It was a great weekend to be my dog (or my kids for that matter). Saturday afternoon we went frog catching, dog walking and duck feeding at Evergreen Cemetery.
Dogs are allowed off leash at the far end of the pond and beyond, and Charlee had a blast splashing through various water holes, while the kids did their best to snag a few frogs. The day was made all the more sweet by lack of RAIN, a blue sky and most especially because I had the weekend off!

Sunday we met good friends at Hinckley Park in South Portland for a walk with their dog Mystic who I helped to place through New England Border Collie Rescue. Mystic was originally a stray and may or not be a purebred, but he sure acts like a Border! For those of you still skeptical that Border's come in this color, check out the Border Collie Museum.

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Hinckley is a dedicated off leash area, and I have to say that all the dogs we encountered (and there were many!) were all well behaved and good citizens.

The area is divided into two ponds and an open field under the high tension wires. We stayed for nearly 3 hours and had a lovely picnic. My oldest son, the budding naturalist, discovered a HUGE snapping turtle in a shallow area, that we observed for quite some time. He easily persuaded me to visit again the next day. Our turtle friend was still there, and we got to see it's enormous head and neck, which was easily longer than my arm from the elbow down. Wow!

We all truly appreciated our time outdoors this weekend, and this former city gal still can't believe how fortunate we are (especially the dog) to live in Maine!

Why we love Hinkley:
Great place for dogs to swim and cool off and there are plenty of places for your dog to gain access to the water. Trails are well in away from the road.
For kids-Mine love to walk and fish there. They enjoyed watching some of the retrievers diving off the edge for their balls. It is filled with wildlife, birds and berries and at least one giant snapping turtle!
What we don't like like:
Nothing!

Rating (out of a posible 4)
Four paws off the ground for Hinckley

Joy Elliot Photo

With hundreds of rescue groups bringing dogs from out of state to New England, Massachusetts has enacted an emergency order. It appears to be aimed specifically at rescues who are adopting dogs "right off the truck" to
minumize health risks.

MITT ROMNEY
Governor
ELLEN ROY HERZFELDER
Secretary
KERRY HEALEY
Lieutenant Governor
DOUGLAS P. GILLESPIE
Commissioner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Brad Mitchell May 26, 2005 617-626-1771 MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ISSUES EMERGENCY ORDER TO STRENGTHEN ANIMAL IMPORT LAWS

New Regulations Necessary to Protect Human and Animal Health The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) announced an emergency order today to strengthen the regulations pertaining to animals brought into the Commonwealth from other states. DAR has found that additional requirements are necessary to prevent rescue organizations, shelters and other groups from bringing animals into the state that pose risks to human and animal health. More than 200 rescue and adoption groups are currently relocating animals to Massachusetts for adoption and sale. Today’s emergency order will address the weaknesses in the current import laws in order to minimize health risks in Massachusetts with the following four new requirements:

Record keeping – Every rescue group and shelter will be required to keep and provide detailed records on the animal’s place of origin, where it was housed prior to arriving in Massachusetts and ultimately on its new home. Rescue groups and shelters will also be required to keep detailed medical records on each animal to aid in epidemiology investigations and follow-up.

Isolation – Every animal coming into Massachusetts for adoption must be isolated for 48 hours. This will serve two important purposes: 1) Any disease afflicting an animal will have the opportunity to manifest itself after the stress of transport, and 2) Imported animals will have enough time after transport to recover and exhibit either symptoms of disease or behavior consistent with a healthy animal.

Veterinary Examination – Every animal must be given a health exam and issued a health certificate by a Massachusetts veterinarian at the end of the 48-hour isolation period.

Registration Form: Every rescue group and shelter will be required to be registered with the state of Massachusetts and be able to furnish proof of registration so that state enforcement agencies remain aware of all importing entities in the state and the precise nature of their operations. “We are pleased that Massachusetts is a state in which humane relocation efforts have been so successful in providing homes for stray animals from other states,” said Douglas Gillespie, Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources. “But, the time has come to be more vigilant in how we regulate this practice to prevent diseases and other health threats from reaching our residents, pets and livestock in Massachusetts.” Some of the more serious issues that these new regulations seek to minimize include nonexistent or forged health records and certificates, introduction of diseases and parasites not previously found in Massachusetts and importation of animals with serious, contagious diseases such as rabies. “We have seen instances where families with young children were adopting sick dogs right off the back of an out of state transport truck, with few if any steps taken to protect the safety or health of the adopting family or their pets” added Commissioner Gillespie. “These rescue organizations do wonderful work; we just need to ensure that they are doing it right from an animal health and human health perspective” he concluded.

