Pet Food Banks: Helping People Keep Their Pets During the Economic Downturn

One unfortunate side effect of the economic downturn is that many people have less money to care for their precious four-legged friends. When the household income shrinks, paying for Fido's food and care becomes more difficult. Many people may be forced to choose between paying the heating bill and buying pet food. Thankfully, pet food banks are popping up all of the country to help people struggling to feed their furry family members.

Pet food manufacturers, such as the folks who manufacture Wellness pet food, are stepping up and helping out. Through its WellPet Foundation, the company is supplying food banks with literally tons of food. Recently, Wellness donated over 5000 pounds of its all natural dog, premium food to the Pooch Pantry in Mundelein, Illinois. The food bank is run by the BC Dog Training Club and is open on Saturdays from 9 AM to noon. Many of the people benefiting are seniors on fixed incomes.

Wellness also donated 5,365 pounds of food to the Pennsylvania's SPCA Philadelphia pet food bank. The PSPCA's Chief Operations Officer Lisa Rodgers said, “Wellness has shown their dedication and love for animals through the gift of food.” The PSPCA Food Bank is open every other Sunday, from noon-3 p.m., at its Philadelphia Adoption Center located at 350 E. Erie Avenue.

The Atlanta, GA based Save Our Pets Food Bank has compiled a much needed list of food banks across the US. If you or someone you know needs some extra assistance feeding or caring for their pets, please spread the word about pet food banks.

Ask Billy: Potty Training 101

Judy from Alabama recently wrote us and asked this question:

HELP !!!!!!!!!
I have an adorable 5 month old Blue Merle Cocker Spaniel and I’m having some difficulties with potty training. My husband and I both work daily and we also have a 13 year old Cocker. I put up pet gates at our hallway and our den to keep them in the kitchen daily. Abbie Bella is fine during the day -- when I come home there's no tinkle or poop in the kitchen. The dogs also have a doggie door in the kitchen that leads from the covered patio to the double-fenced in yard outside. When I get home, I immediately take the puppy in my arms and shower her with kisses and hugs and then take her outside to potty and poop because I know she gets excited when we come home. She also knows what “potty” means because she will go with me outside and tinkle.

The problem begins once I take the gates down and we settle down to the den to relax. Abbie Bella will sometimes squat and tinkle or poop. I try to remember to take her out every couple of hours, but sometimes I forget or fall asleep on the couch after a hard day in the computer lab. I haven’t had a puppy in 16 years. So it’s been a long time for me.

I want to take Abbie Bella for obedience training, but I’m wondering if I need to take her for some reinforcement potty training first? Also, how settled down should she be before the obedience training?

Judy, thanks so much for your email. Before we get to the nitty gritty, we have to tell you that we think Abbie Bella is ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE! We wish we could give her freckled nose a big smooch in person!

Potty training is all about consistency. Dogs are creatures of habit and will learn the routine as long as you have one and stick with it. This means that no matter how tired you are, take the puppy out every few hours. Set an alarm clock if you need to. Just be consistent.

In addition, because Abbie Bella has started having accidents in the den, keep her confined until she fully understands that she shouldn't go in the house. This takes time, so patience is a virtue.

Now for the really hard part: when you come home from work and shower her with hugs and kisses before taking her out, you are distracting her from her training. Instead, as soon as you walk in, take Abbie Bella directly outside. As hard as it will be, DO NOT acknowledge her, pick her up, talk to her, hug her or pay any attention to her until she goes the the bathroom outside. As soon as she goes, give her as much love and praise as is humanly possible. She will quickly understand that going outside is the correct behavior and that the reward for this behavior is well worth her effort. Although nice, your hugs and kisses are preventing her from focusing on her job, namely potty training.

Now on to your second question: As soon as a puppy has all of her shots and boosters, and she's otherwise healthy, she's ready to go out into the world and take an obedience class with other young pups. Puppies are naturally playful. So, begin with a class designed for puppies, which focuses on socializing and very basic obedience. A puppy class should cover only basic commands and tasks, such as sit, stay and walking on leash. Keep your expectations in check and don't be surprised if it's hard for your puppy to "come" if she's playing with a group of other puppies. Wait until your pup has matured and mastered the basic commands before tackling more advanced obedience, party tricks and requests to bring you a Perrier from the refrigerator. Remember too that the trainer is really training you, so practice, practice, practice! And most importantly, of course, have fun!

Does Bo Know Diddley?

A recent New York Times article explores the idea of whether Bo, the Obama family's adorable new dog, knows that he is the most famous pooch on earth. The question of whether dogs are conscious of themselves in the "where do I fit in in the universe sense" has vexed many a dog lover for centuries.

We are all guilty of anthropomorphizing our furry friends at some point in the relationship -- and we are not merely referring to dressing them up in mini-human clothes or pushing them around in strollers.

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

But we are talking about assigning thoughts, feelings and motivations to their behavior based on how we experience the world. For example, we say "my dog went to the bathroom in the house on purpose" or "Fido stole my slipper because I annoyed him."

