Two hours before writing this, I returned home from searching for my daughter’s lost dog. Her family had moved to a new area recently and the dog has not had time to become familiar with the new area other than his own yard.

As we prepared to find him we realized we did not have some items that would be useful in our search. Here are a few things a pet owner can do to help in finding a lost pet.

Take pictures of your dog- not only the pretty pictures, but also those of the dog when wet or in different style cuts you may keep him in. (do you shave him down or keep him in a shorter cut during the summer months?)

Microchip your pet. Most Veterinarians are equipped to perform this simple procedure.

Tattoo your pet. Not all Vets are prepared for this. You may want to contact The National Dog Registry or Tattoo-a-Pet for guidance.

Of course, have I.D. tags with the pets name, your name, address and phone# engraved. Attach these securely to his collar.

Property training- teach him the limits of his yard.

Teach him to come to a whistle, bell or some other familiar sound. Many of these sounds can travel farther than your voice, and after prolonged calling the voice tires or becomes horse. Take your dog for short walks- at the turn around point tell him go home, and go directly home. Do this many times and from different directions. Then begin to let the dog lead you home (at the end of a leash). This can also be handy if a stranger tells him to go home.

When you begin your search:

Put up and hand out flyers. Banks, grocery stores, gas stations and parks. Encase your flyers in plastic to protect from wind and rain. USE LARGE LETTERS.

Put an ad in your local newspapers.

Familiar areas may draw your dog- if you live in an area of all brick homes or you frequent a park, he may be near a similar area. Where would you go if you were lost?

Animals are more active in the morning and late afternoon/early evening during the summer. If it’s a hot day check in shaded or low lying areas where it is cooler. In winter, check areas of brighter sunlight or places sheltered from the wind. Use your eyes- look under and around, if your dog is frightened he may be hiding and may not readily recognize you.

Contact the local Veterinarians, pet shelters, animal control and even your mailman. Check with these sources daily. These are busy folks and may easily forget or be unable to get back with you immediately. Also contact your local pet groomers- someone may find your dog and take them to a groomer to remove ticks and fleas or simply to clean the pet.

Use a happy or positive voice as you call for your pet. When calling, (or whistling or bell ringing) stay in one place for 10 or 20 minutes. Dogs can hear loud sounds for a great distance and it may take some time for him to get to you.

If you live in a rural area, try staking an old shirt or other item with your scent on it at ground level, perhaps on a hilltop (so the scent will travel). DO NOT leave food as this will mistakenly attract any animal. When you return, does the item look pawed at or slept on? Refresh this item daily. This may be a long shot, but what do you have to lose by trying?

I’m happy to report that we found the little guy! After three days he had made it a mile and a half away from home! He was lying on a gravel patch next to a lake under a shade tree. (similar to the road in front of his home.) I don’t think he fully recognized me at first but he did seem to recognize my car, as he made a bee-line to hop in to the front seat. Naturally we are very thankful and fortunate. In hindsight, our quest may have been easier and quicker had we prepared by following a few simple guidelines.

Carol is a Nationally Certified Master Groomer, certified by the National Dog Groomers Association of America, Inc.

A pet groomer since 1993, she attained National Certification in 2002. Visit her website at http://www.carolsbows.com

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Everybody loves a baby animal and Westie puppies are adorable, but new dog purchasers often do not realize the commitment they are making when they bring a puppy home. For those want the companionship of Westies dogs, but do not have the knowledge or patience to endure the training process, rescuing an older Westie dog may be the right alternative.

When considering an older West highland terrier dog, the first thing that many people think is that they would be getting a dog with problems, either genetic problems common to Westies, or behavioral problems from improper training. The truth is, many Westie dogs go to shelters for reasons that have nothing to do with the dogs’ inherent qualities. Every year, dog owners die, move to retirement homes, change jobs, get divorced, have new babies, or, unfortunately, simply tire of the responsibility of caring for a dog.

The advantages of older dogs are many. They have already finished teething, and no longer feel the urge to chew holes in your shoes, rugs, and furniture. Westie dogs that are older have grown used to sleeping through the night while their people sleep, as opposed to westie puppies, who wake up and whine. Older pets will have already been housetrained and also should know the meaning of the word ‘no,’ making their continued training that much easier.

When you encounter a Westie puppy, you only have the breed standards to give you an idea of what kind of dog it will grow into. Although Westhighland dogs have a typical personality type, there are variations from dog to dog. The full-grown Westie is a know quantity. The Westie dog you meet is what you will get, and you can quickly determine if it will fit into your home.

It may seem like rescuing an older Westie provides you with an ‘instant dog,’ but that is not the case. At first they might become confused, upon arriving at a new home, and need to be reminded of their basic training. However, even allowing a few weeks of extra special care is easier and less stressful than the rigors of training a puppy.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

Jeff Cuckson
webmaster@madaboutwesties.com

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Want To Know How To Have The Healthiest
Happiest and Most Well Behaved Westie Puppies
You’ve Ever Dreamed Of! Then Click Here NOW!
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Theres a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and youre planning on being there with your horses. However, its been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and youre a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible.

Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. Theres very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey?

How to Ensure Safe Trailering

If youre out of practice, or if youve never towed a trailer before, obtaining adequate personal experience prior to the actual event is of the utmost importance. Just as if you were learning to drive for the first time, you should begin by practicing basic driving skills before getting out in traffic with the trailer.

The more experienced you become, the more prepared you will be for anything that may potentially happen. With more confidence and a higher level of awareness and preparedness, you should be better able to handle any unexpected situation that comes along.

