A very Happy New Year to all of you who have followed my blog for some time now. This past year I’ve been engaged in starting my own business, and investing in what I call a “mini-production studio” for my YouTube channel (The Pup Mommy), as well as establishing a FaceBook page, and accounts on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, Spotify, and a brand new website.
I have moved some of my older content to my newly-launched (December 2021) website: www.thepupmommy.com and am posting new content now on a fairly regular basis in my blog space, Czarina’s Corner, dedicated to my beloved German Shepherd, whom I lost in 2020 at age 12 yrs, 3 months to the day she was born.
I’d love to have you join me at my new site, so please come and take a look. I wish you and yours the very best for 2022, and may you have have health, happiness, and good fortune.
If you would rather watch my YouTube video, click on the video below:
Cancer is not an easy topic to discuss, period.
In my over 30 years of owning dogs, I’ve had/have Boston Terriers, Labs, Dobermans, and German Shepherds, but the cancer has always struck my Bostons. I lost two Bostons to cancer, one from uterine cancer, and one from a brain glioma, and that one after years of having several bouts with Grade II mast cell tumors. A third Boston was felled by a highly inflammatory brain infection known as meningoencephalitis. She had similar symptoms to cancer, and actually was being treated with a cancer drug, Cytosar.
Now, keep in mind, that I’m speaking only from my first-hand experience. There are many kinds of cancers, and I am only speaking about the cancers that I experienced with my dogs. So it is with this background that I hope I can help you.
First, one thing to note, cancer is not only found in elderly, senior dogs. My Boston who passed from uterine cancer was 7 years old, which is still relatively young when you consider that some Bostons can live to 13/14 years of age. My Boston, Chipper, was diagnosed with his first mast cell tumor at age 6, he lost his brother to brain cancer at age 5 yrs. It can strike younger, adult dogs.
So how do you identify something potentially dangerous in your dog. The way I look at it, there are two kinds of potential cancer, and I use the word potential because you will not know for certain it is cancer until you have a vet’s diagnosis, the kind you can see and the kind you can’t. Let’s take the one that you can see first.
If you’re like me, your hands are on your dog every day. When you pet them, when you play with them. Short-hair, long-hair, my hands always go over my dogs on top, underneath. When you’re playing with your dog, and he/she is rolling over on the floor, on the grass, when they’re lying next to you, you look them over. Or you should.
My Chipper was a mast cell tumor magnet. He had little tumor bumps on him on his legs, his paws, his abdomen, his hind end. I first noticed the tumor on Chipper one morning when he was laying on his back in bed next to my other pup. It was like a small, hard, pea-sized bump. It hadn’t been there the day before, it just suddenly appeared, which is what this kind of tumor does, and it didn’t look good.
Now sometimes, dogs can develop what is known as fatty tumors, sort of a fibroid cysts, which are 99% of the time benign. Sometimes, they’re a little soft or somewhat squishy. My German Shepherd, Czarina, had one at age 10/11, and most recently, my German Shepherd, Nabucco had one and he was only 18 months. These little tumors/cysts usually go away by themselves. So when you find something, don’t always assume that it is cancer.
But you have to watch these bumps carefully, for changes in size, shape, and color. I know that the last thing people want to incur is the cost of a trip to the vet. But when it comes to these bumps out of nowhere, if they are cancerous, which was the case for 4 out of 5 tumors with Chip, then if they’re caught early, the tumor isn’t necessarily the death sentence. A key point I will add here, when Chip had these cancerous tumors, there was no change in his appetite, his activity level, his temperament, and just by looking at him, you’d never know he had cancer. So err on the safe side, and if you find a lump or bump, take your dog to the vet.
When you get to the vet, the course of action will usually be a needle aspiration of the bump, which is kind of a biopsy. Cancer is not something that can be found in a blood test. In each of Chipper’s cases, my vet and the technicians were able to ascertain abnormal cells on glass slide under the microscope. Then, they would send the tissue sample out to a lab, like Idexx, where a pathologist would do a much fuller investigation, which takes several days. It is at this point that the pathologist will grade the tumor. If the sample comes back positive, then most likely surgery will be needed to remove the tumor.
Whether the tumor is removed locally by your vet, or you have to go to a specialist / animal hospital with vets who have multiple acronyms behind their names, like DACVIM, will be determined by the test results, the location of the tumor, how far / fast it’s spread, and if there are extenuating circumstances, like previous surgeries or other underlying conditions. In Chipper’s cases, the surgeries were performed by my vet who looked after him since he was nine weeks old. Normally, when these surgeries are done, the vet operating will remove not only the actual tumor, but also tissue from the surrounding area to try and be sure that all the cancer cells have been removed. There was only one case, where a tumor was located on his abdomen in such a place where she couldn’t make a larger swath, that I was referred to an oncologist for potential chemotherapy.
I actually did go to the oncologist, who reviewed Chipper’s file and then went into detail what chemo would cost, the number of weeks it would be administered, and the side effects/quality of life Chipper would have. I made the decision I did NOT want to put Chipper through that, he was 10 going on 11 years old, so I chose to risk that my vet had caught all the cancerous cells.
As tough as chemo is on people, it’s equally tough on dogs, so you have weigh your decisions very carefully. Is the better answer palliative care, because again, it depends on what kind of cancer, was it caught in time, and where was it located.
