Keep your dog safe on walks. When walking your dog, keep him/her safe by putting yourself between your dog and passersby (pedestrians or bicyclists). Your dog may be very friendly, but the passerby could do something to alarm, upset or even antagonize your dog.

Did your dog put on some weight over the Winter? Help your dog to lose excess pounds by gradually increasing the amount of exercise they receive and/or reducing his/her food in small increments. A gradual weight loss is much better for your dog than a sudden one. For severely overweight dogs, substitute canned pumpkin, cooked oatmeal or veggies for food (one for one substitution: example ¼ C for ¼ C). This gives your dog the feeling of being full without all the extra calories. Also, make sure that you are feeding the correct amount of food for your dog’s level of energy and exercise. Please see the “Ideal Weight” article on L.E.A.R.N.’s website in the Education section: http://www.labadoption.org/education for additional information.

Does your dog bark too much at activities going on outside or feel lonely when left alone? Try leaving a radio or TV on when you leave the house. It keeps them company and drowns out outside noises.

Is your dog afraid of thunderstorms? Is your dog anxious? If so, he or she may benefit from an anxiety wrap or thunder shirt. These body wraps look a lot like a dog coat. Some body wraps are designed to use acupressure points to help calm the dog. Others are designed specifically to counter the static discharge from approaching thunderstorms. Dogs can sense thunderstorms long before people. If you use a wrap for thunderstorm anxiety, be sure to put it on before or just as soon as your dog becomes agitated, rather than waiting until the storm is upon you.

Be careful not to inadvertently reinforce your dog’s anxious behavior by positively rewarding them. Likewise, don’t punish them. Remain calm and try to appear confident and happy. You can find more information about body wraps and other ways to help relieve your dogs anxiety at http://anxietywrap.com.au/thunder.html , www.thundershirt.com and on L.E.A.R.N.’s website under Education; Reference Documents http://www.labadoption.org/education/reference-documents

Does your dog love to go on car rides with you? Please keep their safety in mind:

Be sure not to open your windows too far. Dogs can and will jump out of moving vehicles!

Don’t let your dog ride in the back of your pick-up. More than 100,000 dogs die each year as a result of falling or jumping off a truck. Countless more get badly hurt. Securing the dog with a rope or chain doesn’t work, either. Dogs can jump or be thrown out of the truck and end up being dragged or hanged. Ideally, a dog should be secured in the back seat.

Don’t let your dog hang his/her head out the window. The wind, debris and insects moving across their face can cause injury and infection.

If your car has push levers/buttons for window operation, be sure to disable the levers and use the child safety lock on the doors. Several dogs have inadvertently opened car windows and doors and either fallen or jumped out. Recently a dog was hit by a car after falling out the window. The dog survived but had to have one of his legs amputated.

Never leave your dog in an unattended vehicle even on a warm day. Even with the windows open, a parked car can quickly become a furnace and cause heat stroke or death in a dog.

Be careful using cocoa mulch for landscaping. According to the ASPCA: “Cocoa beans contain the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. Dogs are highly sensitive to these chemicals, called methylxanthines. In dogs, low doses of methylxanthine can cause mild gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea and /or abdominal pain); higher doses can cause rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, seizures and death. Eaten by a 50-pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death.”

Does your dog love to swim? Watch out for the blue-green algae blooms. They are toxic; some dogs become very sick, others have died after swimming in water with blue-green algae.

Considering sunscreen or insect repellant for your buddy? Avoid using sunscreens or insect repellants not labeled specifically for use on animals. Some ingredients, like DEET, can cause problems.

In 2008, the EPA received over 44,000 reports of harmful reactions that were related to topical flea and tick control. In 2009, the EPA started investigating spot-on flea and tick treatments and cautioned pet owners of the use of these products. Last year, the EPA said it will develop stricter testing and review labeling after increasing complaints of injury and death due to spot-on flea and tick treatments were reported. So what’s a pet owner to do?

Educate! Educate! Educate!

Educate yourself on all the options that are available for flea and tick control. There are many chemical and natural products on the market to choose from, so I suggest people research them all and use various sources for their research. Based on your dog’s health and environment, you and your veterinarian can make the decision that is best for your animal. As always, a good foundation of health for any animal is good nutrition. To help your pet this flea and tick season, be sure to feed them a high quality food that is free of corn, by-products, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring and preservatives. An animal has a better chance against pests when it is healthy.