Congressional Leaders Introduce Legislation to Close Loophole in Federal Law for Commercial Puppy Mills
05/26/2005

WASHINGTON – The Humane Society of the United States, Doris Day Animal League and the Society for Animal Protective Legislation are urging Congress to pass legislation to extend regulation of large, commercial pet breeding operations to cover facilities that sell directly to consumers.

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Richard Durbin (D-IL), who both hold leadership positions in the U.S. Senate, introduced the legislation today. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) introduced identical legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill is aimed at extending animal welfare protections to address the sale of puppies and kittens over the Internet and through newspaper ads, closing a loophole that exempts those puppy breeders as "pet stores." Many of these young animals cross state lines to arrive at their final destinations and unsuspecting consumers have no opportunity to assess the conditions the animal was bred in, which was the original intention of the Animal Welfare Act.

"Consumers are accustomed to purchasing everything from appliances to wallpaper over the Internet, but it's not the best way to go when you're looking for a new best friend," said Nancy Perry, HSUS vice president for government affairs.

A recent survey of pet owners indicates that 406,000 American households purchased a dog over the Internet. And due to the multitude of dog registries, it is impossible to determine the number of pure-bred puppies sold through newspaper advertisements.

"Consumers who purchase puppies sight unseen run a tremedous risk of receiving a very sick dog whose veterinary expenses will far exceed the cost of the initial purchase," said Stephanie Shain, director of outreach for companion animals for The HSUS. "Common canine illnesses and hereditary diseases can lead to a lifetime of health and behavior problems."

"Dogs and cats and their offspring have suffered at the hands of some of these massive commercial breeding operations," said Cathy Liss, legislative director for the SAPL. "These animals are in need of protection and the operations are in need of oversight."

The Animal Welfare Act requires inspections of large, commercial dog breeders, and establishes minimum standards of care for the animals. The provisions only apply to breeders who sell to wholesalers, and currently exempts breeders who sell directly to consumers. The legislation exempts hobby and show breeders.

After a prolonged struggle through the judicial system to require regulation of large, commercial retail breeders, humane organizations elected to take the issue directly to Congress.

"This is a significant first step in seeking parity between the federal Animal Welfare Act's requirements for large, commercial breeders selling to pet stores and to the public," said Sara Amundson, legislative director for the Doris Day Animal League. "It is long overdue and truly welcomed by the humane community."

"Unscrupulous breeders are taking advantage of advances in technology and loopholes in the law to profit from selling sick puppies to unwitting families," said Shain. "People are being duped into thinking that spending a lot of money for a dog is a guarantee of quality, when the reality is that the best dogs are the ones available for adoption at the local animal shelter."

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than nine million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.

Society for Animal Protective Legislation is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1951 to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Doris Day Animal League is a nonprofit, national, citizen's lobbying organization working to improve the humane treatment of animals.

In a move that surprised many the AKC who have opposed legislation in the past has gotten behind this bill also.

For more info on Puppy Mills try these links:

stoppuppymills.org

puppymillrescue.com

Do you have a dog in need of exercise? Do you find yourself wishing your dog had an off-switch? Is your dog jumping and nipping at you or your kids with uncontrolled excitement?

'Red Light' is a game you can play with your dog to help him learn self-control. It can be beneficial for your kids too because it teaches them an important safety tool if they're ever chased by a dog. Kids will see how their behavior contributes to a dog's reactions, and it provides a positive training management tool. Best of all, it's a fun way of helping your dog learn that all important "Chill Skill".

I play a modified version at all my Safe Kid/Safe Dog demonstrations.

How to play:

Step One - (Dogs and puppies should know 'SIT' before starting this game.) First teach Fido to sit for a treat by holding one just above his nose and slowly lifting it upward. As the pup's nose moves up for the treat, his rear will move down towards the floor and he should adopt a sitting position. Click and give him the treat. Next, teach the kids and other players how to get the dog to sit for treats.

Now you're ready to start the game!

Step Two - In the beginning an ADULT should be in charge and holding the dog on a leash. Start by taking just a few steps and have the dog 'SIT'. Be sure to reward your dog with praise and treats for all sits he performs correctly. Slowly add more motion and excitement to your game and begin to lengthen the intervals of movement time.