Now for the potential problems that you don’t see physically on your dog, there are also signs to watch for when a cancer is internal. In my case with Chipper, and the brain tumor that finally killed him, the signs were how he walked, his leg would slide out sideways where his balance was off, a slight head tilt, staring into space, abnormal panting, circling and seizures. In some cases, like my little Poco, who had the meningoencephalitis, she experienced cluster seizures. She was not in any pain, but you feel so helpless.
I took Chipper to the neurologist, when this photo of Chipper and I was taken by her, and she examined him and he had an MRI performed. She gave me the news that he had a glioma in his brain, it was inoperable, and that at most she gave him six weeks. Little Chipper died in three.
So what do you do if your dog has been diagnosed?
When you are faced with a problem such as cancer, or a potential cancer, I can’t stress enough to get onto the internet and start googling what you’ve been told by your vet, so you know exactly what you’re dealing with. Get the exact name of the cancer, the spelling, the location on your dog, because there are so many research papers by veterinary hospitals and university veterinary schools, along with photos so that you can entirely educate yourself.
The surgery and chemo, should you choose to do it, is very, very costly. With one of Chip’s mast cell tumors, the chemo alone was over $5000, on top of the $3500 surgery bill. There are companies like Care Credit, which is offered and accepted by thousands of veterinary clinics and hospitals, that offer you interest free, over time payments, usually in the 6-12 month range. Many of you might already have pet insurance. I have had pet insurance for the last 20 years, and in Chip’s cases, throughout his entire life, my reimbursements were close to $20,000, and that’s on top of what I paid out of pocket. But, by searching the internet, as I did, you can sometimes, find resources that can help you, help your dog, and help other dogs.
By resources I mean this. With two of Chip’s tumors, I was able to find two university veterinary schools who were running clinical trials on cancer in dogs. With these clinical trials, the cost of the tests, treatment protocols, surgery if the trial involves that, and recovery is borne by the veterinary school. Your expense is getting you and your dog to the University.
In Chip’s cases, one was the University of Tennessee which was running a trial on mast cell tumors. However, the cost that I would have to incur for two weeks staying in Tennessee near the University while they were running the trial, as well as boarding my other dogs while I was away was about, equal with the cost of the surgery at my vet. With the University of Minnesota’s trial, they were looking for pups with brain tumors, but Chip had an underlying condition, a benign heart tumor so that trial was a non-starter when they learned that.
And in closing, when it comes to the million dollar question, what do you do if your dog has been diagnosed with cancer?
I’ve already explained that not all cancer diagnoses are fatal. But for the ones that are, the key question to ask yourself, and to ask the vet is, is my dog in pain? Because if the answer to that is yes, then do the brave thing and euthanize your pup. Remember that at times like this, it’s not about you, it’s about them.
Don’t make the mistake I did. I waited too long. When little Chip was diagnosed with his glioma, and even before that, I was in constant contact with his breeder, and had been through most of his life. She encouraged me to take one day at a time with him, and not to be too hasty, he would have his good days and his bad.
Last Photo of Chipper before his seizure. He was already massively panting after running around the kitchen island. I knew in my heart, this was the end.
After going through the cluster seizures and the heartbreak with my dear beloved Poco, I promised myself that I would not let Chip go through the same thing and suffer seizures like Poco. On the day this video was taken, Chipper later had a seizure and fell off the sofa. I immediately cradled him in my arms and called the vet telling them what had happened and I was bringing him for euthanasia.
On my way to vet, Chip seized in the car and fell off the front seat. By the time I got to the vet, which was only five minutes from my house, Chip was seizuring again while I was carrying him in my arms. I still beat myself up that I put him through him this. Chipper died in my arms about 20 minutes later.
So for all of you out there, who have this predicament, like me who tries to move heaven and earth for my dogs, you have to be realistic too. When they are suffering and their of quality of life deteriorates, say a prayer, if you are so inclined, and do the right thing. Of all the years that you will spend owning and loving a dog, when they are sick and when they are about to pass on, is when they need you the most.
And with that, I will close this not very pleasant topic. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.
It’s been awhile (a long while) since I last posted on this site, but life happens, as they say. The consulting firm that I worked for, for 20 years, decided they didn’t need me anymore because I was “too expensive,” so they gave me the heave ho, only to immediately rehire me as a project consultant (they don’t have to pay benefits — you know the deal).
Meanwhile, I decided to take what I’ve learned in over 30 years of owning dogs, and see if I can’t put that knowledge to practical use by helping new pup owners, wannabe pup owners, and even some experienced pup owners. So I began a YouTube Channel entitled (corny is an acceptable descriptor), ThePupMommy.
The difference between my channel and the myriads of dog channels out there, at least from my perspective, is that I’m offering people suggestions and advice from over 30 years of practical, hands-on experience of owning, loving, and caring for pups. I’ve walked the walk so I can talk the talk.
So when that veterinarian prescribes the “cone of shame” for someone’s pup after a vet visit, I can tell the pup’s owner, “you’ve just wasted ~$30 because that cone will be off your pup inside of a New York minute (especially the really active ones).” And getting that contraption on and off the pup … I’ve got about five of these cones on the closet shelf, all sizes.
