BarkSpot

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

“A Perfect Home for Juicy”

(A letter from a client)

Juicy Needs a Forever Home

As many of you know, Mark and I have been fostering Juicy, a pretty chocolate pitbull girl who came to us through Multnomah County Animal Shelter, for about two months.  She is now ready to go to her forever home where she will make someone a very lucky pet owner.

When we first brought Juicy home she was all ribs, walked low to the ground with her tail between her legs and hid in the bushes for hours.  Oh, how times have changed!  Juicy may have had a rough start in life, but she has grown and thrived in ways we couldn’t have imagined.  She has since filled out and become a happy, healthy, well-adjusted girl who loves food, attention and being around her people.  Plus, the tail wagging is now officially out of control.  She adores her foster brother and will happily run around and play with him in the yard, though we suspect she most enjoys lounging on comfy surfaces—her bed, your bed, the couch—even more.

Juicy is a low-to-mid energy dog that we think would do well in a house or an apartment.  She loves to be loved and near people, so she would do best in a home where someone is around most of the day.  If she is to be left alone, she tolerates being crated, but only the open-weave metal kind (she did NOT like the plastic one we had and promptly chewed through it).  From what we have observed, Juicy is friendly with other dogs and seems drawn to children.  She is fascinated with our 3 and 7 year old nieces and will follow them around, exhibiting motherly tendencies.  For these reasons, we think she would do well in a household with other dogs and/or children, but would be perfectly happy being the center of your world too.  She is a puppy (the guess is about 1.5 years) without much prior socialization or training, and therefore will benefit from owners that can provide love, discipline, consistency and patience.  Knowledge of the breed is also helpful.

If you are looking for a sweet, loyal companion to enrich your life, look no further.  Juicy is a gem and that is why we want to place her in a loving home.

Thank you.”

If anyone knows a great opportunity to provide a forever home for this incredibly sweet puppy, please don’t hesitate to respond by phone or email:

info@barkpdx.com

(503) 259-BARK (2275)

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Missing Dog in Beaverton ~ Please help!

Hi Everyone,

Please try and help this missing dog find his way home!

“Wilbur” is a brindle boxer-pit mix with a bright red collar, who is both tagged and chipped.  He is about 55 pounds, mostly brown and black, with very short hair (almost bald on his tummy).  He is very sweet and quiet, extremely well trained in the trick department, and loves to cuddle.

He ran away on Friday, July 2^nd when neighbors set off rockets.  He was last seen near SW 175^th Ave in  Beaverton , but also lived on NE Skylar in  Hillsboro until a few months ago.

If anyone has seen him, does see him, or has taken him in, please respond as soon as possible:

info@barkpdx.com

(503) 259-2275

Thank you!

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Train Your Dog, Train Yourself

Finding a good dog trainer isn’t as easy as opening up the phone book and selecting the ad that looks the most appealing. There are many good trainers out there, but not more than mediocre ones in my opinion. If you are searching for a dog trainer there are some things that you should consider before you start your search. First, you should be firmly aware of what your training goals are. Do you want your dog to listen to commands like “sit, stay, lay down, roll over, speak, shake” or is the training you seek a little more advanced like cadaver rescue, herding, agility competition, etc? After you’ve determined what your training goals are, you should start asking around. Friends, family, your veterinarian, professional dog walker and trusted sources should help give you an objective and honest view of their experiences with trainers and can really narrow down your search for a good trainer.

Ok, so you have identified a few well recommended trainers, so now what? Set up some meetings, ask for free consultations and interview each one of them. Yes, this could take a little time, but it’s well worth it. After all, these dogs are your family and you want them to be in good hands. Ask these trainers about their specific qualifications, training techniques and experience. Ask them to share some stories about how they were able to overcome difficult training challenges and whether or not they have solid experience that meet your specific needs. Be sure to select a trainer that works well with people! Ultimately, this trainer needs to help you train your own dog if you want the best results. Be leery of chain store training programs where you won’t get the personalized attention you and your dog need and be especially leery of sending your dog away to be trained in your absence. After you’ve heard enough from the trainers, feel satisfied with the information you’ve received, determined whether or not you can afford their rates, it’s time to make a decision. Remember, dog training is a science, but more importantly and art. Good luck to you, hope this helps!