Step Three - (Add more players.) With your dog on leash or with his leash dragging, Call 'Green Light!' and have the players jump, run and wiggle while making happy noises. Just as the dog starts to get excited, call 'Red Light' and have the players stand quietly with hands at their sides like a tree. Depending on your dog's level of training and excitement, you can gradually work up to waving your arms, dancing, whooping and hollering or running wildly about the house or yard. This can be a great tool for controlling a young puppy who may bite or nip. Again, an adult should be monitoring the dog very closely and be ready to step in and regain control if he becomes too excited or out of control.

Step Four - In no time you will playing off-leash and will be able to incorporate some pretty wild behavior by the (human) players. When 'Red Light' is called, the person closest to the dog is responsible for helping to make sure the dog sits and should be the one to reward him with a treat for good behavior.

Safety warning! - Be sure to take your cues from your dog. If your dog is becoming more aroused (instead of less so), be sure to call 'Red Light' more frequently in order to give dogs and kids sufficient time to regroup. If that doesn't work then it may be time to end the game. It is always a good idea to play this game on-leash or with it dragging when kids are involved so you can quickly get your dog back under control in case the game's excitement level escalates.

If your dog is still misbehaving, try playing the game again at another time when your dog might be in a lower key, or perhaps they need remedial training help with sit. It is always best to introduce the game when your dog is already in a calm state. This is a great tool to have in your training tool box for use in real-life situations where your dog's behavior has become too wild.

Variations on the game - You can incorporate music, making it similar to the game of "Freeze Frame" you played as kids yourself. Many of you will find that your dog is quick to catch on to the musical version. Try playing it like a race from Point A to Point B and back again. Remember - less is more, so don't overdo things!


Gooddogz Training will be returning to the Children's Museum this summer for several Dog Bite Prevention events. Bring your kids and come play 'Red Light' with Charlee!

Thirty dogs from China have been sent to NYC for chance at a better life. Now that is what I call a long distance transport!

Here are two stories from Newsday. The first tells of the adventure and the second is an update.

Usually my Thursdays are booked with private sessions during the day, but I had all three of my scheduled sessions cancel for today due to rain.

Like the rest of you, I would love to be somewhere sunny and warm right now, but realistically I can't physically go anywhere because my kids get out of school at three o'clock, and being a parent just doesn't leave me open to last minute travel like days of yore.

The new plan is to take care of a few things on my must do list, and then I am getting away for a few hours via a good book, Ella in Europe.
Basically it is the story of a guy who loves his dog and takes her on a trip to Europe.
Animal Planet is adapting the book into a series. Hey Animal Planet-what about a story line about a dog trainer in Maine? Charlee and I are ready for our close up to.

Thanks for the book loan Beth and Happy Birthday!

If you are the type of person who likes personality quizzes, then this site is for you. I will not vouch for the accuracy of the results, but the test itself is very cute.

As with most on line quizzes, the answers I would have chosen were not options.

If you ever wondered where the saying "it's raining cats and dogs" comes from click here.

If you really don't care about the phrase and/or all the stinking' rain and/or if you are looking for a way to relieve some of your weather frustrations without actually hurting anyone, and/or you are bored and are looking to pass some time, and/or if you just like playing stupid games-

Click here for Cats and here for Dogs.

caution:
games contain violence

Vienna is considering having all dog owners register their dog's DNA to help identify orphan poop.
Anyone think this is a good way to spend tax dollars?

Thank you again Donna D for link

Great weather if your a dog!

Charlee and I took advantage of the break in the rain this morning to have one great walk in the park.

(and then she got yet another bath)

Every once in a while I’ll get a really annoying dog in class. A dog that barks and barks and just seems to have his own agenda.

Meet ‘Sailor’, a 7-month-old chocolate Standard poodle, sporting an overgrown Afro, and a recent addition to a very nice family. Mom is a pediatrician with three lovely kids. Dad was convinced that this big, overgrown dog, (affectionately nicknamed ‘Clifford’ and "Baby Huey" due to his substantial size) was a very dumb dog and should be returned. They had chosen a Standard Poodle because they liked the breed and appreciated an intelligent companion. What they got instead was….Bark, pull and play! Sweet dog…but more than a handful.

On his first night, Sailor sailed into class quite the free spirit. We worked on lots of attention exercises but Sailor was engrossed in being loud, distracting and wasn’t particularly motivated to learn or work. (Enough so that one pup’s owner switched to a quieter class, if that gives you a visual.) He arrived at his second week of class displaying more of the same. I told his owners that I believed his incessant barking stemmed from frustration and was concerned that it might progress into aggression.

