When I first thought about our most important safety item, I thought "leash," but then I thought, "No. Training my dogs is what keeps us most safe," and then I thought, "No. My energy, how I react to our surroundings and their behavior, and my ability to think ahead are really the most important ways I can keep us safe."
Leashes are really important though. Whether they are reflective or not, long or short, they don't just keep my dogs from running after deer. Leashes help me protect my dogs from other dogs that may be off leash. With my dogs attached to me, I can address an off-leash dog directly and block its approach to my dog.
Their collars and attaching flashers keep us safe too. Their collars have their identifying information so even if their tags fall off, a kind person could call us. The red flashers keep us safe during our early morning and nighttime walks highlighting our presence on the roads of our neighborhood.
Training my dogs to have leash manners, manners for meeting people and other dogs, as well as knowing the boundaries of their yard are all good ways to keep us safe outside and enjoy the time. Our neighborhood does not allow fences and I didn't want to utilize an electric fence so my dogs' learning the boundaries of our yard and not going into the road were, and are, essential to their safety. We're still working with Foster on not crossing the boundary into the wetlands because he has seen a family of deer.
I think my energy is the most important safety feature in our relationship. How I react to surprising sounds when we're outside, or how I react to Luna digging for acorns around the trees, or how I react to Foster darting off into the woods needs to communicate how I feel about it. I act like it's not a big deal when we hear gunfire from the shooting club. It would be terrible to have a dog that runs for cover any time there is an event at the club. When Luna digs for potentially toxic acorns, I need to react strongly to let her know I'm serious, and when Foster darts off to the woods, I need to be SERIOUSLY serious that running out of his yard is unacceptable.
Even better for my dogs' safety is my ability to think ahead. I can block Luna from digging for acorns to begin with by distracting her from the activity. I can direct her to another area or throw a tennis ball for a few rounds of fetch. I can keep Foster on a leash during the early morning and dusk to dark hours of our outside time so that he can't run into the woods after deer. These are just a few ways to keep us safely together because I love our outside time and want it to be smooth and stress free!
I do a lot of things for my dogs. They are my family members and they are pretty much dependent on me to provide them with everything they need. They are also very trusting of me and will follow me to any adventure I want to experience. And honestly, there are few things I want to do that don't include them.
For each adventure, and even for daily activities, I have safety gear. How I define safety gear is something I own or can do to ensure we are prepared for the calamities that can occur when you're experiencing the world with your dog by your side.
I have been teased and criticized for the amount of time I spend with my dogs. I'm not a weak person, I can take the hits, and I usually don't respond with an excuse or a defense. I'm not witty enough to respond with something clever, so I simply don't respond. It's not that I'm not annoyed by the judgments; they often hurt, but I've always been able to manage the critiques because I feel confident that I am doing what is right for me and my family. Look, I judge all the time. I judge what is right and wrong for my family. You do what works for you and I'll do what works for me.
The crack that irritates me more than any other is the observation that I am "substituting." Many, and I mean many, people believe that I am substituting dogs for "real children." Let me be clear: My dogs are not my children. They are my dogs. They are as much a part of my family as any human, and it is my choice to have dogs and not humans. Even if I had children living with me, I would still have dogs, and I would still take care of them as equal members of my family. Trust me. I've done it. I've lived it. I'm not "substituting" as if children are the pinnacle and I have sadly settled for dogs. I have dogs because I want dogs, and my dogs are essential members of my family.
I am not going to explain or defend my family's dynamic, but I do caution those who tell me I really need to "get going" and have some kids. I caution those who say, "I can tell you don't have kids! You're way too nice to your dogs!" or "If you had kids, you'd never pay attention to your dogs." You know nothing about me. Nothing.
The other criticisms that irk me are that I'm a worrier and over-protective. Yes, dogs live in the wild and stray dogs survive and your childhood dog never had a collar or a fence in its life and lived to be 17. I get it. My providing toys for my dogs when we go to someone's house increases the likelihood that the someone's dog's toys don't get eviscerated. I consider myself as being polite and thoughtful. My putting a jacket on my dog, who has 4% body fat, when it's below 30F ensures we'll be able to comfortably walk for an hour continuing my dogs' physical fitness while you and your dog never get out of the house for more than 2 minutes in December, January and February...Ok, that's it, I've got to stop letting these comments bother me.