I launched the channel back in late October, with an 8-part series, “To Puppy or Not To Puppy” Currently, I have 11 videos posted and will be adding to them regularly, so take a look, tell your friends, and be sure to leave me your comments, because all are welcome. This is a completely new venture for me, and you’ll see from my videos that I have a lot to learn.
As for why I’m doing this …. it comes from a desire to not only try and ensure my own financial security but to try and help all those animal/stray dog/homeless charities here in the US and around the world that I support with $10/$20/month. They’re staffed by volunteers and exist on the generosity of people like us who send them $10/month and a lot of prayers. With a successful channel on YouTube that is monetized, perhaps instead of $10/month, one day I can send them $10,000/quarter.
So that’s my story, and here are some photos of the newest members of my family. Nabucco and Ophelia. Nabucco is 1-1/2 yrs old and Ophelia is 5 yrs.
Nabucco – Day of Adoption – Friday the 13th – March 2020
and Ophelia
Ophelia – Adopted Friday the 13th – November 2020
I lost my beautiful girls, Czarina and Olympia within 2-1/2 months of each other. Czarina on 7/8/20 and Olympia on 9/13/20.
Thank you for following me and I hope to update more frequently now than I have in the past.
Noel had just turned seven years old last October. Given recent events, it seems like a lifetime ago, when this purebred snob went rescue at an adoptathon in my local PetSmart. I was still reeling from the loss of my Boston Terrier, Chipper, from brain cancer, when a friend and I spotted a litter of puppies, and I took the dive. His name was “Starry Night” at the time, but before I would adopt / not adopt, I needed approval from the boss, my German Shepherd Czarina. She sniffed him, looked at me as if to nod, and Noel became a loved member of the family until one January night.
Noel at four months
Noel passed in my arms, January 27, around 2:45 am on the surgical table at the veterinary hospital. After taking ill earlier in the week, numerous attempts at medical management were made by the vet after x-rays showed what appeared to be an elongated mass in his intestine. After his refusal to eat anything substantial, if at all, for 1-1/2 days, I took him to emergency.
Dr. “M”, was on duty that weekend. A compassionate, leave-no-stone-unturned vet with decades of experience, she has looked after my pups since 2002, when she surgically removed two poly-vinyl tubes from a Chuck-It Flying Squirrel, that I watched my Boston slurp down like spaghetti before I could reach him. Dr. M, in this case, reviewed the x-rays and was absolutely confident we were looking at another foreign body lodged in the intestine.
Having been a multiple dog owner since 2002, the cost of owning these pets comes at a price. Contemplating a $4000+ surgery bill, on top of the $1000 already spent for tests and other procedures, meant, in part, to avoid the need for surgery, is a tall order for even the strongest of constitutions. However, I made the deeply personal decision that I could not put down an otherwise healthy pup because of the money and live with myself, so I gave the assent for the surgery.
As mentioned earlier, Noel’s x-rays had shown an elongated mass, which looked like a sock or or possibly piece of cloth stuck in the intestine, and was ever so slowly trying to move through. When the Dr. M operated, instead she found the two pieces of one of those Tug n’ Toss rope toys, with shreds of yarn and a string tied around a small piece of cloth. The doctor traced the string into the stomach where she found the second part of the chew toy, the knot. Unfortunately, there were three perforations made by this toy in the stomach and intestine that were already full of bacteria, and also in such locations where they couldn’t be cleaned and sutured successfully.
A similar toy at the left produced the debacle at the right. The black dots are perforations caused by the toy, leading to peritonitis.
Dr. M called me herself around 2:15 am to say she couldn’t save Noel. I threw some clothes on, drove to the clinic, and held Noel as he passed. For me, it was a repeat almost two years to the week of the debacle when I lost my Boston Terrier, Spunky, to a similar situation as Noel’s — ingestion of dog “digestible” dog chews and bits of toy that were unseen on the x-rays, with no indication on the bloodwork as well.
Spunky, was almost 11 yrs old when he died January 6, 2018. A necropsy was performed by the same vet who operated on Noel, and the contents of Spunky’s stomach are shown on the right.
In my 30+ years of dog ownership, from Boston Terriers to Doberman Pinschers to German Shepherds and Retrievers, my pups have played with almost every toy imaginable — plush, interactive, balls, bones, squeaky, toss, tug, etc. And just as with two-legged children, the four-legged variety almost requires 360-degree, eyes-around-your-head vision. A toy, that one dog will happily play with for hours, another dog will ignore, or destroy or mangle it inside of 10 minutes.
Pet parents walk a fine line between wanting to provide a playful environment for their pets with toys you both enjoy, and toys that can potentially kill without any warning signs until it’s too late, leaving you guilt-wracked and several thousands of dollars poorer when you elect to do surgery. Foreign body surgeries total millions of dollars based on insurance claims and continue to rise each year. According to an article from Trupanion.com, a company offering consumer pet insurance:
Giving a bone, ball or toy to your pet is often harmless, yet claims for foreign body ingestion continue to increase every year. In 2015 we paid almost 10% more foreign body claims than in 2014. An apparently innocent bone was the cause of our highest foreign body claim payout of over $21,000 to help a dog in California who needed treatment for a tear the bone caused in her small intestine.