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Big Dog, Bad Rap

While walking with one of my most favorite Rottweiler clients (you know who you are) the other day I got to thinking how obvious and unfair it is that some dogs get such a bad rap. This dog happens to be one of the sweetest and most gentle dogs I’ve ever met and she’s pretty well behaved too- but, does that get people to stop crossing to the other side of the street so as to avoid what must be a potentially dangerous situation? No! So, I was doing a little research on this topic and stumbled upon the American Temperament Test Society, Inc.’s website and found some very interesting information. They give dogs temperament tests on these areas:

• Unprovoked aggression
• Panic without recovery
• Strong avoidance”

In order to receive a passing score, the dog must not fail any one of these aforementioned categories. Just to give an example and break up the stereotype that some dogs have I will provide one comparison from the ATTS’ findings:

• Rottweiler with passing scores on this test:          83%
• Toy Poodle with passing scores on this test:          82.4%

Ironically, nobody seems to cross the street when I’m walking my Toy Poodle clients. While I think that one breed can arguably do more damage with a bite than the other, I think it’s worth mentioning that the probability of occurrence it almost identical.

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

The First First Dog

Black & Tan Coonhound

Early this morning I heard someone in the park call their dog, “Bo”. Not to be confused with the Obama’s Portuguese Water Dog “Bo”, rather this was a mixed breed lab who was mighty cute. But, in thinking about the First Dog I wondered, who was the first First Dog? Did George Washington even have a dog? Well, the answer is no, George Washington didn’t have a dog. He had seven! He had 3 American Staghounds which are incredibly beautiful, especially if you like a little shag on your fast dog. George Washington also had 4 Black & Tan Coonhounds, another amazing breed that you don’t always see around (at least I don’t). If you’re interested in reading up a little more on the topic of these Coonhounds, check out the Wiki article by clicking the image.

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Hook Up a Weimaraner!

I remember the first time I ever saw a Weimaraner, it was a sunny day in Arizona (obviously) and he moved in across the street. I quickly befriended his owner so that I could get a closer look at what I thought was one of the most beautiful dogs I’d ever seen. He stood tall with a shiny, almost sivler coat and icy blue eyes. He was a sweet dog, he was sensitive and thoughtful too. He didn’t fit into any of the negative stereotypes associated with the breed and was nothing short of a great dog.

While looking through one of Bark PDX’s Facebook fan’s profiles I discovered this link for a Weimaraner Rescue. The need for a home doesn’t discriminate against even the most beautiful, thus the need to have these kinds of establishments looking out for our furry friends. Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach would be happy to know that there were organizations dedicated to preserving the well-being and integrity of his breed. Take a look, and of course help if and however you can.

Weimaraners Rescue

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

When Dogs Save You

Dogs fascinate us constantly! Even the little things, like a puppy’s yawn, are reason enough for fascination. The way they wag their tails, the way they lay around without a care in the world, the way they devour their food… or not. Well, I was doing a little reading today and I came across a story about another fascinating ability some dogs have- they can sniff out bombs with 98% accuracy. All service dogs are amazing, but it’s a special treat when the dog in your pack is working to save your life the whole time like they do currently in Afghanistan.  I’m pretty certain I would feel more comfortable knowing that my furry pal could provide me a 98% success rate in detecting an explosive device I might accidentally step on. I wish them all a safe return! If you’re interested in reading more about this story, just follow this link:

“Dog of War”

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Rescue A Mini Pinscher!