Chemical Options for Flea and Tick Control:

Collars – Flea & Tick Collars release toxins in the air to ward off bugs. However, they don’t work well, and the toxins are inhaled by the dog, you and your children. Makes you want to give Fido a big hug, huh?

Spot-On Treatments – These spot-on treatments are commonly used by pet owners. Many of them contain Permethrin, which kill the nasty bugs by paralyzing their nervous system. The problem with Permethrin is that it can¬not distinguish between an insect’s nervous system, a dog’s nervous system and a human’s nervous system.

Sprays & Shampoos – Once these products are applied to the pet’s coat, your pet becomes a four legged walking toxin. Your dog will get an extra dosing of these chemicals every time it licks itself. Your family will get their share of the toxins with every hug and kiss given to Fido and Fluffy.

Natural Options for Flea and Tick Control:

Garlic – There is a lot of controversy about garlic. Some believe it’s toxic to pets since it contains thiosulphate, as do onions, which leads to hemolytic anemia. The differ¬ence is that onions contain a lot higher concentration of thiosulpate than garlic. Garlic has only traces of thiosulpate. Garlic has been used for many years as an anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial supplement. Garlic helps the immune system, aids in digestion and encourages the growth of good bacteria. In small amounts, garlic can be a good addition to your dog’s diet. There are products available especially for animals that are very inexpensive. You will need to start the garlic several weeks before flea and tick season begins.

Neem Oil – For thousands of years, India has used neem as an insect repellent. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been using neem as a natural commercial pesticide for food crops. There are many products; shampoos and sprays that contain neem and work great on the dogs as an insect repel¬lent and are helpful for skin irritations. Be careful using neem and other oils around cats. They are very sensitive to oils.

Essential Oils – Many natural sprays are available that repel and can even kill fleas and ticks. Lavender, lemon and eucalyptus are great as a repellent. Products containing peppermint and clove have shown to actually kill fleas and ticks. Be careful using oils around cats. They are very sensitive to oils and some oils can be toxic to cats.

General Flea & Tick Prevention:

• Wash animal bedding frequently in hot water. Dry the bedding in a dryer with high heat.
• Vacuum rugs and plush furniture frequently. Dispose of the vacuum bags to avoid any bugs crawling out of the bag.
• Diatomaceous Earth is an off-white powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. It has been used by farmers as a natural wormer for livestock. Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth can be added to your pet’s food to assist with internal parasite control, but it is not effective for heartworm. It also is used on carpets to kills fleas and bed bugs.
• Keep weeds trimmed and grass mowed to prevent ticks from migrating into your yard.
• Plant lavender, peppermint, lemongrass and geraniums around your house to help keep fleas and ticks away.
• Brush regularly to help control mild flea infesta¬tions and prevent major outbreaks.
• Bath your dog with natural products that are designed to repel fleas and ticks are beneficial as well. Avoid excess bathing as that may cause dry skin Also, avoid products with sodium laurel sulfate or parabens as they can cause irritation.

Dorothy Vetrovec, a Volunteer with L.E.A.R.N., owns Nature’s Feed (Natural source for pet food and more) at 2440 Westward Dr., Unit C • Spring Grove, IL 60081, located next to the Spring Grove Post Office. Phone: 815-675-2008; Website: www.naturesfeed.net

More resources on tick, flee and heartworm prevention include:

• http://www.greenpaws.org/better.php
• On Flea Control Chemicals: http://www.nrdc.org/living/pets/flea-control-chemicals.asp
• GreenPaws Flea and Tick Products Directory: http://www.simplesteps.org/greenpaws-products
• Above Directory organized by risk: http://www.greenpaws.org/_docs/GP_productlist.pdf

To reduce insects outside on your property, there are several products for large acreage: mosquitobarrier.com and cedarcide.com. For smaller yards, Vet’s Best and St Gabriel Organics both make a yard spray that you attach to the hose.

Sully’s Story

February 10th 2012 was an extremely tough day for our family. We had to make the decision to put down our 11 year old chocolate lab Sully. This has been especially tough for Tracy and I as Sully was our first “child” having arrived in our house in May of 2002. Not quite a year before our daughter Emily.

Sully was a rescue dog from the Labrador Education and Rescue Network (L.E.A.R.N.). In the fall of 2001 we contacted LEARN to inquire about possible lab adoption and to put our name on the list. We wanted a younger chocolate lab that needed a good home. A representative from LEARN came out to interview us to see if we would be an acceptable home for an adoption. This was in October and we didn’t hear anything until the following April.