So why am I telling you about Sailor? Because we finally found out what truly makes him tick after six long weeks of hard work by his owners. By graduation day he’d been transformed into a quiet, focused student. More importantly, he was happy! (Almost as much as his family and his classmates!)

Understanding your dog’s behavior can take time. If you have a problem dog, ask yourself what motivates him? What does he like best of all? Then use that knowledge to your advantage. For some dogs it isn’t necessarily about food or training treats. Some dogs may learn and work best for the chance to play with their favorite toy, go for a ride in the car, a chance to chase squirrels or herd sheep as a reward. In Sailor’s case, he wanted contact with doggie friends.

Sailor was obsessed with other dogs. By his second class, we were rewarding good work (not barking) with the chance to play off lead with two of his 6-month-old puppy classmates. He was very gentle and sweet and quite happy. The play session resulted in very little barking afterwards. However, each week Sailor continued announcing his arrival at the outset of class with a bout of frenzied barking. But he’d settle down, get back on track, and remain so until he decided another play reward was in order.

I was especially pleased with Sailor’s progress because his problems could potentially have resulted in the loss of his home and possibly even his life. Underneath that cute, floppy Afro was a fundamentally smart dog. But that intelligence was handicapped by a pushy nature and a determination to have it his way. So you may be asking yourself, “What was the key to Sailor’s turnaround”? Sailor, like most dogs, is a very social animal. On Saturday, his graduation day, before I’d even finished with an earlier session, I heard Sailor arrive, barking to excess anouncing to the world that he was here. He came into his class once again, like gangbusters, barking and maneuvering his way over to a Lab puppy friend. His owner allowed him to sniff, but as soon as he was pulled away, the barking began again in earnest. A light bulb went off in my head and I asked his owner if we might try a method referred to as ‘abandonment training’. I have had success using a modified version of this to help some aggressive dogs and it seemed worth trying with Sailor.

‘Abandonment training’ doesn’t mean we abandon the dog. Instead we take away (or remove the dog from) the one thing the dog wants most. I snatched his leash with a firm “Too Bad!” and whisked him into the office, shutting the door on his lead. He became quiet instantly. Immediately thereafter, I opened the door to let him out, praised him verbally with a “Good Quiet!” and walked slowly with him towards the group. But he caught sight of his little Lab buddy and began whining again. This earned him a quick U-turn and a return trip to office isolation for several more seconds. The Sailor who emerged from the office a second time was a dog who was now starting to realize his barking/whining took him AWAY from what he wanted most. The final revelation came after his third trip to the office before handing him back to his owner. The entire session occurred over a three-minute period. He tried the same (mis)behavior with his owner but she did a great job of mimicking exactly what I had just done. And guess what? Sailor didn’t make a peep! The remaining Fifty-seven minutes left for class and he was as quiet as a mouse. I couldn’t have been happier for all concerned.

In class Sailor did get to play with his friends a bit, but only at the discretion of his owner. Now his owner decided with whom and when he could play and it painted a striking contrast to his first night in class.

There are lessons to be learned from Sailor’s situation:

Lesson One: Beware of the older pup still available from a breeder. Sometimes you may indeed be getting ‘pick of the litter’ and score a great pup that the breeder held back or planned to keep for themselves. But it might also be the case of a problem pup that didn’t sell and the reason(s) may not have been obvious to you. I can relate story after story of people acquiring older puppies they fell in love with from a picture on the Internet. Use caution and common sense here. Think with your head and not your heart. Not all personalities may be a good match for your family.

Lesson Two: If you are having a hard time with your dog or puppy, don’t delay in getting help. The longer they practice what you don’t want them to do, the better they will become at doing so. Sailor did not train himself. Don’t employ quick-fix programs from a book or experiment with suggestions from well-meaning friends. Consult a professional dog trainer. I am convinced that, had Sailor’s owners not enrolled him in an obedience training class, they would have been headed for far more serious problems down the road.

Lesson Three: Incentive for your dog doesn’t have to involve food treats. Use real life rewards. Find out what matters to your dog and use it to your advantage. Also called Premack's Theory, it is much like having to eat your vegetables in order to be able to eat dessert.

Lesson Four: Be sure to control all of your dog’s resources. It is important to find out what motivates your dog and be consistent in its use. Leaders control all resources.