Hello and Happy Monday to you all! It was a busy day, but then again, most weekdays are pretty busy for most of us. During one of our dog walking adventures today I noticed a couple of Mini Pinschers donning some really great jackets. I always wanted a “MinPin”!! A Red One!!  No, no, a chocolate one! I talked this over with one of our clients who incidentally is the proud parent of a Mini Pinscher of her own (of whom I’m a big fan). She told me about a service specific to Mini Pinschers where you can rescue them, foster them, provide them with transportation and the like. It’s called “IMPS” (Internet Miniature Pinscher Service, Inc.). If you have a moment and are feeling motivated to help out a Mini Pinscher or looking to adopt one of these great dogs, take a look at their site:

http://www.minpinrescue.org/

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Feeding Is Believing

Image provided by Henrique Lopes

If your dogs are anything like mine they love to eat.  Despite this love for tender vittles it’s unfortunate that one of my dogs is pretty much allergic to every single food that I have ever tried- and I have tried many. From expensive food to not-so-expensive food, organic, name brands, you name it, my dog became ill from it. He would suffer with violent gas, diarrhea, vomiting, hives and obvious discomfort. It was killing me to see my little guy suffering and I knew that despite my efforts I had to continue searching for a solution. I consulted with many pet owners, vets and friends and found out that many people shared my experience.

After all that tainted pet food was going around subsequently resulting in the untimely death of many dogs I decided that I would search for a good recipe for dog food that I could make at home. I found a pretty good recipe and I am very happy to share it with you. It’s a little bit more expensive than some foods, less than others. It is definitely more time consuming to make than opening up the bag and just filling up the bowl, but I can’t stress enough how worth it is. My dog loves this food! He almost never has the terrible gas that he used to, no more itchy hives, his coat is so much fuller and softer than it used to be, his demeaner is so much better and it’s obvious that he isn’t suffering the way he was.  Also, because the crunchy food helps to some extent to keep a dog’s teeth clean, it’s a good idea to do a little extra brushing with this food. So, finally, I share the recipe with you:

Buddy’s and Bubba’s Homemade Dog Food

Ingredients

• 2 chicken leg quarters
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans – rinsed, drained and mashed
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Place the chicken leg quarters in a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes. Remove the legs and allow to cool. Strain and return the cooking liquid to the pot. Once the legs have cooled. remove and discard the skin and bones; chop the meat, and set aside.
2. Stir the brown rice into the reserved chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, and add the rice to the bowl with the chicken.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Pour off any excess grease, and place the beef into the bowl. Stir in the oats, spinach, broccoli, kidney beans, carrots, garlic, cottage cheese, and olive oil. Store the dog food in resealable containers in the freezer. Thaw the daily portions overnight in the refrigerator.

OK, well there you have. Please take into consideration that many of these ingredients can be substituted for other ingredients and give it a shot. This recipe gets my endorsement and I would love to hear how/if it works for you. Here’s the link to the recipe:

 Buddy’s and Bubba’s Homemade Dog Food

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

The Best Little Cat Box

Do you know what the best little cat box is? I do… it’s the clean box. Most cats really appreciate a clean litter box to use. A dirty litter box makes a cat feel the way you probably do in a portable bathroom out at the stadium. You barely want to even inhale in those things and a cat’s sense of smell is definitely better than yours. In fairness to the Porta Potty, I have found them to be incredibly useful on various occasions despite the disgust one endures for using them. Okay, so back to cats, they like a clean box.

Put yourself in the cat’s mind when thinking about this and ask yourself these questions:

• Would I like to have a dirty little litter box?
• Would I like to have my litter box shared by numerous cats?
• Would I like to travel 2 or more flights of stairs in search of my litter box? 
• Would I like to have my litter box placed on a freezing cold or scorching hot floor or next to the obnoxiously loud washer/dryer?
• Would I like to have my litter feel like quicksand because you thought that putting more litter in the box than necessary was a good idea?

If your cat starts relieving themselves outside of the litter box it could be as a result of one of the aforementioned points.  Please also remember that certain medical conditions could contribute to a change in your cat’s bowel habits.  These are just some thoughts, would love to hear about your method of keeping that box clean.