I was up in the central part of Wisconsin with my father for a turkey hunt/spring walleye getaway. When we were out on the river fishing, my cell phone rang and I let it go to voice mail. After checking the message, I found out it was LEARN with a possible dog for us to adopt. By this time, I had in my own mind, convinced myself that not adopting a dog might be the best. We had just put in our yard and having built a new house, I didn’t want to bring in a dog that would chew up our house. I thought about erasing the message (a move that is pointed out to me on many occasions) but decided to talk to Tracy when I got home and see what she thought. Well we went to Rockford IL where the foster family lived to see him. After taking him for a walk, we decided to adopt him. The foster family said that Sully stood at the door after we left. So I guess in a way he knew we were the ones.

Let’s backtrack a bit. Sully’s story about his birth and the 1st year of his life is unknown. Sully was picked up running the streets of downtown Chicago near Grant Park, by the animal control. He had been “on the lam” for a while as he was gaunt and thin, almost emaciated. The best guess we have is he was a cute puppy who got too big for the apartment living in down town Chicago and was left to run or he got away from his owners who then didn’t bother to look for him. No one had filed a report of a missing chocolate lab. His life and ours were about to change. A volunteer from LEARN was driving into Chicago to pick up a yellow lab that had been surrendered to a shelter. Apparently the owners who surrendered the dog had a change of heart and were allowed to take the dog back. The volunteer got to the shelter and the yellow lab they were supposed to pick up was gone. The director of the shelter then suggested that the volunteer take in a thin chocolate lab that had just come off the streets back with him instead. This of course, was our Sully.

Sully stayed with the foster family in Rockford for a little over a month. While there, the volunteers assessed his behavior and health to see if he would be a good candidate for adoption. He was given veterinary care and put on a diet to slowly get him back to a healthy weight. We are truly thankful for the great volunteers at LEARN, the foster family’s who take these dogs in, and the veterinarians who care for them.

Not knowing how Sully would react to a new home, we purchased a crate for him to sleep in at night and to keep him confined when we were gone. Sully hated going in his crate and we really didn’t like having him in it. After about a month, Tracy and I decided to see how he would be at night. He was great! Eventually he became comfortable with his bed that we kept in our room. We slowly introduced him to being left alone in the house outside of his crate. First we tried 30 minutes, then 1 hour, 2 hours 4 hours, and eventually all day. He never chewed a thing or got into any trouble (other than finding his way up on our bed and the couch!)

Sully was a runner. This explains why he was running the streets in the first place. He did get away on us a couple of times but thankfully he was caught and leashed every time by a neighbor who called us from the phone number on his tag. I had always hoped to hunt with him but that wasn’t going to happen until he could be trusted off leash. In the summer of 2002, we ordered an e collar. I took him to an open field and let him go. He took off running but soon found out that I could still reach out and “touch him” electronically. This was the last time Sully would try and run away. I’d like to think that after time, Sully also started to become part of our family and in doing so; he didn’t see the point in running away. He was family.

Sully wasn’t the only surprise of 2002. In May, Tracy came downstairs when I was tiling the floor to our new basement bathroom and announced that we were expecting. So many things run through your mind. Will I be a good parent? Can we make it on one income? And naturally, how will Sully respond to a new member of our “pack”? Emily was born 01/06/03. I took home her birthing cap and some other items on the night before we left the hospital so he could smell them. When we brought her home in the car carrier, Sully was naturally curious but gentle. He was the same when Matthew came along a little over 3 years later. He knew what was going on. Tracy had quit working in early December 2002. She was home with Sully every day since.

I took Sully pheasant hunting on several occasions. I was concerned when we first got him that he might be sensitive to loud noises. Thankfully, that was never the case. Firing a shotgun, the vacuum, thunderstorms and fireworks never really bothered him. In fact, Sully liked to be vacuumed with the shop vac. I’d like to say Sully was a master hunter but he was not. He did have a great nose for birds and loved being out in the field. He had a drive that wouldn’t quit. Sully did manage to bag several birds on our various outings to Scuppernong Nature Area and he probably would have gotten more had his master been able to shoot better. When he was 5, we found that he had a slightly dysplastic left hip and a joint mouse in his right front shoulder. This caused him a lot of discomfort and soreness after hunting out in the field. Much to Sully’s sadness, we felt it best to retire him from his hunting duties.