The moral of this story, pay attention to the toys you purchase (or receive) for your pup. Look at the size of the toy vs. the size of your dog, how it’s constructed, and what it’s made of. The moment a toy starts looking gnarly, stringy or is tearing apart, either cut off the offending pieces or dispose of the toy. Not all toy materials can be seen on x-rays, and those that can, can be mis-identified and their seriousness misconstrued. Some small toys and bits of toys can pass through a dog’s system, but those that remain …. can cause both you and the pup immeasurable grief.
Don’t let this happen to you.
Noel 10/16/12 – 1/27/20 and Spunky 2/20/07 – 1/6/18
When Democrats won control of both houses of the Virginia legislature November 5, 2019, Virginia gun owners got a rude wake-up call. Now that wake-up call is spreading to gun-owners throughout the rest of the 49 states.
In July 2019, Gov. John Northam proposed a package of eight proposals that would tighten Virginia’s gun laws, known as some of the least restrictive in the country. Currently, Virginia’s gun control measures of merit only ban the sale of firearms to high-risk individuals and those convicted of domestic violence. However, the proposals would turn the least restrictive into what some would call dangerously restrictive, a pre-meditated strike against the Second Amendment. Northam’s proposed package calls for legislation:
Requiring background checks on all firearms sales and transactions. The bill mandates that any person selling, renting, trading, or transferring a firearm must first obtain the results of a background check before completing the transaction.
Banning dangerous weapons. This will include bans on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks and silencers.
Reinstating Virginia’s successful law allowing only one handgun purchase within a 30-day period.
Requiring that lost and stolen firearms be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours.
Creating an Extreme Risk Protective Order, allowing law enforcement and the courts to temporarily separate a person from firearms if the person exhibits dangerous behavior that presents an immediate threat to self or others.
Prohibiting all individuals subject to final protective orders from possessing firearms. The bill expands Virginia law which currently prohibits individuals subject to final protective orders of family abuse from possessing firearms.
Enhancing the punishment for allowing access to loaded, unsecured firearm by a child from a Class 3 Misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony. The bill also raises the age of the child from 14 to 18.
Enabling localities to enact any firearms ordinances that are stricter than state law. This includes regulating firearms in municipal buildings, libraries and at permitted events.
Incoming Democratic Speaker of The House of Delegates, Eileen Filler Corn, said gun control is a top Democratic priority for 2020 as she was recently interviewed for Fox News’ “On the Hill.” This puts the Democrat majority squarely in the middle of a groundswell of activism. As Virginia becomes ground zero between virulent gun control activists, such as Moms Demand Action, they are met by the equally fierce Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) who are determined to protect Second Amendment rights.
While Virginia is home to the National Rifle Association (NRA), the VCDL grassroots organization, founded in 1994, is taking the lead in the fight against the legislation. This fight, while still predominantly Virginia-focused, is turning into growing national movement via social media as word in spreading to gun-owners across the country. The concern is that what happens in Virginia, could soon be coming to a state near you, or your own state, via legislative initiatives.
The gun control topic has become so impassioned that VCDL is mounting a 50,000+ lobbying effort slated for January 20 in the Richmond capital, the day the Democrats assume power. However, the battle is also being fought throughout the state, county by county, city by city. In response to Governor Northam’s statement that laws would be enforced, “if we have constitutional laws on the books and law enforcement officers are not enforcing those laws on the books, then there are going to be consequences, but I’ll cross that bridge if and when we get to it,” the populace is banding together at their respective county board meetings.
(Photo from Facebook VCDL, Prince William County Board of Supervisors Dec 10 meeting)
Hence, the rise of the Second Amendment “sanctuary county” movement. Prince William County’s December 10 meeting was standing room only as the County Board voted on and passed the resolution declaring Prince William County a sanctuary county and that it would not “enforce any unconstitutional law.” To date, with the recent addition of Fauquier country, within direct access to Washington, DC, 87 out of 95 counties, 11 out of 38 independent cities, and 20 towns have adopted Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions in Virginia.
The battle facing Virginians on both sides of the debate is not slowing. Northam, surprised at the vitriolic response of gun-owning citizens tried the divide and conquer tactic when he introduced a provision on Dec 9 that would grandfather-in existing guns that met the proposed weapons ban. However, two key developments have recently both enraged and further energized the gun rights movement.
Thursday, January 2, four budget hearings were held throughout the state with attention zeroing in on a proposed budget line-item calling for a $4.8 million, 18-officer team to enforce the governor’s proposed “assault weapons” ban.
A legislative draft of a bill proposed by incoming Senate Majority Leader, Dick Saslaw, making it a felony to possess a pistol, rifle or shotgun that falls under its “assault weapon” definition.
Under Saslaw’s definition of an assault weapon, it would expand to include a firearm magazine that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition. So that if a gun owner owns a popular model like the Glock semi-auto, the standard magazines that come with the gun would make the owner in violation of the Virginia law if passed. This raises the hotly contested confiscation specter of what the gun owner will do versus what the authorities will do to the gun owner.