Find a level field or a parking lot in which to practice. Mark your course with several highway cones, then, set out to work on the following driving skills:

Ready for the Highway

After youve practiced all the basic driving skills while pulling your horse trailer and you feel confident in your ability to handle the rig safely, youre ready to test your skills out on the road.

Try towing your trailer for short distances, at first. Make sure that you feel comfortable with turning corners in traffic, with backing your trailer, with parking on a grade, and with being able to stop your trailer quickly (should the need arise). Once you are confident in your towing abilities, youre ready to travel any distance with your horses.

Just remember to always be alert when out on the roads. Drive defensively and be prepared for any possible situation.

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Theres a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and youre planning on being there with your horses. However, its been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and youre a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible.

Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. Theres very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey?

How to Ensure Safe Trailering

If youre out of practice, or if youve never towed a trailer before, obtaining adequate personal experience prior to the actual event is of the utmost importance. Just as if you were learning to drive for the first time, you should begin by practicing basic driving skills before getting out in traffic with the trailer.

The more experienced you become, the more prepared you will be for anything that may potentially happen. With more confidence and a higher level of awareness and preparedness, you should be better able to handle any unexpected situation that comes along.

Find a level field or a parking lot in which to practice. Mark your course with several highway cones, then, set out to work on the following driving skills:

Ready for the Highway

After youve practiced all the basic driving skills while pulling your horse trailer and you feel confident in your ability to handle the rig safely, youre ready to test your skills out on the road.

Try towing your trailer for short distances, at first. Make sure that you feel comfortable with turning corners in traffic, with backing your trailer, with parking on a grade, and with being able to stop your trailer quickly (should the need arise). Once you are confident in your towing abilities, youre ready to travel any distance with your horses.

Just remember to always be alert when out on the roads. Drive defensively and be prepared for any possible situation.

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Patio dog doors are essential especially when you are not around for your pets. Through the patio dog doors, your pets are able to come into the house or play out in the yard without any difficulty.

Installing patio dog doors

Contrary to popular belief, installing a patio dog door is not at all hard. Because this kind of dog door makes use of a ready-made tall and translucent pane that fits the size of an existing door frame on your patio. Right at the bottom of this panel is a flexible pet door, so that your dogs can step through with comfort.

Not exactly the handyman? Dont worry. Cutting and drilling will not be problem, either. This type of dog door is simply inserted onto one part of your patio doors side. You can also use this on sliding glass doors. There is no need to worry about the height of your patio doorframe, as these dog doors are basically available to fit various frame heights and come available in sizes apt for your pets body built.

How can the patio dog door be secured?

Dog doors have, however, been radically used as the main access of thieves to enter the house they are robbing. It is therefore necessary that you install patio dog doors that are comprised of top-notch aluminum that are harder for thieves to open. The patio dog door panel should also have a security lock system. Some can be attached to a plain patio dog door for added security. These devices read the key attached to your dogs collar so that only he or she can enter.

Dog Doors provides detailed information on Dog Doors, Electronic Dog Doors, Patio Dog Doors, Screen Dog Doors and more. Dog Doors is affiliated with Soft Dog Crates.

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The death of a beloved pet is something that all of us animal lovers dread. It’s probably even easiest not to think of this possibility until absolutely necessary. That, of course, is our natural response. So what can we do when we are confronted with the passing of a canine friend? I’ll tell you.

It will be emotionally draining to come to terms with the death of a dog whether you’ve had time to plan for the final goodbye or not. It is important to remember that you can and will live through this difficult time not just for yourself, but for your beloved furbaby as well.

Those of us who choose to improve our lives and those of animals by living with canine companions know that our animals want, above all, for us to be happy. Living through your dog’s death is a tribute to him or her.

Follow the W O O F technique to begin to live through the pain:

Wait
The death of a pet is a highly emotional time during which it is hard to make decisions very clearly. The first step to living through this time is simply to wait. Take some time to breathe, to calm yourself and to think about what needs to be done.

Write your thoughts and ideas down in a journal, make a to do list, let yourself grieve. Not allowing yourself the necessary downtime will just make the process more difficult.

Own your feelings
Step two is to really come to terms with your feelings and accept them. You will feel the entire spectrum of emotions. It is reasonable to expect that you will feel angry and betrayed, that you’ll be overwhelmed by sadness, or even that you’ll laugh when you have a funny memory of your pet.

Whatever the feeling you’re having, accept it. Use a journal to write down your feelings, it will help you to see the progression in your emotions. Know that all of your feelings are justified. It is what makes you a living and compassionate being.

Offer your memories
Once you’ve started to work through and accept your feelings, it’s time to remember your dog. First write about your pet: How long was he/she with you? Where did he/she come from? What memories do you have? Collect any pictures you have and think about the life you had with your dog. Share your stories and photos with family and friends who love you and your dog. Ask them for their recollections.

This celebration of your dog will help to remind you that above all he/she wanted you to be happy and that his/her happiest moments were spent being with and living with you. Respect your dog’s life by continuing to live yourself.

Free yourself
Finally, free yourself from the pain and the guilt that inevitably come with the death of a loved one. Know that your dog is at peace and does not blame you for his/her death. Open yourself up to living and loving. When you free yourself to live, you will allow yourself to be open to new possibilities. Work to improve the lives of other dogs through volunteer work or donations. Eventually you may want to share your home with another pet. Life has unending potential if you allow yourself to live.

Living through the death of a dog is not something that happens overnight. Take the time that you need to come to terms with the death, but don’t prevent yourself from living. Know that you are not alone; your canine companion is always in your heart and always wants the best for you. Remember the steps: Wait, Own your feelings, Offer your memories, Free yourself. Follow the WOOF and live happily.

Robin Jean Brown is author of an ebook on pet loss which you can download by going to http://PetLossGuide.com

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