Dog Related Information | biscuit's space | The blog of photographer Katherine Carver

Jun 29

Tips: Five Summer Dangers for Furry Family Members

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) contacted me to share some tips to help keep your furry family members out of harms way this summer. Hopefully, everyone is staying cool!

1. Fireworks & Thunderstorms: Loud noises like fireworks are one of the top reasons furry family members go missing, so secure your furry family member in an escape-proof place. If your furry family member does go missing, download the ASPCA app for a free step-by-step digital toolkit to help find your pet.

2. Sun and Heat: High summer temperatures can mean dehydration, overheating, and scorched paws. Know the signs of overheating (excessive panting, increased heart rate, and weakness) and bring your furry family member indoors or to a cool, shady place.

3. Toxic Chemicals: Insecticides, citronella products, and glow sticks are toxic to pets. Keep your furry family member away from areas where chemicals have been sprayed and ensure dangerous products are out of reach.

4. Parties & Barbecues: If your furry family member is joining the party, make sure guests don’t feed your furry family member human food (especially grapes, onions, avocado, and chocolate).

5. Hot Cars: Even with the windows open an inch, a car’s temperature can reach over 100° in 10 minutes on an 85° day. Therefore, leave your pet safely at home on hot days.

The above image is courtesy of the ASPCA.

Jun 2

Dog Products We Love

We are back! I plan to share more about our travels later this week after we get settled! In the meantime, in addition to Victory’s ‘Beauty Uniform,’ below are some dog products that we use and love!

Place Mat: We use the Orvis dog place mat for Victory’s feedings, and it is even monogrammed with her name!

Food: We use Fromm dog food, a company who has never had a recall on their food. Victory loves it!

Treats: We primarily use Zukes and Buddy Biscuits, and Victory loves them!

Clothing: Our number one go-to clothing is RC Pets, a Canadian company. The clothes made by RC Pets hold up and fit really well.

Puzzles: Victory really likes the puzzles made by Nina Ottoson. They hold up well and they are very easy to clean.

Collar: We use the all-nylon Premier Martingale collar, and it works well and keeps Victory from slipping her collar.

Leash: We use the Orvis leather leash, which has held up and worked well.

Happy Tuesday!

May 14

Martin Usborne: Where hunting dogs rest

Photographer Martin Usborne is creating a new book with the Spanish hunting dog, Spanish galgo, as his subject. This body of work focuses on the current treatment of these animals, which were historically viewed as a regal and noble breed.

You can view Martin’s current work, Where hunting dogs rest, here; and to learn more, you can view the Kickstarter video here and support this project if you are so inclined. (Please note — even though Martin Usborne has reached his target on Kickstarter, he still hopes to raise further funds to help cover the costs of the project.)

Below is an excerpt from Martin Usborne concerning his new body of work.

“I had to make this book.

For centuries Spanish hunters have used dogs, mostly greyhounds, to hunt wild animals across the winter landscape. In the 17th century these dogs were associated with nobility. Nowadays, at the end of the season it is estimated that around 100.000 dogs are abandoned, considered too old or slow for next season.

Most dogs are simply left by the sides of the road or at the edges of towns but some are punished for poor performance by being hung from trees or thrown live down wells.

This book does not look directly at the pain. The photographs show rescued dogs alongside the landscapes in which they are abandoned in a dark but hopefully beautiful light. The work is inspired by Velazquez who painted in the same area in which these images were taken and at a time when these dogs were still considered noble.

‘Where hunting dogs rest’ is the title of the book. Some dogs find rest in rescue centers whilst others find a different kind of rest in the Spanish landscape.”

You can read previous interviews of Martin Usborne here and here.

May 8

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Planning a Vacation with your Furry Family Member

This year, Doug and I were not quite sure what we were going to do for vacation this summer. We talked about flying somewhere, which meant that Victory would be unable to go with us. She is too big to go with us on a plane in the cabin, and we will not crate her and put her in the belly of a plane — we are not sure who would have more anxiety — Victory or us! (However, later this month, Victory will have her first ever sleepover with her Grandpa Dick and ‘Uncle Nick,’ while we go and see the Rolling Stones in Columbus with my sister and brother-in-law!) So, after going back and forth, we decided that a vacation would not be the same without our fur girl, and we just could not imagine not including her. I know, we are those ‘crazy dog people,’ but we are just fine with that!

So we are headed back to Canada late this summer. This will be our fourth vacation in Canada, all with our furry family members, Biscuit and Victory. We are going to be staying in a cottage on the Saint Lawrence River, just outside of Quebec City, Quebec, a French-speaking area. We will likely stop in Manchester, Vermont, on the way up and we also, of course, have to make a stop in Montreal to eat at the Orange Julep — it has the most amazing orange drink!