The scheduled rally on January 20 at the Richmond state capital is one that will be watched very carefully, because it also has the potential to spiral out of control. Social media channels that discuss the subject daily, are spreading the intel that groups like Antifa, the Nazi Party, et. al., will be joining the fray, leaving it up to subscribers and viewers to distinguish between those channels that carefully vet information they receive, e.g., law enforcement, actual govt. documentation, versus those that spread the personal opinions of the channels’ owners. And, as with all channels, the comments sections are indicative of the how strongly people feel about the situation in Virginia and what some are prepared to do.
Gun owners are no less saddened by Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, or Columbine than the victims’ families or their fellow citizens, but they also realize what is at stake if a government body passes laws designed to disarm its citizens in violation of their rights guaranteed by the Constitution and reinforced by the Supreme Court (see DC vs. Heller)
It seems rather poignant, and perhaps apropos, that the state that was home to Washington, Jefferson, Monroe and Madison, and so dominant in the history of the founding of our country, is now once again a battlefield of the people versus their government. On which side will Virginia fall, this time.
This article appears in, and was originally published, by AmericanThinker.com.
Being a long-time dog owner, I am always a sucker for the websites that have anything to do with all things dog, or animals in general (except reptiles — can’t get into those). I’ve been a long time follower of this site, The Orphan Pet, which began as a blog in my inbox one day, and then later developed into a YouTube channel, and a Facebook page as well.
The Orphan Pet is a labor of love by Valia, the owner of the channel, the photographer, videographer and most importantly, the storyteller. Valia has an amazing gift for poignantly telling the stories of the dogs she films, the people who try and save them, and the people, most of the general populace, who don’t care, or worse, abandon or kill them. You will sometimes laugh, sometimes cry, sometimes despair and feel anger, because civilized countries aren’t so civilized after all.
But, if you’re like me, you will be in awe of this gifted and talented woman. She is someone who is able to do what she loves, and has made an impact on the lives of the dogs (and cats) she films, the rescue groups who work tirelessly to care for them, and then there are the lucky pups, who get adopted by people who have learned of them through Valia’s channel and work.
I know there are so many sites out there, that are in desperate need of exposure, resources, and help, operated by people who give up their lives, although they wouldn’t think so, to care for the forgotten, injured and unloved. For this holiday season, I’m sharing few of my personal favorites, in no particular order.
What can you say when you are slowly losing your rock, who has been by your side for over 11-1/2 years. Words fail me at the moment, especially on this Christmas Day 2019, because I know that with her age and deteriorating condition, it will be her last, unless the good Lord intervenes to keep her by my side.
She came into my life as a puppy of nine weeks. After I brought her home and introductions to my Bostons, Chipper and Spunky were safely made, I put her behind a baby gate to keep her safe, and went upstairs. While changing clothes, I glanced down, and whoa! Who was sitting there looking up at me, just exactly as in the photo at the left, but baby Czarina. Somehow she managed to climb over the baby gate, and climbed up a flight of stairs to find me and be with me. At that moment, it hit me how incredibly special she was, and that I had a loyal, loving friend for life.
I had no previous experience with the German Shepherd breed, having grown up with a Boston Terrier, and then after moving into a new home, acquired two more. One was not enough, and my mother, who was living with me at the time loved their company. But after my mother passed away, I decided to get a large dog while I was able to still handle one and afford to keep it. Hence Czarina entered my life, and shortly after, I added a second German Shepherd puppy, Olympia, who also is still with me, and is five months younger than Czarina. I was warned by several people, including Shepherd breeders, not to get two females, because they wouldn’t get along. Proved them wrong I did; the girls remain inseparable.
But I digress, Czarina is now my problem child. Years ago, when taking her to the vet for her wellness exam, x-rays were taken and it was discovered she had spinal issues. I took her to the neurologist, and after an exam and MRI, she was diagnosed with intervertebral disc disease. But unlike Olympia, who underwent a successful operation for the same issue, luck was not with Czarina. Her condition was inoperable and her prognosis was that she would continue to slowly deteriorate. Her condition was further exacerbated by arthritis in her upper front leg joints.
It wasn’t until this year that I noticed the deterioration had accelerated. It began with an ear hematoma, that after numerous vet visits and topical creams left my proud girl with a crinkled ear. Now, Czarina can’t feel her hind paws anymore, and the spinal condition is slowly working its way throughout her back legs where at times, she’s unable to stand. What makes this all this so difficult is that Czarina is fully alert, clear eyes, good appetite, still interested in her ball and laying outside on the deck.
Czarina is on pain meds along with Proin (proh-in) which controls incontinence. Prior to its prescription, Czarina was constantly wetting herself overnight, and the ritual morning wipe-down, which I didn’t mind, was having a decided psychological effect on her. She is a very smart girl, and looking into her “I’m sorry” eyes was also taking its toll on my heart, as in breaking.
Czarina wears a full harness now, a brand called Help-Me-Up, which the neurologist at the hospital recommended. It has been a godsend. Czarina is a 100-lb dog, and that harness has helped me lift her into my Jeep, up the deck stairs and now throughout the house. But she is one gritty, tough, determined girl. She still prefers to do things by herself, and goes down or rather semi-falls down the deck stairs, and then climbs back up. She teaches me every day what courage is.
And courage is what I’m going to need when the time comes to say goodbye. She has been at my side, as she is now as I write this, and has been a loyal protector and cherished friend. She is the foundation of my family of pups, and keeps everyone in line. She knows me better than I know myself, and has anticipated my moods and actions for as long as I’ve known her.
