Although this tip mentions teenage boys, it’s a good idea to be on the lookout for anyone that might be harming animals.  Here’s another great tip from our friends at Sunbear Squad.

WATCH TIP for week of Oct. 5

Watch and listen for signs of torture of cats or dogs by misguided teenage boys with nothing to do after school.
Be A Good Samaritan For Animals

Max, an Airedale Terrier, took off after being in a  car accident while riding with owner Bill Clark.

Three weeks and three days ago, Max ran away when Clark, driving his convertible in Sterling, was struck by another car.

“The dog jumped out the back through the trunk and ran into the woods,” Clark said.

Clark began a three-week search for his beloved terrier.

Although there were numerous sighting of Max he couldn’t be found.  Clark, along with volunteers, searched for him but still turned up Maxless.

That was until Tuesday, when Clark said he came home and found Max sitting in the back yard.

The dog had apparently found his way home from Sterling, about 45 miles away.

“I couldn’t believe that he came home,” Clark said. “All that way.”

Even the experts can’t explain it.

“We don’t really know how they do that. We do know that dogs’ memories are very detailed, very sense-oriented,” said Jim Barry, a dog behavior consultant.

Whatever it was, Clark is just happy to have Max home.

Luckily this story had a happy ending, but it could have turned out very differently.  Remember… not only is it a good idea to buckle up, it’s the law.

I realize it isn’t really a law for dogs,  but it does show the importance of making sure your best friend  is secure when in the car.

Pepper, a 7-year- old Golden Retriever, disappeared last Christmas out of his Buckhead (GA) home.

While his owner’s, Liz and Stephen Carter, were away on vacation  Pepper  simply vanished into thin air.

All that changed when the Carters’ got a phone call last month.

“Do you have a dog named Pepper?” the stranger asked. “Yes. But we lost him on Dec. 23.”

“I have him,” the man replied.

The bigger shock: The call came from St. Petersburg, Fla., 425 miles from the Carters’ home.

“I was speechless,” Carter recalled Saturday. “I didn’t know what to do first.”

It’s not clear where Pepper was for nine months or how he got to Florida. Stephen and Liz Carter have no friends or relatives in the St. Petersburg area.

Pepper had walked into Jay Getman’s travel agency last month. Being a dog lover, Getman took a filthy flea ridden Pepper home to clean him up. A few days later he took him to the vet where the microchip was found, providing the Carters’ information.

After the phone call Liz Carter took a road trip to go pick-up Pepper and bring him home, where a very happy reunion ensued.

Back at home on West Paces Ferry Road, “he steals shoes and leaves them in exactly the same places he used to,” Liz Carter said, noting that Pepper got a clean bill of health at the vet last week. “It’s uncanny how he’s gotten back into normal life. He never missed a beat.”

Believing their beloved Pepper was gone for good, the Carters’  had adopted another Golden Retriever rescue into the family.  Now they have two wonderful dogs to love.  I wonder if they named this one Salt?

Any Dogsters out there have a lost and found story?  Give me a bark.

Here’s a rather bizarre story out of Boston (MA),  it gives a whole new meaning to brotherly love.

Two Roxbury brothers stretched irony to the breaking point Tuesday night when one stabbed himself repeatedly to show he wasn’t afraid of getting hurt, while the other barricaded himself in his room with lumber and nails so cops wouldn’t put him in jail, police said.

It all started when the dog who belongs to one of the brothers ate the other brother’s watermelon, police report. That touched off a fight, and soon the two were shouting loudly back and forth until one of the brothers discovered the ultimate argument ender - self-inflicted stab wounds, police said.

So much for fruit being good for you.

Razor, a 14-month-old Malinois, has a new job.  She was hired to sniff out cell phones being brought into Florida prisons.

A new law makes it illegal to smuggle a cell phone into the prison, it can now get you 1-5 years. Turning your “day visit” into a much longer stay.

TAMPA - Cell phones smuggled into Florida prisons help inmates with everything from dealing drugs to plotting escapes.

A law took effect Wednesday making it illegal to smuggle cell phones into prisons. To combat the problem the phones can create, the state Department of Corrections recently got a cell-phone-sniffing dog.

The dog will report to duty in mid-November.

“Just like a drug dog is trained to smell drugs, Razor is trained to smell cell phones,” Department of Corrections spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said.

When the $6,500 dog starts her job, she will be the first pooch in Florida’s prisons used exclusively to sniff for cell phones. No date has been set for Razor to sniff around in the Tampa Bay area.

I hope Razor used her status as the first in her field to secure the necessary work benefits,  premium dog food and  unlimited treats .

A kennel in Emmaus (PA) will have its license revoked after an inspection by The Department of Agriculture cited the owner for severe sanitation issues.