So, ok, maybe you get what I'm typing. I care about my dogs' safety, and provide for it, maybe a little bit more than the average person. I am criticized and teased about it, but I keep doing it all, and most days, I do it with a smile because I'm out experiencing the world with my dogs by my side.
This week, I will show you a lot of the things I do to protect my dogs from other dogs, and from the elements of the outdoors. We are able to do a lot out there and we're limited only by me because my dogs are ready for anything!
I feel I am a fairly experienced traveler. I haven't flown in a year or two, but in general, I'm a good researcher, good planner, good packer, good go-with-the-flow-er, and I think my dogs are up for any adventure we might come upon in our travels. Since adding Foster Dog to our family, we've learned he is an excellent traveler and loves to be a part of any trip in the car. I've also increased my understanding of Breed Specific Laws (BSL) in North America, and I'm having to learn how to keep Foster safe and not break any laws that will have him taken away from me. It's serious.
A Breed Specific Law (BSL) is a type of dangerous dog law. It is defined as any ordinance or policy that pertains to a specific dog breed or breeds, but does not affect any others. BSLs were invented to regulate pit bulls and eliminate dog fighting. How "Pit Bull" is defined varies across North America, and can be confusing to dog owners. For example, Ontario, Canada defines Pit Bull as:
1. Pit Bull Terrier
2. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
3. American Staffordshire Terrier
4. American Pit Bull Terrier
5. A dog that has an appearance and physical characteristics substantially similar to any of those dogs.
If a person is found with a dog described as this, and is not "grandfathered" allowed to have it, or is participating in a specific dog show without advance permission, the dog can be confiscated and destroyed. If you have DNA proof that the dog is not a "Pit Bull," that evidence can be presented at a hearing.
I am not going to criticize or defend dangerous dog laws, animal control officers, good dog owners, bad dog owners, good dog breeders or bad dog breeders. BSLs are a controversial topic with nearly everyone having a strong opinion. I have my own, and you can ask me about it if you'd like, but here, I am going to tell you about how I'm planning to travel with my Foster who is a mix of 9 breeds whose DNA test shows he is 6% Staffordshire Bull Terrier and 5% American Staffordshire Terrier. Everyone who sees him, even if he or she doesn't want to say it, thinks he's a Pit Bull. I'm not sure what 11% makes him, but I am sure he is mine, and I will protect him by training him to be an ambassador for whatever breed anyone thinks he is. In some states, that won't be enough.
I do not minimize the life, and often appearance-changing, experiences people have
from being attacked by any dog. These sweet photos of Foster are not meant to make anyone believe all dogs are safe. I do hope these photos illustrate that a deeply loved, diligently trained, family, mix of 9 breeds, dog can be identified as a Pit Bull, confiscated and destroyed, for being in the car with me.
I am taking My Pack to Florida this year and we are driving. I've never been to Savannah, Georgia and I'd like to stop there for the night and take a walking tour of the city in the morning before heading out for another day of driving. Upon reserving a room at what appears to be an absolutely adorable Bed & Breakfast in Downtown Savannah, I told the innkeeper that I have two dogs. She never asked me the size nor the breed of either of them, but told me we would have our own gated entrance into the courtyard for the comfort of my dogs, and that I would be in nearly sight distance of the largest greenspace in Savannah if I wanted to walk my dogs. She also sent me information on dog friendly restaurants in walking distance from the Inn. So sweet.
After doing some research on walking tours in Savannah, I sent an e-mail to the company I thought I'd like to walk with asking if I could bring both of my dogs on their walking tour. The response was "You are welcome to bring your leashed, well-behaved dogs on our tour. Savannah in general, and our walking tours especially, are very dog friendly." Another sweet experience.