I’ve had three pups die in my arms; I’d have it no other way. But losing Czarina at this time of my life, when I have more years behind me than ahead, will be especially rough. I dearly love all my pups, and was closely bonded to my beloved Chipper. But Czarina is different, because she’s more like me. If only I could learn to be more like her.
Student Protesters at Middlebury College (Rathke-AP)
Dr. Charles Murray, a noted professor (B.A. History, Harvard University, Ph.D. Political Science, MIT) and author of several books, The Bell Curve and Coming Apart, was invited to speak March 2 at Middlebury College in Vermont. Dr. Murray and his work are widely known and have always been controversial, because he treads in areas that deal with race and gender, and voices opinions and findings that go against the present day, politically correct norm of social justice a.k.a. as ‘equal outcomes for all no matter how hard you worked vs. your neighbor.’ Dr. Murray’s work focuses on human intelligence, IQ, and that intelligence rather than socio-economic status or education is a better predictor of how you’ll fare in life, including income, job performance, etc.
As Dr. Murray was preparing to give his remarks at this college, (whose annual cost is $63,917 for tuition/room and board, FYI mom and dad) he was interrupted and shouted down by student protestors, who believe that their university is no place for differing views, critical thinking, such as Dr. Murray espouses. Check out the video below, the protestors really get going around 22:35 into the session. The pathetic part comes at the end as you watch some of the university faculty attempting to talk to the crowd.
Dr. Murray never gave his lecture in the original location afforded him. Instead he gave his speech elsewhere on campus, but not before he and another professor, Allison Stanger were attacked upon trying to leave the hall.
“As Stanger, Murray and a college administrator left McCullough Student Center last evening following the event, they were “physically and violently confronted by a group of protestors,” according to Bill Burger, the college’s vice president for communications and marketing.
Burger said college public safety officers managed to get Stanger and Murray into the administrator’s car.
“The protestors then violently set upon the car, rocking it, pounding on it, jumping on and try to prevent it from leaving campus,” he said. “At one point a large traffic sign was thrown in front of the car. Public Safety officers were able, finally, to clear the way to allow the vehicle to leave campus.”
There are a number of people I know with whom I have differing political views. Some of them have equated our current President with Fascism and refer to him as another Hitler. Can’t say that I’ve read anything, anywhere lately where the President or current administration has violently prohibited freedom of speech.
To a certain extent, the university is responsible for this debacle. In this present day climate, the university should have had campus security present. and after the protests were duly recorded, asked that the room be cleared or quiet for Dr. Murray to speak. But that didn’t happen, other than faculty members trying to rationalize with snowflakes, rather than ask them if they were familiar with Voltaire, and his phrase, “I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
Were I an alumni and/or a significant donor to the college, I would be on the phone or email with the Board Members, as well as the university president. My message, simple: checkbook closed until further notice. If it worked at Oxford, you can be darn sure it would work in the land that gave us Wall Street.
America’s universities are approaching a tipping point. Many of them have ceased to become centers of learning, where they open minds and encourage debate and the science of learning. Instead, they’re becoming incubators of intolerance and forms of bigotry that they accuse others of.
Middlebury and Berkeley but two who found their way into the news, but they are by no means the exception. Professional agitators and college activists are watching all of this play out, learning and taking notes. While Republicans may hold the Presidency, Congress and majority of State legislatures and governorships, the “Left” holds our schools.
(originally published February 2017, updated January 2020)
Early in 2017, there was a limited weekly television series, Puppy Days, on Nat Geo WILD. The show followed six families from across the US who adopted puppies, purebred and rescue, and followed them via “Diarycam” documenting their reasoning for adopting, and experiences with, raising their individual puppies.
Watching that show over a period of weeks prompted the writing of the original post. It was not a critique of the puppy owners, but meant for people who are considering adopting one.
Baby Olympia, 2-1/2 months, those ears!
I presently own four dogs (two German Shepherds, two Boston Terriers) all raised from puppy-hood. I’ve also lost four pups (Bostons, Lab) from disease (cancer, meningoencephalitis, peritonitis), in addition to rehoming two Dobermans whose strong, protective personalities conflicted with the family dynamic (no worries, one went to a home in Oregon sited on 20 acres on the Willamette River, and one went to a family in Montecito, CA).
In my 30+ years of owning dogs, I have been through almost every medical ailment, behavioral challenge, training procedure, dog show competition, and just pure outright joy you can experience when owning a dog. Nothing phases me. I am not a breeder, or professional trainer. I am a dog owner whose pups are my family.
But I digress. Whether you are merely considering adding a puppy to your family, or have done your research, visited shelters or breeders, and are just about ready to hit the “adopt” button, then I ask you to continue reading before you make the final decision.
Read the following eight questions, and if you answer yes to most of them, you’re ready for a puppy, who before you know it, will grow into adulthood and capture your heart and soul.