In actuality, our pals may be at least in part just running on instinct. Did some ancient wolf realize that those erect hairy guys named "Jondular" running around in deer skins would trade leftovers and shelter for help with hunting and protection? Or did one of those early humans domesticate dogs simply to carry his slippers to the next cave?

In the end, what a dog "thinks" about his situation probably doesn't matter. What truly matters is whether your dog is happy. And that means he's well fed, has a roof over his head, receives proper care, is loved and feels like part of the pack--your family.

We Tackle An Age Old Question: Why Does My Dog Treat Me Better Than My Family?

This is Yogi. He lives in Michigan, and as you can see, he loves the cold weather and enjoys running in the snow. This photo has nothing to do with today's entry, but it's so gosh darn cute and made us smile that we had to share!

Yogi's Dad Paul posed an interesting question: "Why does my family not come running to me when I get home from work like my dog does? When I come home, Yogi acts like it's the greatest thing that has ever happened in his life. He then does victory laps around the house. I guess that's not a dog question, but a family question."

We know from experience, that it is universally true that your dog is much more likely to be happy to see you than the rest of your family. If you're a loving and caring dog owner, chances are that your dog faithfully greets you with a wildly wagging tail each and every time you return home. And chances are, no matter how wonderful and giving you may be, your spouse, significant other or kids aren't all that moved when you come through the door. They don't dance around and run circles around you while grabbing your shoe. If you're lucky, they may mumble a half-hearted hello and go back to American Idol or Lost.

Without a doubt, there is no greater source for unconditional love, inexhaustible companionship, unyielding loyalty and infinite friendship than your dog. Your dog views you as the center of his universe, which is why it's your job to treat him with respect, kindness and proper care. After all your dog is probably the most non-judgmental, dedicated companion you'll ever have.

We think it's a safe bet that Yogi or your dog will never ask you to take out the garbage or beg for a raise in his allowance. This is why dogs were first deemed man's (or woman's) best friend. Of course, you could train your kids or partner to jump up and ask for a treat. Now, that you mention it, we may do just that!

Feral dogs

We thought we'd take a short break from Bo Fever and get serious for a moment. Here at Happy Dog Land, we always try to accentuate the positive. Dogs who are rescued through the miracle of modern grooming. Dogs who survive after being marooned like Gilligan and the Skipper on a deserted island by eating goats. Dogs who accomplish incredible feats such as dragging their masters back from the gates of Hell. You know, typical canine behavior.

But we also try to bring you some tales from the dark side, showing you how dogs (and human beings) are often put at risk by the irresponsible acts of evil and clueless people. The uncomfortable topic of feral dogs falls into that sad category.

"Feral Dog" is a term often inaccurately thrown around by journalists who read too many Jack London novels in school. In fact, there are several distinct meanings for the term. So-called "pariah dogs" such as the Dingo or the Carolina Dog, are wild canines that have lived apart from human masters for (in some cases) thousands of years. While these dogs are "feral" in the sense that they were descended from domesticated dogs sometime in the distant past, and now live by their wits in the wild, they are recognized as specific canine breeds and are now a long-term feature of their natural environment.

Truly feral dogs are abandoned house pets or the stray (unneutered or unspayed) dogs who mate and form packs in urban, semi-urban and rural environments around the world. Obviously the original owners are at fault here (for not fixing the pets, and then abandoning them) but these canine characters out of Lord of the Flies are everyone's problem. Not only do these dogs live desperate, dangerous lives, they are also in many cases a threat to human beings due to their return to wild, undomesticated behaviors.

So what can we do about feral dogs? Well, for one thing as responsible pet owners we need to ensure that (a) all of our house pets are spayed or neutered, and (b) do everything possible to prevent our pets from getting loose -- including spending adequate time training them and escape proofing our yards. But we also need to do what we can to support local agencies (such as Chicago Animal Care and Control) which do so much to help save and rehabilitate these dogs from their difficult existences and help protect human beings from dogs who have returned to a more dangerous type of life.

Ask Billy: Another Portie Inquiry

Kim from Facebook writes: I was reading your blog that you did online on Monday about the PWD and the First Dog. I wanted to know how large do they grow or are they miniature breeds like dachshunds? Thanks!

Hi Kim, thanks so much for your question. Porties are considered medium-sized dogs. As adults, they weigh about 30-60 pounds (although I've seen bigger). Porties measure about 17-23 inches tall at the shoulders. Porties often appear bigger than they really are because of their fluffy coats.

Take Zeke, for example. People often think he weighs 70 pounds, but under all those curls, he weighs only 48 pounds.

Ask Billy: Portuguese Water Dog Q and A

We are extremely excited to report that Billy just completed a live chat on the Washington Post's website this morning. Click here to see the chat.

We thank Katherine who just emailed us the proper way to say Portuguese Water Dog in Portuguese: Cão de Água Português!

If you have any questions on Porties or any dog, please send them in and we'll be happy to answer them.