As we mapped out our route, I realized we would be driving through some BSL states and decided I needed to do some additional research on individual state's tourist policies. Some counties, villages, cities, etc. have different laws than others. Some apply to residents only, such as residents of the county are not allowed to own a Pit Bull, but a person can drive through the county with no issue. Some areas are less accommodating, and there are no exceptions made for tourists or state residents traveling through the county. I discovered we could encounter an issue in a few locations and started to feel a bit stressed. Though there is no reported enforcement, some states have a BSL with no exceptions: If you have a dog an officer (police, sheriff, animal control) identifies as a Pit Bull, the officer can confiscate your dog, and is authorized to have it killed. Those areas are serious about not having any kind of Pit Bull in their jurisdiction.
I haven't made it through each state's BSLs, but I have read that any issue reported has been complaint based, and individually evaluated, with a majority of people being issued a warning to not let their dogs out of the car in that jurisdiction. I pray we don't have to pee very badly in some states along the way. Mapping a route to avoid BSL states was suggested more than once. We're not planning on adjusting our trip to that extent, but we have discussed a few accommodations.
In the states with the most widespread and confiscation BSLs, we plan to not stop unless absolutely necessary. When necessary to stop, we are going to stop at Rest Areas only and go into the truck, trailer, RV area where there should be less people watching. We bring our own food whenever we travel, so we won't need to leave our dogs in the car unattended to enter a restaurant. As it gets dark outside, there should be less issues with stopping. Both of our dogs are black and less visible at night.
With preparation and awareness, I assume we're going to have a smooth trip to Florida and a smooth trip home. Foster has taught us an entirely new way to be prepared. While I'm sad to have these new lessons, I'm thankful to Foster for increasing our awareness.
Luna is ready to go!
When I pack for the dogs, I usually need two shallow bins. One for food and supplement things and one for gear. I like shallow bins because I don't have to dig too deeply to find what I need. It seems like everything we have is dark. I think it hides the dirt...
The Food Type Bin:
I like to have a rug to put the dogs' food and water bowls onto. Luna in particular is such a messy eater and drinker. I make packets of food for breakfast and dinner. It just makes it easy and I only have to bring the amount of food we need. I pack a few extra packets to be prepared and because some days we're really active and the dogs will need a few more calories. I know not everyone has figured out how many calories her dogs need and measures out food accordingly, but I do. It's not because I'm an eating disordered person and have that playing out in controlling what and how much my dogs eat. It is because "even moderately overweight dogs (are) at greater risk for earlier morbidity and a shortened lifespan." (Kealy RD, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002; 220:1315-1320.) Also, blood and joint disorders are limited when food is measured and caloric needs are properly met. (Kealy RD, Olsson S-E, Monti KL, et al. Effects of limited food consumption on the incidence of hip dysplasia in growing dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc1992;201:857–863). So I measure.Because how we travel together is by car, I like to leave a few things out of the bin so there is even easier access when we stop at a rest area. I don't provide Diet Mountain Dew for my dogs to drink, but I do put water into a cleaned 2-liter bottle! Luna doesn't like "Rest Area Water" for some reason, and she really doesn't drink much on the road, but Foster likes to have a drink during a stop, and providing their stomachs with water they are familiar with - we have a well - is just another way to make traveling easier on them.I also have treats, bowls, towels and baby wipes. Have you ever walked your dog around the "Dog Run" area of a Rest Area? Uucchh. Sooooooo many people do not pick up after their dogs. I like to be prepared with baby wipes in case my dogs, or please-let-it-not-be-me, step into something icky.The Gear Bin: Backpacks and toys and jackets and just stuff we need for being outside.
It's good to be prepared, and things fit better and better as we use up the food packets. I don't remember everything fitting into one bin, but if I had to do it, I'm confident I could find a way. It's better to have room for my dogs than to go anywhere without them!
Luna's Perch in the car
I have a list of things I like to pack for my dogs when we take a trip together. It is seasonal, but generally has the same things on it for any time of year. Here is the list I made for a big road trip to Colorado in early Fall:
•Luna's needs:
>First Aid Kit supplies: include Benadryl, rubber gloves, tweezers, matches, thermometer, buffered aspirin, Deramaxx, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil
>Tick protection: Tea tree oil spray
>Food packets
>Lots of treats
>Otomax
>Eye drops
>Supplements
>2 bags marshmallows
>Collars
>Recharge set up for flasher
>Seat belt harness
>Service Dog Vest
>Leashes
>Backpack for Me
>Poop bags
>Plastic grocery bags
>Bowls
>Rug
>Small towels
>Big towel
>Toys
>Gulpies
>Bed
>Orange fleece
>Blanket
>Carabiner
>Pepper spray
And the car is packed up!