Are you ready for a baby? I. Am. Not. Kidding. A puppy is a four-legged baby, who will keep you up at night, at least in the beginning, need almost constant attention 24/7, and require special surroundings, as in crate/kennel to keep them safe at night along with daily time-outs. They’ll need a special puppy-food diet, toys for their size and teeth, and trips to the vet for their booster shots. Puppies also need special handling because of their size, be they Yorkies or Great Danes. The same care that you would take with a baby you have to take with a puppy because they too, are small, their bones are developing, as are their sight, smell, and memories. They should not be given the run of the house, because that’s what usually causes most of the problems. Puppies should be in a limited enclosure when you can’t be with them 24/7, so they’re not overwhelmed, besides making clean-up easier when they make a mess.
Does everyone want a puppy? Unless you’re single and live alone, everyone, and I mean everyone, has to be on board. No reservations. If there are some, talk them out thoroughly. The puppy is going to be interacting not only with YOU, but with other family members, pets, neighbors, friends, etc. All it takes is one person to start complaining, become frustrated, cry, etc. and then it spirals and goes downhill from there. And the once happy family becomes torn and unhappy. And the puppy will pay the price.
Have you done your homework as to what breed of dog is right for you (and your family?) Even if you decide not to go purebred, but rather adopt from a civic public shelter, specific breed rescue or general rescue, the people who run these rescues can usually tell you what they think is the dog’s mix or background. But beware here, because what the dog looks like as a puppy, can be entirely different as they grow older.
This purebred snob went rescue when I adopted Noel from a rescue. I was advised he was a “lab/mix”. Nope. I had a DNA test run on him as he was growing, and he turned out to be American Bulldog, English Bulldog, Saluki, and Husky.
I can’t stress enough the amount of time that you should put into researching the kind of dog that would be a good fit for you, and/or your family, in terms of size, temperament, activity level, gender, coat (short vs long-haired). It’s the difference between a lifetime of love and happiness, or tolerating the dog until it dies or is surrendered to a shelter, or worse, abandoned or neglected. From AKC.org to Dogster, et al., as well as Googling specific dog breeds, there are a dozens of reputable sites dedicated to dogs in general or specific breeds that can help you determine what’s the right pup for you. Visit and spend time on these sites, and you’ll be able to distinguish and determine what to expect from each of the breeds you’re considering.
NOTE: Do not let yourself be overwhelmed by cuteness, or the kinds of pups your neighbors have, or what other friends and family recommend. They’re not going to be living with the pup, you are. You know your lifestyle and habits. Get a dog that will fit in with them. If you’re a couch potato, or by the computer all day, then an Irish Setter or Border Collie is not for you.
Also, consider the size of the dog you want when it reaches adulthood. So many times people forget about this when taking home a puppy. Whether you live in 500 sq. ft., 3000 sq. ft., or 12,000 sq.ft. home, think of the future puppy as volume. My two German Shepherds are each in the 100 lb. range, and that little Shepherd pictured above is a thigh-high road block when trying to get out the door, or maneuver around them anywhere in the house. And smaller dogs, like my 20 lb-ish Bostons — they can be constantly underfoot.
Have you done your homework with regard to training your puppy and who will train it? If this is your first puppy, or even your second, a “do not try this at home,” is an accurate phrase regarding DIY dog training. Remember point #1, each dog is different. Spend the money and find a reputable trainer and/or training class. You send a child to school; you need to send a puppy to training class and PRACTICE what you learn in training class at home. It will make your puppy days, and later adult dog years much happier and less stressful.
The first few months following the puppy’s adoption and leaving its mother/siblings, are your pup’s most formative. During this phase, what the pup learns and how it is treated, will be carried with it throughout its life. Dogs have memories just as people do.
A major point with training, school yourself in the basics. If the trainer doesn’t spend enough one-on-one time with you and the dog, (like general pet store trainers, sorry), or something just feels “off” to you, find another trainer. Trust me when I tell you, your instincts will know. And then watch your dog; they’ll signal you as well with their eyes, ears, tail and behavior. The right trainer and training is an investment that will pay you dividends throughout your life and the dog’s.
Is your home puppy-proof? Just as with babies and small children, wires, plugs and cords, must be hidden or secured. Items such as Legos, stockings, detergent pods, anything small that can be put in a child’s mouth, will also go into a puppy’s. Doors and drawers can be nudged open with a nose, so if anything is contained within them that the puppy can reach, move them to a safer place, OR, be ready for a vet visit. As the puppy grows, so will his/her ability to chew, therefore, if you don’t want shoes or anything else eaten, either gate off the room enclosure, or put away the item behind closed doors, atop a shelf, or keep it off the floor.
Are you ready for the time and emotional commitment? Puppies/dogs are like a teen and mobile phone, as in they’re always on. Puppies, when they’re not sleeping or being cute, can drive you crazy. In fact, most dogs can when they’re bonded to you, like mine are. They’ll nudge you with their toys when you’re on the computer, they’re with you in the bathroom, they’re underfoot (unless trained) when you’re making dinner, they’re into things across the room when you’re not paying attention, they’ll want to go for walks, and play at the oddest hours, you get the picture. I have a saying with my pups, “let me out so I can come in again; let me in so I can go out again.”
One of the main reasons pups end up at the shelter is that people do not realize the time commitment that a pup takes. Hence, I refer you back to pt. 1, are you ready for a baby, and as it grows, a child. I’ve always viewed my dogs as family members. When they hurt, I hurt. And when the time came for euthanasia, to put them out of pain, they died in my arms. Are you ready for the emotional commitment a pup takes.
