The Voice of Louisiana's Rescued Shelties

That Time Of The Year-
Today while I was outside for a breath a fresh air and enjoying the beautiful Spring weather I noticed that mosquitoes were already out and busy trying to feed on my arms and neck. That was a reminder to me that we can never be lax in our Heartworm Prevention program. We must be sure that our dogs are always current on their monthly Heartworm Prevention. The first of the month is always an easy day to remember to give them their Interceptor pills. Let’s all stay up to date and have our pets with us for many more beautiful Springs to come.

Did You Know---
Did you Know — 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar added to a gallon of water and used for your dogs drinking water repels FLEAS.

Thunder Fears---

To be afraid of thunder is not uncommon among pets. What is unusual is how you might consider helping your dog through these difficult times. Petting your whining dog in an attempt to comfort may in fact be the wrong thing to do. In essence, you are reinforcing the whining behavior during the storm. Instead, try distracting the dog by inviting him to do something else and praising that activity. and importantly make sure your dog is in a safe place in the home away from windows and other glass... just to make sure his fear will not lead to injury. For the really terrified pet, consult your veterinarian for medications that can be used during a thunderstorm.

Ink Cartridge Recycling----
We have had to find a new company for our ink cartridge recycling fundraiser. the new company accepts ONLY ink cartridges from printers . They do NOT accept laser cartridges. They say if it fits in your hand they will accept it. They also take old LAPTOPS . Used movie or game DVDs are also accepted by them. Old cell phones are also taken. The only restriction is that they can not accept ink cartridges that have been already recycled. This is a painless way to help the dogs out AND help the environment at the same time.

Help with Pet’s Behavior
Hello? Anybody Out There?
" Home alone” barking in dogs Within moments of Robin’s departure for work, Ruffles, her scruffy terrier mix, issues his usual succession of short, sharp, assertive barks, consistently apprising Robin’s neighbors of her coming and goings. The co-op board is considering eviction. Robin is at wits’ end.
Why All the Noise?
Dogs who bark when left alone fit several profiles. Separation anxiety sufferers are tightly bonded to their guardians, and act as though their world has ended when they are apart. These dogs may also eliminate around the home, frantically chew on human possessions, and dig, chew or propel themselves through doors or windows. To learn more about separation anxiety, refer to “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (www.aspca.org/companionlines). Some breeds (including most terriers) are born watchdogs, prone to sounding the alarm whenever a noise or movement catches their attention. Elimination of this tendency is unlikely in those born to bark; instead, they must be taught to limit their alerts to five or six barks and then settle down. Confining these “reactive barkers” to a dark, quiet part of the home when you are away promotes sleep instead of constant arousal. Youngsters of any breed can be vocally challenging, unless exercised to the point of exhaustion. Try waking up early to ensure an hour of romping at the local dog park, throwing a ball until your arm is limp, or dropping Bowser off at doggie daycare when morning exercise needs can’t be met. Finally, there are the barkers—like Ruffles—who seem intent on calling the family pack back together. Once family members leave the house, the fun stops. So he offers a vocal locator signal to draw them home. If they return while he’s barking, his efforts are rewarded.
Breaking the Cycle
If owner-absent barkers declare victory every time a family member returns—even if only to holler for quiet—how can this vicious cycle be broken? Start with exercises that reward the dog for being silent. On a day free of work commitments, go through your normal morning routine, but don’t stray far from the door once you’ve left home. If your dog is silent for a predetermined period of time, reenter and reward him. Begin with an easily obtainable goal—say, 10 to 30 seconds. When he barks, set the timer back to zero. It may take awhile to get that first silent success. Some dogs will improve faster when a marker indicates unwanted behavior; a sharp rap on the door with a metal object after a bark may speed things along. No shouting for quiet, though—most dogs prefer negative attention to none at all. Once you have garnered your first success, reenter the home, tell the dog “yes” or “good,” reward him and go about your business. Keep all comings and goings low-key, so he isn’t excessively revved up each time. Repeat the exercise numerous times, lengthening the time away with each success. If you have to restart the count more than a couple of times, you may be moving too far, too fast. Some dogs will get wise to your presence on the other side of the door. Increase your distance after the first few repetitions to replicate departure. Instead of rapping to mark the unwanted behavior, you could employ a citronella-dispensing collar. This device interrupts each bark with a multisensory cue by combining the startling pssst of the mist exploding out of the container, the moist sensation and the citronella smell. In a 1996 Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association article, Cornell University behaviorists Juarbe-Diaz and Houpt note that the citronella collar is twice as effective (88.9 compared to 44.4 percent) as the electronic shock collar, without the use of a painful stimulus. Some find that the use of the collar alone extinguishes barking propensities. However, it is not suitable for separation anxiety cases, as these often demand a more extensive behavior modification protocol and possibly drug therapy as well. No matter what the reason for your dog’s home-alone barking, please let your neighbors know that you are working on the matter. Their irritation will lessen once they know that their complaints haven’t fallen on deaf ears. AW Jacque Lynn Schultz is companion animal programs advisor for the ASPCA’s National Shelter Outreach department. Reprinted from ASPCA Animal Watch, Spring 2004, Vol. 24, No. 1, with permission from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804