Doug takes care of finding and making all the arrangements for our vacations, and I do the list making and most of the packing!

Below are some general tips from Doug on how to plan an international vacation to include your furry family member:

1. Plan Ahead: Outside of this year, we make our reservations early, usually in December or January, seven to eight months ahead of time, as there are not as many dog-friendly places to rent, so the selection of places to rent is definitely more limited (the same rule also applies to hotels.) Additionally, typically the rentals during the summer months fill up quickly, which is another reason to plan ahead. We use Airbnb and VRBO to book our vacations.

2. Be Patient: Sometimes it takes a while to sort through the available dog-friendly options, but we have, fortunately, always found a place that we liked! (Doug is good about finding the right place for us to stay during our vacation!)

3. Check the Reviews: Before we even consider a place to rent, we read all of the reviews to get a general sense of how others have enjoyed (or not enjoyed) their stay.

4. Contact the Owner: Once you find a rental(s) you like, it is a good idea to communicate with the owner to get a sense and feel to ensure a smooth stay and to better understand the terms of the rental, i.e., deposit required, currency required, and payment and cancellation terms, etc.

5. Check Google Earth: It is always a good idea to locate the property on Google Earth to get an idea of the property and its immediate surrounding area.

6. Check the Surrounding Area: It is also a good idea to research the surrounding area online for restaurants, grocery stores, entertainment, etc., in order to get a sense of how far away these amenities are located, as some rentals are located in more remote areas.

7. Check the Requirements: Make sure you have the appropriate paper work completed by your vet in the proper amount of time prior to your vacation. You can learn more about what each country requires in order for your furry family member to enter particular countries by visiting here. Also, it is a good idea to check the country’s requirements and restrictions on food (upon entry and upon exiting) to ensure you can either bring your furry family member’s food.

8. Trust your Instincts: Most of all, trust your instincts. If you have any hesitations, or something feels off after completing the steps above, trust your instincts and only rent a place that feels like a good fit for you and your needs! Your instincts generally do not lead you astray.

Below are some images from our vacation last year! We had a great and relaxing time together!

Happy Friday and Happy Mother’s Day!

P.S. You may also like this post — packing for your furry family member’s vacation!

May 4

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Natural Dog Anxiety Remedies

Our Victory has some anxiety, which is improving each day. Below are some remedies that we have found helpful to build her confidence, which might help other dogs with anxiety as well.

1. Puzzles: The puzzles have really helped Victory gain more confidence. She loves solving these puzzles, which are self-rewarding. In the evening we set out a puzzle while we go to the gym, and she goes to town!

2. Massage: Just like massages help humans relax, massage can help dogs as well. At least once a day, I give Victory a belly rub and massage her all over. She seems to enjoy it and she is always smiling afterwards.

3. Exercise: Exercise is a great stress reliever for dogs, similar to humans. Exercise stimulates the production of serotonin, that feel-good chemical that is produced from exercise. Exercise also helps dogs, such as Victory, get rid of pent-up energy that can heighten anxiety. Especially during really nice weather, we go on more walks and longer walks to help Victory get her exercise and to also relieve any tension, etc. It seems to work well!

4. Outings: Victory loves the car and she loves going to new places, which is helping her learn that she will be ok being around other people, and that we will protect her from harm. Going to a new place is a good distraction as well. She likes to pretty much go anywhere with us. She loves going to restaurants, as she loves getting food! I know, we spoil her, what can we say!

5. Playing: In addition to her puzzles, Victory likes to play, especially at night, right before bed! She even barked for the first time last week and she loves to run all over the bed interacting with her paws and mouth! We think this interaction is helping to build her confidence and lessen her anxiety! She loves it and is always parched after playing!

6. Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP): DAP was recommended by our trainer. It takes several weeks to take effect. DAP is a synthetic chemical that is based on a hormone produced by lactating female dogs that help keep puppies calm. It come as a plug-in diffuser with vials that last about thirty days, and humans are not able to smell it. We plugged the DAP diffuser in an area of the house where Victory spends most of her time, and it seems to help her some.

Victory has already made great strides, and we are confident that she will grow even more and we hope that her anxiety continues to dissipate. Victory loves sitting outside and she is very relaxed in this setting!

Apr 27

Victory: ‘Beauty Uniform’

We receive many compliments about Victory’s appearance! So I thought that I would share Victory’s ‘Beauty Uniform,’ including the grooming/hygiene products that we use and love.