Lesson Five: Focus on what behavior you’d like your dog to START performing rather than what you want him to STOP doing. Train an alternative behavior. For example, if your dog is jumping up on guests when they arrive, think about what you’d prefer they do and train that. (Teach them to ‘Sit’ or ‘Down’ instead.) Don’t leave things to chance.

Sailor was fortunate to have found a wonderful family who love him for who he is. They are committed to putting the time, effort and energy necessary into helping him achieve his full potential. Sadly, not every dog is as lucky as Sailor.

Happy training!

With rain rain and more rain to come, it is time to laugh at the weather with Triumph the insult comic dog...

Police dogs in Australia have been trained to find baby powder instead of cocaine.

"I'm sure our dogs have got very soft, nice smelling noses at the moment, but they are in fact trained in detecting talcum powder so that means that they will have to be retrained in detecting cocaine," he told reporters. "If there are any missing kids out there, we'd find them fairly quickly, I should think," he quipped

Thanks to Susan in Israel for this link!

Be on the look out for Baron, a German Sheperd police dog missing in York since Tuesday.

Barney our "first dog" has a web page.
I wonder if he has any of these toys?

What do we think of this?

Jay Leno is looking for dog acts.
Guess what....he wants the smart and the stupid.
excerpt:
"We're looking for the smartest dogs in the world! But if your pooch isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, there's no reason to feel left out. We're looking for the dumbest dogs too. If you have an incredibly smart or an unusually dumb dog, we want to know."

Great tricks, or no tricks, send a tape!

This weekend I have to work and will miss the New England Border Collie western adopters reunion at Sugar Bush Farm in Stephenstown NY. I will miss seeing our dogs, and hanging out with old friends, but I am so BUMMED that I will not get to meet Pooka the agility cat!
Have a great time everyone and give Pooka a pat for me!

This Saturday May 21st PetFest in Oxford Maine from 9-4!

If you are planning a dog event, send the info to me at Gooddogz1@aol.com. Event listings will be featured once a month.

Just what we needed! (not!)

Denver to re-examine Pit-Bull Ban

Many years ago before the rest of the commercial world caught on, I helped to litter box train quite a few clients dogs.

We didn't use a Pet a potty , with real or fake grass. Look close. The design flaw here is that it needs higher sides or guess what, stuff will get on the floor. Never mind that Business Weekly on line wrote about it this week, or that Sharon Osbourne is "putting one in her bedroom." We all know where the Osbourne dogs do their business and I don't see this as their solution at all. Attention Sharon and Ozzie! Send me a ticket out there, pay for my time and I will help you potty train your animals in no time, no problem!!! Pet- a- Potty would only work well for a few select dogs. Overall it is a bad idea, and especially for male dogs, if you get my drift.

But I did put my head together with clients and we used the bottom of an old crate. It worked out fine. The only problem we had was that the dogs liked to have something underneath, like a rubber bath mat, so that the crate didn't move around and scare them. This web site does a great job at explaining the process! These days you can also buy doggie litter, and wee wee pads to help you out.

Litter box training can be an excellent solution for small dogs with tiny bladders, for dogs who continue to have accidents no matter how hard you try, and I have even heard of larger dogs being taught to use the litter box from time to time. Litter training does not take the place of walks or a professional pet walker. When I lived in Boston, we used it primarily with dogs in high rise apartments, and small dogs who would not go outside in inclement weather.
If you decide to try this I wish you good luck!

What's that? You are wondering about teaching your dog to use the toilet, like the cat in Meet the Fockers, or the dog in Bruce Almighty? You could easily teach a dog to put their paws on the top of the bowl and even flush by teaching them to target, first, but if you think your husband has bad aim...

In case you were wondering about the world record number of pups in a litter, it is 24 and the record is held by an English Neapolitan Mastiff in England.

If you haven't seen or heard of Whiplash the Border Collie riding monkey, click here. I wish the link to the video I had still worked.

How lazy are we? Have you heard about the new Pet washing machine the Lavakan? You put your pet inside and the Lavakan does all the work. Where did they get this idea, watching The Three Stooges?
HOW SCARY!

Whether you agree with the BSL (Breed specific legislation) or not you should keep abreast of what is going on. It could affect you, your dog and your insurance in the not too distant future. Denver is going ahead full steam with it this week.

From this weeks Metrowest

Intesting perspective from Bill Johnson of the Rocky Mountain News

Dogwatch, the folks who keep an eye on all things legal

And a little history lesson from the folks at National Geographic

From SteveDale

Play Find the Pittbull (it took me four tries!)