Curiosity Breeds Kindness
Teaching techniques for a humane science class

At its heart, science is a way of gathering and thinking about information. Scientists observe events as carefully as they can, and then try to interpret them logically and rationally. This may hardly sound like a recipe for helping children learn to treat animals with kindness and respect, but don’t be fooled—it can be a great opportunity.
To help students approach problems like scientists, teachers guide their students as they make observations, form guesses about what is going on, figure out ways to test their guesses, conduct and evaluate those tests and then communicate their results to others. This inquiry- or discovery-based teaching method can bring the material to life for children. As they make their own decisions about solving the problem, students develop critical-thinking skills and come to understand their own unique learning style. Just as important, they often come to care more about what they study.

Cultivate Curiosity
Whetting children’s curiosities about animals—especially those right around them—is a great way to begin their journey toward caring for them. For example, kids are often curious about bugs, but this interest is often squashed—along with the bugs. There is a wonderful world among the insects, and fortunately, bees can tell us about some of it. With a little help from science teachers, bees can show kids that they have their own simple language, the waggle dance, and may not be the mindless machines they appear to be. First, teachers can tell kids that bees do have their own language, and have kids hypothesize what bees might “talk” about. Then, in a lesson that incorporates spatial learning, following instructions and physical education, we can teach our students parts of the waggle dance (http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov), and let them discover for themselves. For lesson ideas, visit http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/MES/notes/entnote22.
Learning by Doing
When talking to children about sensitive subjects, how often have we said, “Imagine how you would feel if...?” Students can learn empathy for animals when they discover for themselves the ways in which we are similar. Imagine combining inquiry-based learning and teaching respect for animals by showing children how to train a dog humanely. Instead of lecturing, we start by amazing them with the behavior of a happy and well-trained dog, by bringing one into the classroom or by playing a videotape. Then, we ask the kids how they think the dog could have been trained. Without judging the children’s ideas, we write down what they say on the chalkboard. Presumably, some will suggest punishment, and others positive reinforcement. We then ask for a volunteer to pretend to be the dog. Next, we train him or her using the different methods suggested by the students. Imagine how much the children would learn by witnessing firsthand how much more effective positive reinforcement is than punishment, and by hearing from the “dog” which method was more enjoyable. To master the art of positive reinforcement, children could also take turns “training” each other.
Predictive Projects

Student-centered inquiry can help children care about even more abstract animal issues. Take, for example, the topic of endangered species. After using the Internet to find out which animals are endangered (in their neighborhood or around the world), students can search for information to create a mock recovery plan for that animal (http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html). Next, students can compare their recovery plans to the actual strategy in use. If no recovery plan exists—and many endangered plants and animals have none—they can then discuss one of their own.
For another exercise, let students study bird behavior at feeders set up on school grounds. Following Darwin’s footsteps among the Galapagos finches, students can make—and test—predictions about the diets of local birds based on the shapes of their bills. This project can be tailored to children’s age levels; older students can even collect data for scientific projects, like Cornell’s Project FeederWatch (www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw).
The interactive process and contemplation involved in inquiry-and discovery-based methods of teaching help students retain what they learn and apply it to other situations. With humane projects in the classroom, we can do better than simply show students why animal welfare matters; we can let them show themselves. These methods also accommodate different learning styles, and so they treat students humanely, as well. This flexibility can encourage students—from precocious fourth-graders to budding scientists—to better enjoy the process of learning. AW
Bill Samuels is the director of ASPCA Humane Education. He has a Ph.D. in educational assessment. Send comments to LearningToCare@aspca.org
Reprinted from ASPCA Animal Watch, Winter 2003, Vol. 23, No. 4, with permission from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804
Dr. Pamela Reid, Ph.D., ASPCA VP Behavioral Sciences

Exit Laughing----
A little old lady is rocking away the last of her days on the front porch, reflecting on her long life, when all of a sudden, a Fairy Godmother appears in front of her and informs her that she will be granted 3 wishes. “Well, now”, says the little old lady, “I guess I would like to be really rich” ****POOF**** Her rocking chair turned to solid gold . “And, gee, I guess I wouldn’t mind being a young, beautiful princess” ****POOF**** she turns into a beautiful young woman. “Your 3rd wish” asked the Fairy Godmother. As the woman thought about it, her Sheltie wandered across the porch. “Ooh—can you change him into a handsome Prince?” ****POOF**** There before her stood a young man, more handsome than anyone could possibly imagine. She stares at him, quite smitten. With a smile that makes her knees weak, he saunters across the porch and whispers in her ear, “Bet you’re sorry now, that you had me Neutered”