Derbe Eckhart, the owner of Almost Heaven Kennel, will be cited for violating the state’s dog law and will have to sell or transfer enough dogs to no longer be considered a kennel. Any kennel housing more than 25 dogs is required to be licensed and inspected.

“Mr. Eckhart allowed conditions at his kennel to deteriorate into a deplorable state,” said Jessie Smith, special deputy secretary for dog law enforcement. “While we continue investigating his operations, we are taking this action to protect the health and welfare of the animals there.”

Thanks to House Bill 2525, recently passed by the House making progress in the Senate, if passed it will strengthen the current dog laws concerning commercial breeding kennels.

“Raising the minimum standards for commercial breeding kennels and requiring annual veterinary checks will benefit all dogs in these types of settings,” said Smith. “Current law does not require that dogs ever receive routine medical care and as a result, many go without.

H.B. 2525 would require veterinary examinations for each dog twice per year. It would also double the minimum floor space for dogs, eliminates wire flooring, and requires access to an exercise area twice the size of the dog’s primary enclosure. Current law does not require dogs ever be taken out of cages, much less given access to exercise areas.

I realize this is only a start,  but at least we’re beginning to see some change.  You can visit DogLawAction, to learn more about Pennsylvania’s Dog Law proposed legislation.

One of our Dogster friends, Mica, gave me a bark about the Animal Planet’s 2008 Hero of the Year.

Her big sister Mckenna has been an animal rescuer and advocate for decades. Presently she is working with “Project POOCH”, one of the nominees.

Joan Dalton, Project POOCH Founder and Director, has been selected as one of 10 finalists, out of over 10,000 nominations, for Animal Planet’s 2008 Hero of the Year!

Some Oregonians may know what this means, but Mica and I invite you to come see what it’s all about and why we ask for your support.

We hope you’ll vote for our ‘candidate’ of choice.  Although there undoubtedly are many worthy recipients, they don’t get this close to home where we CAN help make a difference every day.

I’ve read about each of the top 10 finalists, there are some amazing candidates.  I hope all the Dogsters out there will take a minute to visit Animal Planet and cast their vote, you have until October 13th.  To find out who wins, watch Animal Planet Heroes, Dec. 4 at 10PM e/p.

Calling all animal lovers and rock music aficionados to come support Rational Animal’s eagerly awaited third annual Gimme Shelter: Rock & Rescue NYC benefit concert.

This rocking event takes place on Monday, October 6 at the Highline Ballroom. Located at 371 West 16th Street in Manhattan’s fashionable Chelsea district.

Join honorary chairperson Debbie Harry, MCs Chi Chi Valenti and DJ Johnny Dynell, and guest hosts Beastie Boy Adrock and Gina Gershon for an evening of music and entertainment with a purpose: to raise money for animal rescue groups that are working to save lives and create brighter futures for New York City’s homeless animals.

This year’s ten beneficiary groups all are members of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. They include A Cause for Paws, Adopt-A-Dog, Anjellicle Cats Rescue, Bobbi and the Strays, Linda’s Feral Cat Assistance, Loving Touch, Metropolitan Maltese Rescue, Rawhide Rescue, Spay Neuter Intervention Project (SNIP), and Tiny Treasures Rescue. The ASPCA, an Alliance founding member, is one of the event sponsors.

“Our goal at Rational Animal is to end euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals,” says Susan Brandt, Rational Animal’s founder. Gimme Shelter is a rockin’ way to spread our message, and we’re thrilled that this community of fellow artists and animal lovers have donated their time and talents to the cause.”

Wow, not only do they have an impressive musical line-up,  they also have an amazing list of worthy beneficiaries. Go enjoy a fun filled evening knowing your contribution (tickets start at $50) goes to some topnotch causes.

The Honest Kitchen, based out of San Diego, is a natural pet food company. They’re a company that loves what they do and take pride in preparing fresh, healthy products for your best friend.

“We believe our pets deserve the same quality food that we’d choose for ourselves. That’s why all our recipes are made with 100% human-grade ingredients that you’d recognize from your own kitchen.

Our recipes are prepared with care and uncompromising attention to detail, so you can serve them with confidence.”

Lucy Postins
Company Founder and Friend to Mosi & Willow

The other great thing about this company is that a percentage of their profits go towards animal-welfare causes. As if that wasn’t enough, they have a pet friendly office and are joined by up to seven co-dogs a day.

For all the Dogsters who are foodies, The Honest Kitchen has been nice enough to share one of their healthy and fun to make recipes.  You and your pal can spend a fall afternoon whipping up a batch of yummy brownies.  Although I would advise that the two legged member be in control of the oven.

Healthy Autumn Brownies
These rich but delectable brownie-style treats can be made with any one of our dehydrated raw foods for dogs, and make use of some of the fall’s healthiest vegetables and fruits. Squash may be substituted for sweet potatoes if desired.

