Among the myriads of questions I get asked when out and about with the pets, on popular query is "who's in charge?" I always get a laugh when people state "I bet the little one's the boss!" Upon seeing cat Amelia and cockatoo Leo sharing the stroller, people often inquire "do they get along?" The simple answer is yes but we have our ups and downs. When I first considered a photograph for a "below" themed photo, I spent a little time pondering who would be above or beneath who if we had a pack dynamic and I considered a line up that would illustrate this. However, I don't consider the Cascadian Nomads a pack with any one person or pet above or below another. It sounds kind of cheesy but I consider us a family. Like any family, we have day to day getting along issues with each other to work out but in general our three dog, two human, one cat and one cockatoo group dynamic is quite even keeled. Oddly enough, these photos I took late last week at one of our local coffee stops kind of illustrates which pets might sometimes be below others. Some are also a line up of which pets are below another in age. Regardless of implied meaning, I love these sunny Seattle family snapshots. Answering strangers questions about the pets is a fun part of getting out and about but moments like this are above all.
Typist: Bethany
Among the myriads of questions I get asked when out and about with the pets, on popular query is "who's in charge?" I always get a laugh when people state "I bet the little one's the boss!" Upon seeing cat Amelia and cockatoo Leo sharing the stroller, people often inquire "do they get along?" The simple answer is yes but we have our ups and downs. When I first considered a photograph for a "below" themed photo, I spent a little time pondering who would be above or beneath who if we had a pack dynamic and I considered a line up that would illustrate this. However, I don't consider the Cascadian Nomads a pack with any one person or pet above or below another. It sounds kind of cheesy but I consider us a family. Like any family, we have day to day getting along issues with each other to work out but in general our three dog, two human, one cat and one cockatoo group dynamic is quite even keeled. Oddly enough, these photos I took late last week at one of our local coffee stops kind of illustrates which pets might sometimes be below others. Some are also a line up of which pets are below another in age. Regardless of implied meaning, I love these sunny Seattle family snapshots. Answering strangers questions about the pets is a fun part of getting out and about but moments like this are above all.
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Last year I thought I had finally found a portable, easy to distribute treat that all three dogs liked and that I could feed without a need to wash my hands seconds later but the treat began to grow mold. Allowing the dogs to lick from a small jar of baby food was another training treat it seemed all three dogs and I could agree on until recently when the organic baby food company we purchased from stopped making our favorite dog friendly flavors. Should the most difficult thing about training my dogs really be finding appropriate treats? Last month, I purchased and tried TreatToob™ which resulted in squirting pumpkin puree all over the dogs and the ground at a Seattle area park. Unwilling to give up on my purchase, I left the TreatToob on the counter in hopes of changing the cap to not need as much pressure to dispense food. Overnight, TreatToob fell victim to orally fixated Amelia. That cat loves to chew on anything rubber or silicone. Fortunately, this months Positive Reinforcement Pet Training review post was looming so I ordered another TreatToob in hopes of finding a way to make the treat dispenser work for us.
If I can manage to keep the cat from chewing a mass of holes into the food grade silicone of my new TreatToob, it is my hope that the dogs and I will have our treat training troubles solved for many years to come. I look forward to easily changing what treat the TreatToob contains according to the passing food whims of Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley. Enjoying a long training session without a hand coated in training treat residue is going to do wonders for my bonding time with the dogs. And best of all, the dogs and I can each continue to be our weird, quirky selves while having training treats wherever we roam.
Cascadian Nomads was not asked to or paid to promote any businesses or organizations mentioned and linked in this post. We paid for all mentioned and linked products ourselves and we are in no way compensated for clicking on the posts links we've provided. We're just sharing information or stuff we like!
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Avoiding High Traffic Dog Areas
One of my favorite things about traveling with the dogs is exploring the dog parks of areas we visit. Since avoiding other dogs reduces the risk of catching the disease, I think we'll stick to family play time until a vaccine for this particular strain of canine influenza is available. Day boarding is not a part of any of our upcoming travels but I believe facilities that can be cleaned and sanitized are probably safe places for traveling dogs. As always, it is extremely important to make sure any boarding facility carefully monitors the health of entering dogs. If I was planning boarding for my dogs anytime soon, I would add asking if the H3N8 vaccine (which uncertainly prevents H3N2) is required for boarders and what the facility policies are for quarantining dogs that get sick during their stay to my already long interview list. I asked Dr. Hur how long he thinks dog friendly places like dog parks and day boarding facilities where canine influenza has spread should be avoided:
BYOB: Bring Your Own Bowl
When out and about with the dogs, I never let them drink from any lakes or streams because of the massive risk of bacteria. I have also taught the dogs to never drink from public dog bowls unless given permission. Public dog bowls often look clean but they can have many hidden germs including the H3N2 virus. When I worked at a dog day care facility, we employees spent more time changing dog water and washing water bowls than any other task. The dogs health was paramount and that cleanliness step was very important. Hence, I always pack my own dog water bowls and dog water. It is a simple step to ensure the dogs avoid unnecessary exposure to germs. Plus, when I always have my own water I can be certain the dogs stay hydrated which keeps their immune systems strong especially while on the road.
Knowing Signs of Stress
I have been traveling with dogs my entire life and Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley and I have visited nineteen states and a province together. Even we expert travelers can get stressed on a journey and anxiety has detrimental effects on the immune system. I am very familiar with signs of stress in my dogs as well as all of their little traveling health idiosyncrasies. For example, Huxley often eats very little between day four and six of a long road trip. I always bring along canned pumpkin ad baby food to coax him into dining if needed. Huxley never has any other signs of illness such as vomiting, diarrhea or lethargy and he always bounces back to eating once he settles into the routine of the journey. When traveling this spring and summer, I will be hyper aware of even the slightest not normal change in the dogs stress levels. Dr. Hur answered my question about how to keep traveling dogs immune systems with a reminder about awareness as well: "If you are traveling, just be aware that the stress of travel decreases your pet's ability to fight off disease. It's important to let your pet get plenty of rest after travel and if you have a pet that is coughing, has nasal discharge or is acting more lethargic than normal, be sure to get them seen by a veterinarian and avoid exposing your pet to other pets."
The Nearest Vet
There is absolutely nothing worse than a sick pet, especially while traveling. Part of the pet friendly trip planning I do is to map out nearby vets wherever we stay. I do my best to familiarize myself with veterinarian offices and emergency vets all along our planned travel routes. Obviously, my smart phone can help me find a local vet in seconds if needed but I don't always know I will have reception. Once a vet has been found, it is essential to have all of the sick dogs health records ready which is why I keep a print out for each pet in my first aid kit. While health certificates are not required for many airlines or for road trips, a pet that is not up to date on routine health care and vaccines should never travel particularly because of the need to be prepared for an emergency. A visit to a strange vet while traveling can turn into a huge hassle if the dog owner cannot quickly and easily provide up to date health records. I am fortunate to have never had to have this anxiety ridden and possibly expensive experience but I believe in being prepared.
Pet travel is never easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is, right? It is possible that this newest strain of canine influenza to come to North America was brought here by traveling dogs and will likely not be the last of such dog disease outbreaks. Sitting still and staying home are not an option for me. However the health of all the pets matters most to me. I take every necessary precaution to keep them safe every time we walk out the door. So, is it really safe for dogs to travel despite the current canine influenza outbreak? I will trust in the words of Dr. Hur as we Cascadian Nomads adventure on:
"Yes, even in the areas where canine influenza is prevalent, the risk of catching the disease is still relatively low at this time."
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