Sully always loved being outside in his yard. Once we solved the running away issue, he was my constant companion while doing yard work. He had the peculiar habit when I was cutting grass to move his toy from where I had cut, to the part of the lawn that still needed cutting. He knew I would have to stop and throw the toy. Watching him play in the first snow of the year was always a treat. Sully always acted as if it was the first time he had ever seen snow. We called him “snow pup”. But that wasn’t unusual for him as he loved the simple things in life like lying in the sun, rolling in the grass, playing in the sprinkler, and hunting for critters. Many rabbits and squirrels were chased out of the yard (a few were even caught) and unfortunately one skunk. There were many birds that nested in the trees and shrubs around the house that used Sully’s fur as construction material.

The neighbor kids all got to know Sully by name. He liked to greet them as they came off the bus from school (and sometimes take their hat and/or mittens). He also was the “welcome wagon” greeting everyone who came by the house when walking through the neighborhood pulling wagons with kids or pushing strollers. He also “assisted” in handing out the treats to the kids for Halloween. Halloween 2011 was the last time he would perform this duty.

It was in November that we noticed a change in Sully. He would sit and bark for no reason, have trouble getting around the house, experience tremors, lack of coordination and frequent house accidents. In all our years up to this time, there was maybe one time he had an accident in the house and that was our fault. We think he had a bout of vestibular disease but after getting over that, we could notice that something had really changed. We soon found out that Sully was suffering from cognitive disorder. (Dementia in dogs.) It has been extremely difficult for us to watching his mind betray him while he is still physically in good shape. Clearly the dog we knew was leaving us and being replaced by a shell of the wonderful dog we knew so well and loved so dearly.

It is with heavy hearts that we took him to the vet for the last time. I suppose I can take some comfort in knowing that he no longer is confused. All I know is I’m going to miss my friend. Our entire family will. We could not have asked for a kindlier, gentler, absolute sweetheart of a dog. It has been our tremendous privilege to be his owners. Sully has taught us to love unconditionally, take pleasure in the simplest of things, and to be thankful for everything no matter how trivial. His love is a treasure that will remain in our hearts forever and our lives have been enriched because of his companionship.

So long faithful friend, until we meet again….

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Abby.  I just turned 7 years old.  I am friendly to all, love people and dogs and cats.  I love to fetch and will roll the ball to you with my nose or my foot, as well as put it in your hand if you like.  I am crate trained, housebroken and ride well in the car.  I sleep through the night and can be trusted in the house while you are gone.

I came from a single adult home.  My previous owner had a change in living arrangements, and I was no longer able to stay with her.  I was sad, but I am having fun in my foster home, and have adjusted quickly to this change in my life.

My name is Kate!!! I came to be a LEARN dog because I was found as a stray.  Since I had no name and am as cute a button, my foster mommy calls me Kate (or Katie).  She says I’m as pretty as the Princess Kate!  I appear to be approximately 1 year old, a purebred and am extremely shy/skittish.  Any loud noise or fast movement will send me scampering to any one of my safe zones, of which my favorite is my crate. 

My foster family lives on a farm and amazingly I do absolutely wonderful off leash, not going far outside the 30’ radius of my foster mom’s lead.  We go on multiple daily off-leash walks during which I prefer to stay right next to my foster mom, but will occasionally venture out to explore with the other dogs. I don’t mind the lawn tractor, ATV, or the vacuum, but look out if the ice-maker should drop a load of ice in the freezer.

I love the game of fetch and am slowly learning that if I drop it at my foster mom’s feet she will throw it again. Love that! I love to ride in the car, absolutely LOVE to swim, but I still have to be fed in a closed room all by myself before I will eat.

I live with two older dogs and a puppy and am very good with all them as well as any new dogs I meet.  The farm has three cats and the neighbor’s farm has 6 cats. I have never taken any interest in any of them, the chickens, or the horses.  But wow! – those neighbor bunnies are fun to chase. But my mommy said I can’t do that anymore and I’m trying really hard not to. I am hoping for a Forever Home that will help me continue to learn that the world isn’t a scary place, that enjoys some daily exercise, but not too much because I do love my naps!

Oh yeah, forgot to tell you that I am on the small side, only about 60#.

10/12/11 Sammy the Survivor! ~ Completely recovered from Parvo, Sam is now gnoshing away to get rid of his puppy teeth. Being a puppy, he is happily exploring his environment and growing like a weed.

Update ~
Sam seems to be doing better – he is eating more and was willing to get up and move around.