Ingredients
2 Eggs
½ Cup of Cooked, Mashed Sweet Potato
½ Cup of cooked Parsnips, finely diced
3/4 Cup of Diced Ham
¼ Cup Grated Gruyere Cheese
¼ Cup of Dried Cranberries
4 Tbsp Applesauce
2 cups of Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Dog Food
1 ½ Cups Warm Meat Broth (low sodium, if commercial)
1 Small Pinch fresh or Dried Rosemary (optional)

What To Do:
Hydrate the food using the warm meat broth.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk lightly. Mix in the applesauce, ham and cheese.

Mix the sweet potato or squash into the hydrated food, along with the parsnips & cranberries.

Add the egg mix to the Sweet Potato mix and combine thoroughly.

Spread in a thin layer onto a well greased baking sheet.
Grate a little extra cheese on top if desired and cook at 300 F for about 60 minutes or until the top is slightly dried and slightly crispy.

Cool thoroughly and cut into squares to serve.
For firmer treats, divide the mix into teaspoon sized drops and space evenly on a baking sheet, flattening gently with the spoon. Cook as above.

*Oatmeal and a little ground meat can be used as a substitute for the THK products.

The Honest Kitchen has generously donated some of their homemade dog treats to give away.  Besides being all natural they have great names; Nuzzles, Pecks, Ice Pups, and Smooches.

We’re going to be giving one of each kind away, a total of four prizes. To enter use one of the treat names in a funny sentence, it doesn’t have to make sense. As an example, “I give my dog Smooches.”     Leave your comment, in the comment section, and I will choose the winners on Thursday, October 9th based on the funniest or silliest answers.

Halloween can be a lot of fun, but it can also be very scary for dogs. According to Liam Crowe, the CEO and master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA, Halloween is when they hear about more dogs dying or straying than any other holiday.

I would never have guessed that, but it makes sense when you think about it.  There’s usually a lot more accessible chocolate candy in the house for dogs to get into, the result of which can be deadly. Plus, the overabundance of loud noises and door bell ringing can set off a dogs flight instinct.

As pet owners we can keep a few simple things in mind to make Halloween a fun and safe holiday for all our four legged friends.

* Don’t leave your dog outside. Even if you have a fenced yard, bring your dog inside where it is safe. If your dog is usually kept outside, bring him in a few times before the big night to get him used to being indoors. Your dog may be used to strangers, but so many little ghouls and goblins running about may be too much. Remember also that it is a natural instinct for dogs to protect the family from strangers, and on Halloween there will be no shortage of strangers.

* Keep your dog restrained. If your dog is timid or scared, or if he tends to love people a little too much, it is best to put him in a separate room away from the front door to limit his excitability, aggression, and chance of running outside and becoming lost.

* Reassure your dog. The best thing you can do for your dog when he is feeling unsettled by Halloween activities is to act as you normally would. By over-reassuring your dog or giving him an unusual amount of attention, you inadvertently can communicate to him that because you are acting differently, there must be something to worry about.

* Have your dog get used to costumes. Your dog may see his family members as strangers once they don their Halloween costumes. Before the kids put them on, allow your dog to scent the costumes. If your costume has a mask, keep the mask off when you are with your dog because dogs can become confused when they can’t see our faces.

* Check your dog’s ID tag. Be sure identification tags are secure on your dog’s collar-just in case.

* Keep candy away from your dog. Many candies-especially chocolate-are toxic to dogs. The severity of the toxicity depends greatly on factors such as breed, age, size, and how much candy was ingested. Problems may range from a mild upset tummy to vomiting and diarrhea, or even death. If you have any concerns at all, consult with a veterinarian immediately. If you want to keep your dog safe, make certain that sweets, including their wrappers, are kept well away from your dog.

* Protect dogs from candles and pumpkins. Excited or agitated dogs can easily knock over a lit candle or pumpkin. Be sure those items are away from your dog’s reach, or consider a battery-powered candle that does not burn

* Think twice about dressing your dog in a costume. While some dogs might enjoy being dressed up, many don’t. Experiment first to see if your dog likes being in a costume. If so, fine-he’ll most likely enjoy himself and the extra attention it brings. However, if he shows any resistance, don’t do it. Dogs feel enough stress around Halloween without also having to endure the discomfort and peculiarity of wearing a strange costume.

* Be prepared. If you take your dog with you while trick-or-treating, be prepared at all times. Do not let your dog approach the door of a house, and stay clear of possible gags or gangs of goblins who will gather at the door. Dogs do not understand that the person jumping out at you will not hurt you; they often think they can only help you by acting aggressively. Neither children nor adults in costumes should approach a dog without the owner’s consent.

* Have fun but think of your dog’s safety. Finally, if you want your dog to be included in Halloween festivities, think about his safety much as you would the safety of a small child. Your dog does not understand Halloween, so he needs you to provide the guidance and safety that you always do.

Thanks to Bark Buster’s for sharing those great tips.