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.

Your Dog’s Pretty Hot

We have experienced a number of extremely hot days this summer and it looks like the sun has similar plans for us tomorrow. When considering this heat with respect to your pets, it’s important to remember that it’s best to leave them at home than suffering in the extreme heat of the car. All of those dogs that you hear frantically screeching in a sweltering parked car are barking for your help. Your dogs knows very well how easy it can be for them to fall victim to suffocation or heat stroke when left unattended in a hot car. Leaving the windows open may not be sufficient. Parking in the shade may not be sufficient. Do your little buddy a favor and don’t ask them to suffer like that, they most likely wouldn’t do that to you. Stay cool

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.

Missing Dog, Please Help!

"Marti"

Hi Everyone, this is “Marti”, short for “Martini”. He went missing some time yesterday and  is still unfortunately missing. “Marti” is a rescue dog that escaped from his new foster home by digging under the fence. He was not wearing a collar, but he is micro-chipped. He is 4.5 yrs old, black and tan in color, very thin at about 7 lbs. Marti is a very skittish dog and will run if pursued. If you spot him, PLEASE PLEASE call one of the numbers listed below. He is new to the area (near SE 11th Ave and TV HWY in Hillsboro) and will have no idea where he is or how to get back to his foster home. His new parents are very concerned that he is too thin to survive outside for very long. There is a big $$$ reward. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!! If you have him PLEASE bring him back home, he is really missed!

Please call any of these numbers or take Marti to any vet or shelter if you have him……..Thank you so much!

1-877-MINPINS1
503-372-6870
253-473-1458

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.

My Dogs Love The Yankees!

Daisy Loves the Yankees

It’s true, my dogs love the Yankees and I’m not talking about the Civil War here. I’m talking about the “Pinstripes”, the home of “The Bleacher Creatures” and “The Dirty Water Dog”, “The Bronx Bombers”!!  After cruising to a 10-1 victory last night and taking a 3-1 series lead over the reeling Angels, the Yankees are in the driver’s seat on the road to the World Series. In anticipation of the momentous occasion, my dogs Daisy and Buddy asked if it would be ok if I posted a couple of images donning apparel from the their favorite club. Needless to say I thought that would be a good idea and posted these images for your viewing pleasure. As fans of the game, we wish all of the teams the best of luck and admittedly we believe that they are going to need it if they are to overcome the Yanks this year. If you would like to send along some pics of your dog in their favorite team apparel we would love to see them… especially if that means they’re dressed in pinstripes. Go Yankees!

"Buddy", The Latest Yankee Fan

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.

Fall’s Been Great, But Here Comes The Winter

A little fun in the snow

Sorry that it’s been a little while since our last post, but there are a lot of things changing for Bark PDX! Namely that we are moving to a different location on about a 1/4 of an acre where we will be able to provide some doggie daycare. Don’t worry, we will continue to provide the same caring and compassionate in-home care that we have always provided. On a different note, we have been extremely fortunate this year insofar as we’ve had some excellent weather. Fall is upon us and the beautiful weather has persisted but I can’t help but be reminded that winter is just around the corner.

* This sounds obvious, but don’t leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time and please make sure that they always have a warm and dry shelter. Frostbite can easily be avoided if you take the proper precautions.

* Be extra careful when taking your dog on ice for if they should fall in or jump they could be at risk for serious injury. Again, this seems like an obvious point, but since these accidents continue to occur I thought I would remind you.

* Dogs need to be brushed from time to time to help maintain their insulation and don’t leave them wet. C’mon, take a towel to them or even a blow dryer- my dogs love it!

* Remember that there are a lot of things like antifreeze or rock slat that could be extremely hazardous to a dog’s health.

* Clean their soft little pads often and don’t let them fall asleep to close to the fireplace.

There are a number of other issues regarding a dog’s health for the winter and I implore you to do a little research so that you can keep your furry friends happy and healthy. Thanks again for reading!

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.

One Kitten Leads to Another Leads to 2K

Image by John Nyberg

After I graduated from the University of Oregon I decided to move to South America for a couple of years. I moved to Chile and had a wonderful time meeting many wonderful people and their pets. At the time I only had one dog and she stayed with my folks until I was situated; later she came to join me in South America. I lived with a fellow student in a humble cabaña where we met some stray cats that seemed to come around from time to time. In particular there was this orange cat, we called her “Orange” and she was incredibly sweet especially for a stray. We used to feed her until one day she stopped coming. We had gotten pretty used to her and were taking good care of her so we were shocked when she suddenly disappeared. Some time went by and then we heard some crying cat outside the door. “Orange”! With excitement we opened the door only to find that it wasn’t Orange at all, but rather 3 cats that we had never met before. We thought this was strange because we stopped leaving food out by this point and joked that she sent them to do a “pick up” while she was prospecting other feeding sources. These cats weren’t nearly as friendly as Orange, but they all shared something in common… they were hungry. We felt guilty and starting feeding the 3 and wouldn’t you know it, guess who returned? Yes, at long last it was Orange. We soon learned why Orange took some time off and it wasn’t long before she showed us the evidence- a litter of kittens. We had cats and kittens crying at our door non-stop so I know first hand that one cat leads to two, leads to another and another and so on.

I have written about a couple of tragic stories of animal abuse in New York City, but I have also covered some inspiring ones of altruistic people making a positive difference for animals. Here’s yet another story of a New Yorker who opened her heart and her pocketbook for over two thousand cats. She has gone into debt by over $10K in the process, but it’s her heart that we care about, right? If you are interested here’s the story, take a read: 2K Kitty

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.

Dogs Dig It

So you come out to the backyard and it appears that your dog has been exploring for mines. There are holes everywhere and this could only have been created by your dog’s incessant digging, in fact there he is halfway into one of his newly created ditches. What are you going to do about it?

Well, first let’s conceded that there are a number of reasons why your dog is digging. One of those reasons is attributed to an urge to find comfort, particularly on uncomfortably warm days. Since dogs don’t sweat nearly as easily as humans do, rolling around in some fresh and moist soil provides some of the relief they seek. Many dogs also have a nesting tendency or have been bred over many generations to seek out small game that burrow in the ground. Maybe they are digging because they smell something good, or something foul. Sometimes dogs dig because they think it’s fun. Sometimes they dig because they want to escape or are just plain bored. Maybe the reason why dogs dig is because they just can’t get enough of your love and attention and they believe that if they just make it to the other side of the fence they can reunite with you.

Well, whatever the reason, here’s some advice: Try to address the problem and find a solution that makes sense.

Well, hopefully I’ve helped provide some tips to resolving this issue. If these don’t work I have some more ideas to share, feel free to ask. Thanks again for reading!