Do we really need a cell phone from a Korean company to interpret what are dogs are saying?
It is not very hard to understand what our dogs are trying to tell us. Bet you could pick one from this list and have as much success as a cell phone could:

"I want attention"
"I want to go out"
"Let's play"
"Danger!"
"Stranger"
"I don't taste like chicken"

When my dog gets her spring checkup Friday, she will not be getting any yearly vaccines. This year I will have the vet draw her blood to perform a titer. The sample will then be checked in a lab to see if she has adequate levels of antibodies in her system to protect her from disease. Odds are VERY high that Charlee won't need to be vaccinated again for some time - with the exception of having to get her rabies vaccine renewed every three years. Current research supports the evidence that most vaccines are effective for at least several years in protecting our pets. Annual renewal is both unnecessary and potentially injurious to their longterm health.

Many of you may already be aware that, due to the tireless efforts of Kris Christine of Alna , and others, Maine’s outdated rabies vaccination protocol has been changed. It used to be mandatory that Maine's dogs be innoculated every two years. That requirement has been amended now to every three years. Kris began her crusade for change to this requirement after her own dog Meadow developed tumors at the site of his rabies vaccine within days of being innoculated. Her experience is not unique. I have heard of countless vaccine-related problems ranging from tumors, cancer, seizures, behavioral problems, aggression, skin/coat and allergy conditions arising from excessive or premature innoculations. I hear these reports daily from clients, friends, colleagues and from the numerous professional dog training lists to which I belong.

My own beloved dog Dina died from a brain tumor. My Boston vet had recommended we vaccinate her for rabies every year instead of following Massachusett's required three-year protocol because of local concerns involving racoons and rabies. I followed his advice, trusting his professional judgment. However, in hindsight (and after much reading and research) I now believe that Dina's condition was brought on or accelerated by vaccinosis
- complications caused by vaccine toxicity. Each spring Dina experienced what we called 'reverse sneezes' so my vet, attributing her sneezing to seasonal changes, recommended she be given powerful steroids and allergy medications. As I reflect back, I now realize that Dina never 'reverse- sneezed' or had seizures prior to that time. It is also likely that she received the one-year vaccine instead of the three-year vaccine in error and was poisoned by an overconcentration of toxins.

What you can do:

- Be an informed and responsible pet owner and do the research yourself! (I have yet to forgive myself for blindly following the vet's advice and allowing Dina to be vaccinated every year for rabies).

- Ask your vet about having a titer performed for your dog(s). If you decide to titer your dog, don’t be persuaded by the “it’s cheaper” speech advocating you go ahead and multiply vaccinate your dog anyway. With more and more dogs developing post-vaccination complications it won't be cheaper for you or better for the dog in the long run if they develop a life-threatening complication.

- Keep accurate records of the dates that your dog has been vaccinated. Many people are telling me that they are still getting bi-yearly and even yearly reminders from their vet for rabies shots due.

- Consider backing this bill, Ld 429 advocating full disclosure. What started in Maine by Kris has spread nationwide. Realize that all medicines and vaccines (whether they're intended for human or animal use) can have inherent risks and potential side effects. I believe it is our personal responsibility to act as well-informed consumers and research the pros and cons of each drug we're contemplating. It is unlikely that the current standards of vaccinations will change without more supporting data, but I do know that 27 major vet schools are now recommending these revised vaccine protocols.

- If you really want to get the ball rolling you can join this new Class Action Lawsuit that is aimed at changing the current vaccine protocol.

- If your dog is over six years of age or has a medical condition that could be compromised by vaccinations, please consider having him titered instead of administering a yearly vaccine.

- It's important to remember though that your dog should still be seen for his yearly veterinary examination whether you elect to skip an annual vaccination or not. Many problems are picked up with early detection during the yearly examination. Many vets are concerned that that their clients might skip yearly examinations if the current protocols should change. I share their concern about this and can't stress enough how important it is to make an appointment to have your dog seen by a vet at least once a year.

- Share this vaccine information with friends, family and other animal lovers.

Looking for more info? Try these links:
Lots of great info here at the canine epilepsy site. You will need to search a bit.

For a super slide presention by Dr. Bob Rogers DVM
Try New vaccination protocols

The Vaccine Question by Dr. Richard Pitcairn

Surf Doglogic's web site and Shirley's Wellness Cafe

Posted by Nancy Freedman-Smith at 01:24 PM
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