Every morning before our morning walk, I brush out Victory’s fur coat using this comb; and sometimes in the evening I brush her belly while she lays on her back. After I brush her out, I use a little baby powder behind her ears, similar to a dry shampoo, to soak up oil between baths, which helps her look her best! Next, after our morning walk, I brush Victory’s teeth each morning using this toothpaste (from the vet, poultry flavor) and dental spray. Then, she gets a treat for cooperating! This is part of our morning routine, seven days a week. However, sometimes, on the weekends, we give Victory a day off. (On the occasions when I have been out-of-town without Victory, Doug does his best, but he usually skips brushing Victory’s teeth.)

The teeth brushing has really paid off as Victory’s teeth look better than ever and we want to prevent a dental cleaning, i.e., anesthesia for as long as possible. Plus, it is a good oral hygiene practice. Also, the daily brushing of her fur helps prevent knots and mats, which makes brushing so much quicker and easier.

Additionally, once a month, we take Victory to the vet to express her anal gland; clip her nails; and trim her paws. Together Doug and I bathe Victory, to her dismay, at home in our soaker tub, once a month using this shampoo and conditioner.

So Victory’s ‘Beauty Uniform’ is pretty simple — but it really works due to consistency and cooperation! Here’s a beautiful Victory — and we hope that you enjoyed her ‘Beauty Uniform.’

Happy Monday!

Apr 20

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Study: The human-dog relationship is like a parent-child relationship

We recently came across a recent article (and brief video), entitled, Dogs and people bond through eye contact, which reinforces the idea that the human-dog relationship is like a parent-child relationship. A recent study was conducted at Azabu University in Japan, that examined the impact of the gaze in the dogs and their humans and found “that those puppy dog eyes are even more meaningful than we thought.” “Our data suggest that owner-dog bonding is comparable to human parent-infant bonding, that is, oxytocin-mediated eye-gaze bonding…and this is surprising to us because there is not a reproductive relationship between human and dogs, but both of them have acquired similar skills.”

The study found via experiments that when the humans and their dogs gazed into one another’s eyes, levels of oxytocin increased in both the humans and the dogs. “Dogs are known to be particularly good at reading their owners moods and that they exhibit a trait known as gaze following – essentially following the actions of humans – much as an infant or child might do.”

Another study was conducted via brain imaging that used mothers as the subject of the study, which showed that “we respond to our dogs quite a bit like human children.” Specifically, the mothers who were shown images of either their own child or somebody else’s child and their own dog or somebody else’s dog. Researchers found that mothers responded very similarly when they saw images of their own child or their own dog; but they did not have that response while looking at another’s child or another’s dog.

To us, the conclusion of these studies, that we respond to our dogs in a similar way to our human children, make sense due to our bond and relationship with Biscuit and now Victory. Having a strong and unique bond with furry family members is also great practice for being human parents — which, albeit is a bit more involved, but the bond and premise remains the same in our eyes.

Happy Monday!

Mar 30

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ASPCA: National Dog Fighting Awareness Day

The ASPCA recently contacted me and asked me to share information related to National Dog Fighting Awareness Day, which is on April 8, 2015.

According to the ASPCA,“This brutal form of animal cruelty occurs in every part of the country and in every type of community, and it must be stopped. We’re working to eradicate dog fighting by assisting in raids and rescues alongside law enforcement agencies and by advocating for stronger laws and sentencing for those who commit this terrible crime. But we can’t do it alone—we need the support of animal advocates like you.”

Here is how you can help — you can: (1) get the Toolkit; (2) petition the Department of Justice (DOJ); and (3) read and learn more about dog fighting cases and raids.

Let’s stop dog fighting together.

The above image is courtesy of the ASPCA.

Feb 10

The Cold Outdoors: Protecting Your Furry Family Member(s)

The ASPCA recently contacted me to share this information below about the cold outdoors and how to protect your furry family member(s) from the cold during this time of year. Below is a guide to help keep your furry family members warm this winter — from paw care to bathing tips. You can view more here.

We hope that everyone is staying warm!

The above images are courtesy of the ASPCA.

Jan 28

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Good Read: Sashi, the Scared Little Sheltie

I recently was given the book entitled, Sashi, the Scared Little Sheltie! This book is a good read, especially if you enjoy illustration and a book about a rescue sheltie friend!

Sashi, the Scared Little Sheltie, is the true story about a little dog who loses her home. Sashi does not understand why she was left at an animal shelter, and because she cowered in a corner of her cage, potential adopters passed her by. However, the Sheltie Rescue helps Sashi; and ultimately, Sahi is adopted into a home where she blossoms into the dog she was meant to be! This story reminds me very much of our experience with Biscuit and Victory.

Importantly, this book was made possible via crowd funding via Kickstarter!

This book would make a wonderful gift for anyone who is a sheltie lover and/or anyone who supports dog rescue!