I often use a Rubbermaid bin for the dogs' things.
A suitcase works well too - usually the carry-on size - but Rubbermaid bins stack so nicely.
If you were born into my family, one of your lifetime assignments is to travel. You are required to experience life in other states, countries and continents. As far as assignments go, I think this is an Excellent one! The greatest challenge in this lifetime job for me is that I cannot always bring my dogs. Wherever I go, whether it be to run errands or to walk El Camino, I want my dogs with me. To do this, I feel I need to plan for their every possible need. To some, I may be seen as a worrier, an over-planner, but to me, I am a thoughtful caretaker, and My Pack and I are always ready for any adventure.
This week, I will share my lists, my suitcases, and some of our adventures. Traveling with My Pack is a gift, and I wrap it up very carefully so that we can rip it open with zeal on the road.
Foster Dog Loves a Road Trip
I have many many books on how to care for dogs, how to care for your senior dog, how to cook for your dog, and I have many many books on dog breeds, dog encyclopedias, and even a dog "bible." I love each one of these even if each one has information the others do. It's fun to look at the pictures and dream of the dogs I have had and the ones that will be my family in the future. Here is a tiny collection of my "Dog Books."
"Planet Dog: A Doglopedia," by Sandra and Harry Choron
2005
This book is packed, I mean Packed, with quotes about dogs, lists about dogs, lists of dog care information, tips about being a dog owner, and tons and tons of fun and useful trivia. It's just fun.
Some fun bits from "Planet Dog."
"A dog's whiskers are touch-sensitive hairs called vibrissae. They are found on the muzzle, above the eyes, and below the jaws and can actually sense tiny changes in airflow."
"A List of The 10 Gassiest Dogs"
1. German Shepherd Dog
2. Mixed Breed
3. Labrador Retriever
4. Boxer
5. Doberman Pinscher
6. Poodle
7. Cocker Spaniel
8. Rottweiler
9. Beagle
10. Dalmatian
"Highlights of the Iditarod" gets 3 whole pages.
"If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
- Unknown
"Dogs 24/7: Extraordinary Photographs of Wonderful Dogs," created by Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen
2005
187 pages of photographs of dogs being dogs. Going to the vet, being in their yards, working, and sleeping. It's just a beautiful book, and each photo can start a conversation.
"The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Dogs, Dog Breeds & Dog Care," by Dr. Peter Larkin and Mike Stockman
1997
A concise compilation of not just dog breeds in the Hound, Sporting, Utility (Non-Sporting), Terrier, Working and Toy groups, but of information on choosing the right dog for you and how to feed, train and care for it. The pictures are really good of each breed presented and it's fun to have a little bit of information on a lot of different dogs.
"The Original Dog Bible: The Definitive Source For All Things Dog," edited by Kristin Mehus-Rice
2005
A huge book with sections describing Dog Genetics and Development, Dogs in Religion and Folklore, Dogs and the Law, Activities You Can Do With Your Dog, Diagnostic Tests and Techniques, Socializing and Training Your Dog, and many many many other topics. It also has 207 pages devoted to various dog breeds.
When the kids in my life were younger, we looked at this book nearly every day. We read about different dogs we'd seen during the day and guessed about their breed make-up. We talked about what dogs we'd had and what dogs we might like to have and what would be a perfect mix of dog. It inspired many wonderful conversations. Plus, when neighbors' dogs were diagnosed with an illness, we'd look it up for them and they could read what the prognosis and treatments might be. We were the hub of dog information because our Dog Bible was always at the ready.
I don't look to the Dog Bible as frequently as I've needed to in the past, but I love knowing it's available on the shelf, and when a new edition is published, I have a feeling some kids I know will be wrapping it up as a present for me!