Are you ready for the clean-up and maintenance? Puppies have accidents. In fact, adult dogs do as well. Hopefully, that’s obvious to everyone. But ask yourself, are you really ready for the continuous clean-up, not only in the yard or elimination areas, but occasionally in the house, when the puppy/dog gets sick. Are you ready not only for the usual waste materials, but also for the diarrhea and the vomit. Are you prepared if this happens on your furniture or bedding? Are you ready for the mud tracks on your floors in the spring and fall, the shedding, and for those in the outlying suburbs and rural areas, the skunking. Beside bathing the pup, you’ll also need to wash the bedding, the leashes, the winter coats and sweaters, and toys.
And the best for last — are you ready for the expense? It always amazes me when I visit various canine websites, and I read the estimated costs to own a specific dog breed. I look at the number and then say to myself, “triple it.” At least.
Food costs are subjective, but puppy food has to be done right, because you’re building the dog’s health and physical foundation, which will pay dividends in its health and later adulthood. If you have to skimp somewhere, skimp on the bedding or toys, but not food or training. Invest in a good quality puppy food, and I don’t necessarily mean the $80/bag dog food either. Educate yourself with ingredient labels and nutrition. All dog food is NOT created equal.
Puppy ailments? Olympia, shown atop the post, met a bee in the backyard the first day she was home, and into the vet we went. Chipper, my Boston, found a knee-high stocking on the floor when he was 3 months old, and needed surgery. (see Pt. #5 before it happens to you.) Otherwise, it can be anything from gastro upsets, torn nails, to something more serious, like panosteitis, with large breed dogs, (also been there.) Vet costs can be the equivalent of an annual car payment (seriously) if you run into surgeries or a major ailment. Consider investing in pet insurance. I did, and when it came to surgeries and testing procedures, I was more than reimbursed for the insurance premiums I paid and then some. Not all pet insurance is created equal, so, again, do your homework.
Other costs: annual licenses, vaccinations, flea/tick, wellness exams; toys, bedding, bowls, crates, leashes/collars/harnesses; bathing/grooming products (if D-I-Y) or more if you go to salons; over-the-counter meds like Benadryl or hydrogen peroxide; coats/sweaters for short-hair pups, although in freezing cold, my Shepherds have coats as well, ice melt, clean-up implements; dog-walkers, kennel costs, extra hotel costs if you travel with your pup; home repair costs if you have a rambunctious pup who chews through your screen door or stairs; and all the aforementioned food and training costs.
So that’s about it. Remember what begins as a puppy by the end of year one, depending upon breed, is pretty close to adult size. That puppy crate long ago outlived its usefulness and the 1/2 cup of food has now become three cups or more.
If you decide a puppy is right for you (and your family), then congratulations. You won’t regret it. There will be mistakes along the way, but don’t beat yourself up.
Hopefully, I’ve helped some in your decision process with the questions above. If you have any questions for me that I haven’t covered, feel free to drop me a line and I’ll answer best I can.
Nancy Reagan, 94, died earlier today from congestive heart failure at her home in BelAir, California. She served as First Lady from January 20, 1981 through January 20, 1989.
The Reagans were in the White House during the time of “Dynasty” and “ladies who lunch.” America had come back from some of the worst double-digit interest rates and inflation the country had seen in decades, and was on its way to winning the cold war.
But what I remember most about Mrs. Reagan was not only her style, graciousness and class that she brought back to the White House after the Carter years, but her devotion to, and love for, her husband. A behind-the-scenes power in the White House, she had no problem being called Mrs. Ronald Reagan. He was first in her life, and she dedicated her years during her term as First Lady of California and then later in the White House to ensuring her husband had the love and support a man in his position, as leader of the free world, was certain to need. She was the embodiment of a woman who embodied the phrase, “behind every successful man is a woman.” Sorry, friends, but you don’t see a too much of that these days, in our self-absorbed, “it’s all about me” culture.
During her years in the White House, she also firmly believed that the White House was the “people’s house.” She got, what I call a bum wrap during her first two years, as there was the big brouhaha over the White House china episode. However, the china was purchased through private donations, not taxpayer money. She also redecorated the private living quarters of the White House, much of which still remains today.
With all this said, the passing of Nancy Reagan during this time in the campaign cycle during the run for the nomination for the Presidency in both parties, is quite poignant. Ronald Reagan was viciously attacked from all sides as being a right-wing extremist, not very good ex-movie actor, with no chance of getting elected to the highest office in the land. Yet Reagan did not respond in kind, instead he used humor combined with wit.
Ronald and Nancy Reagan remain as icons of an era they ushered in, believing that America’s best days were yet to come, believing in the power of the people to decide their fate and determine their aspirations. Small government that stood out of the way of businesses and entrepreneurs. An America that was respected on the international stage, and led from the front and not from behind.
Ronald Reagan would not recognize the America we have today. And yet, if he were here, I’ll wager he’d roll up his sleeves, and tell us Americans, “we have work to do. Now let’s get this done, turn this country around, and ensure that we give our children and grandchildren a better life.”
A truly great couple. A truly great love story. Together again. R.I.P.
First Lady Nancy Reagan and President Ronald Reagan dance at the White House (CNN)
An-opinionatedwoman 