Dog Handling Effects of Winter

Dear Ollie,

Enough is enough. I love snow and can rise to the challenge of romping or digging in the frosty, white stuff with the best of them. But we’ve had more snow in Chesterton than is necessary to make a nice winter. In fact, I think we may have more than Vancouver, Canada where the winter Olympics is being hosted.

Here’s my problem; my paws hurt and my owner makes me wear a leash when we walk on the lake. I don’t need a leash because I do come when I am called. The whole experience is humiliating and did I mention that I walked on our snow covered driveway yesterday, and my paws hurt?

 

Malden, the Slovac Cuvac

 

Dear Malden,

I get it. You’re sick of winter and your paws hurt. Well, mine hurt yesterday too when my woman-human took me out on the front lawn. O.K., we were outside the front door where there is a two foot high snow drift and no lawn. Anyway, we walked on what used to be the lawn and I was fine until I trotted over our driveway and wow, did my paws hurt. I raised them up one at a time and put myself in the “brake for sore paws” position. My woman-human got my message. “Poor Ollie,” she said. And indeed she was right. She scooped up some fresh snow from the drifts and washed my paws. It was great and I was cured. Yours and my paws hurt because salt and other substances used to remove snow from sidewalks, driveways and walkways stuck to our feet. If not treated, we could lick the substance off and may suffer digestive tract inflammation or worse. Tell your owners to wash your paws and your tummy fur with warm water and a damp cloth after outdoor excursions.

So you live near a lake? Well, I do too.  My woman-human lets me run loose because I weigh only 16 pounds and she knows that when the ice fisherman set up shacks on Lake Louise, the ice is at least 9 inches thick. You, Malden are a big dog probably 80 to 100 pounds. The rules are different here. Winter has other dangers besides sore paws. Two dogs about your size, a Labrador retriever and a Chow/Lab mix were rescued two weeks ago by the Valparaiso Fire Department. They both fell into a pond located in the Stonehenge subdivision of Valparaiso.

Assistant Valparaiso Fire Chief Dan lamb said that if a dog goes into the water, the owner must call 911 immediately and NOT try to rescue the dog. “We have special suits, life preservers, a floating rescue sled with a paddle and we’ll be there in 3 to 5 minutes,” said Lamb. “There’s a good chance that the human will fall through the ice too,” he said. Jim Mercon, a Valparaiso resident did go through the ice on Lake Louise to save his large dog 10 years ago. “I remember this fiasco as though it were yesterday,” he said. “My body temperature went down to 80 degrees before I was rescued.” That story had a happy ending as both man and dog were saved by the Union Township Volunteer fire department.

Unfortunately, only footprints heading to the Kankakee River were left when 310 pound David Smith of Manteno, Illinois was exercising his chocolate Labrador dog and presumably fell into the icy river near the Sumava Resorts in Newton County.

Malden, stay safe and warm this winter and I hope that someone remembers you on this Valentine’s Day with two pairs of lovely red booties for your sore paws. 

 

 

Remember, Rescuing one pet can’t change the world…but the world will change for that one pet

Educating People to be Responsible Pet Owners

Dear Ollie,
Throughout my life, I’ve helped unwanted pets, mostly dogs. I still don’t understand why people get a puppy or dog and just pen or chain them up outside 24/7. What a miserable existence for such loving animals! Police and animal control do nothing. These dogs don’t get love, attention, socialization, walks, baths, haircuts, brushings, ears cleaned, nails clipped or vet care. They’re lucky if they get clean water in a clean bowl and good food. They live in a small pen or on 3 feet of chain. One pit bull I saw had a very heavy tow chain on his neck. People who force their dogs to exist this way have no heart. They only like the power they have over a helpless animal. Please educate people to be responsible and caring pet owners.
Susie Smith



Dear Susie,
Indeed, I am flattered you believe that I alone can actually do something about these deplorable conditions that you describe because I am just one small dog However, I believe that my tiny voice can make a difference when joined with voices like yours who have the courage to speak out against the mistreatment of animals.

Animals are not accessories to be abandoned when they go out of style. They have spirit and personality and the right to be treasured and treated well by their owners.
Reading your letter reminded me of a book named The Little Prince, written and illustrated by Antoine De Saint-Exupery. Many years ago, this book was translated from French so English speaking children could enjoy its words. My human reads passages to her grand daughter and I curl up by her feet and listen.

The little prince travels within the galaxy and visits planets. On one planet he meets a fox who explains to him what it means to be tamed. To be tamed, the fox explains, is to establish ties with something so that it becomes unique. “To me, you are nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part have no need of me. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me you will be unique in the entire world. …If you tame me it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all others. Yours will call me like music, out of my burrow,” said the fox. “One only understands the things that one tames and men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all made up in the shops but they cannot buy friendship. Then the fox shared a secret with the prince. “What is essential is invisible to the eye; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly.”

Susie, people who are cruel to animals do not understand what the fox has said. Continue working for the animals and I shall too because we understand what it means to see rightly with our hearts.

Remember...Rescuing one pet won't change the world...but the world will change for that one pet.