Hi everyone,
This is Sam. We took him in from a shelter last week. He spent a long day making the transport up to us. The volunteer who was helping with the transport called to let us know that he was very sick. She quickly got him to a ER vet. Sadly, he has Parvo and is fighting for his life right now. He has been at the emergency vet clinic since last Sat. getting IV fluids, meds to help with nausea and antibotics. Please say a prayer for Sad Sam and keep him in your thoughts. 

Hey everyone Quincy here. I am a 4 mos. female lab mix. I am a typical puppy who loves to play. I am living with other dogs and I really like to play with the younger one here. There is a cat here too and he is fun to chase.

I got to go to a Farmer’s Market today and boy did I meet lots of people. I got to take a nap in the chair as I was pretty tired by the end of the morning. There was a Great Dane there that wanted to meet me and we got our picture taken together. That dog is really, really tall.

Since I am young I will need some training. I already know about the crate and like that but will need work to learn how to walk properly on a leash and get better with the house training.

If you are looking for a well-behaved and cuddly companion, then I am your gal . . .

My name is Mia (Me-a) and I am 3 years old, chocolate, pure-breed, and 80 lbs petite.

I was given up because my owner wanted a guard dog and not a lap dog.  I guess I licked too many faces and sat in too many laps.  He must not know anything about Labradors!

I live with my foster Mom and Dad and my foster lab brother.  I was cautious of my foster brother at first, but now we love to play together.  I am still very timid around my foster Dad, but I’m learning that he won’t hurt me.  My foster Mom thinks that I was ignored because I didn’t know how to sit or even respond to my name.  Now I sit for my food and sit at the door to go outside.  When she says my name and I look at her, I sometimes get a tasty treat.

What are my good qualities?  I don’t have separation anxiety issues (whatever that is), I don’t bark excessively, and I can be trusted outside of my kennel.  I also hold my potty until it is time to go outside. So what do I need to work on?  Number 1 – trust, Number 2 – trust, and Number 3 – trust.  My foster Mom says I need to lose 15 pounds and also learn how to drink without getting her floors all wet.  I keep telling her that it is just water! What type of home am I looking for?  A loving, patient family.  I also prefer a quieter-type home, please.

Come see for yourself how sweet I am.  Love, Mia.

Lindsey here, or Lindz as my foster mom calls me, I’m a happy and sweet 8 year old purebred lab.  I love all humans especially the little ones that you call children.  I don’t jump on people, which is good because I don’t want to hurt anyone.  I know all of my commands and listen very well.  I love going on car rides and taking walks.  My foster mom has been teaching how not to pull on the leash and to walk straight, because I like to weave back and forth so I can smell everything that is around.  She says I’m getting much better on our walks, which makes me smile.  I get along with my two foster brothers, but I’m still not sure about those things called cats -anything that small should be chased.  Foster mom is always telling me to “leave it” when I chase the cats; I do stop because I like it when they say I’m a good girl.  I have the energy of a younger dog but do settle in the house.  If you take me for a nice walk, to the dog park, or play ball with me I’m very happy.  I’m just looking for a family that wants a sweet loveable girl who will be loyal to you and your family.  Come out and meet me, I’m just a little girl at 45 lbs.

 See you soon Lindz.. 

Hello Labbie Lovers!!

My name is Mystical and I am 5 years old. You probably can tell I am an older guy by the white on my face. I see the white as a distinguishing accent to my beauty. Each white hair represents the love I am willing to share, so that is A LOT of love!!!

I came from Rockford, IL where I was a stray. Animal Control (AC) picked me up back in 2008 and again just recently. The AC tried to contact my family but the phone number and address was wrong. I am so thankful LEARN came to my rescue. Now I am getting the exercise I need and the love I was missing from my previous home.

I am housebroken and do not need a crate while you are gone. I have free range of the house and do not get into anything that is not mine. You may see a destroyed tennis ball when you get home, but you said I could have that, right??? I have not been on many walks but have been on a leash and do well with the right kind of collar. One of the greatest things about me is the car ride. You do not hear a peep out of me while I am in the crate in the car.

I am totally ball driven!!! If there is a tennis ball, I will chase it, or split it in half by chewing on it, or tear off the fuzz. There have been times when my foster mom and dad came home to pieces of tennis ball laying around the house, and I would just give this innocent face as if to say, “It was the other dogs, I promise!!” I do live with two other labs and two cats. The cats seem to me like play toys. So I would do great in a house that has no cats or has a cat that is used to dogs. I have tried many times to jump the baby gate that separates the cats from the dogs.

If you would like to know more about me, please give LEARN a call. I am very excited to meet you and go to my forever home.

Mystical