, romped alongside his grade-school pals with their parents' blessing. They knew the dog was their friend. He would never do them harm. How times have changed.
Best Friends, December 2004
Origin: Along with his English cousins the Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire, one of three breeds known collectively as Pit Bulls. The AmStaff is heaviest.
Profile: Unjustly maligned by many, the AmStaff maintains a cadre of loyal fans who believe that the problem is bad owners - not bad dogs.
365 Dogs Calendar(Workman Publishing) www.pageaday.com
The odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 600,000 in the USA. Comparatively speaking you are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than you are to be killed by a dog of any breed. When you further break down the odds of being attacked and killed by a Pit Bull the odds are in your favor -approximately 1 in 145,000,000. That’s million folks. In contrast, you are 4 times more likely to be killed by a cow in the USA than any breed of dog, much less a Pit Bull.
So why do some dogs attack? The answer is quite simple really.
- Irresponsible pet owners.
- Irresponsible parents.
- Instigation by the "so called" victims themselves.
Although there are some bad dogs out there, these are in the minority and the tendency is to blame the dogs and/or their owners without just cause.
In today’s society we have unfortunately moved away from personal accountability and responsibility. Many are looking for others to take care of them in every aspect of their lives including the proper raising of their children. When something negative happens then it is no longer their fault because they have been dependant on the care of others. Today’s society is eager to slap the victim label on anyone who becomes hurt even if this is due to their own negligence and in many cases is the choice of the individual and was their intent to behave stupidly.
If you are an owner of a dog, it is your responsibility to make sure he/she is properly confined. For the good of society, you should additionally make sure he/she is well socialized.
If you are the parent of a child, it is your responsibility to raise your children with respect for you, themselves and others. In the category of others this includes both property and animals. If an animal mauls your child due to your lack of responsible parenting, this is your fault, and you must live with the moral consequences. Regardless of what a court may say you will always be the bearer of your morality and by not teaching your children respect and the proper ways to act then you bear this moral burden.
The majority of people who are killed by dogs are children. These children often instigate the attack by trespassing, throwing objects at dogs, harassing, torturing, and otherwise acting in a threatening manner toward the attacking dog. When this is the case, there is typically a strong tie to irresponsible parenting and improper education of morality and respect. From the dogs' perspective they are merely acting in self-defense, which is natural for any animal, including humans.
So what should a person do in the unlikely event they are attacked or threatened by a dog?
If a dog threatens you do not look them directly in the eyes, do not bark or growl at them, and do not make any sudden movements. All of these actions may be perceived as a threat by the dog and promote an attack that could otherwise be avoided.
When threatened, you should tuck your fists underneath your chin and back away slowly. By tucking your hands underneath your chin it helps protect you from being attacked at the neck and throat and can help absorb the weight if the dog jumps up at you. Do not turn your back, as this will leave you defenseless. Do not run, as dogs are faster than any human runner on earth. The best defense however is a good offense. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid getting near a dog that you do not know unless the owner is present and has okayed your approach. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER approach a pack of dogs. If a dog in a pack attacks you, the chances of others in the pack also getting involved are significant. The two main reason dogs pack together are to hunt and breed and you do not want to be seen by them as a threat.
If you are attacked, do not fight back. This will instigate additional attacking while at the same time leaving you defenseless. If you cannot get away the best thing to do is to curl up into a fetal position and locking your hands together behind your head. By locking your hands your arms will protect your neck and throat, your hands will protect your ears, and having your fingers locked together will help protect damage that can occur to them. By maintaining the tuck you will protect your face and soft parts of your midsection.
The number one reason in which someone dies from an attack is by bleeding to death. Knowing this fact, protecting your neck and throat is critical. For those who survive a major dog attack the biggest issue is usually scarring and / or the loss of body parts and tissue such as ears, noses, and fingers. Properly tucking and locking your hands will greatly reduce the chance of death and major scarring.
You should practice this technique and make sure you teach it to your children. After any animal attack occurs seek immediate medical care.
Although the odds are in your favor that you or your children will not die from a dog attack, you can help reduce the odds by practicing these safety tips together.
American Pit Bull Registry, September 2003 Newsletter |