Special to the Star-Herald
Don’t forget to visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society’s booth at the Forum this coming weekend for the Fall Craft Fair. This event allows us to network with fellow animal lovers, educate people about the shelter and meet new friends. It also is a tremendous fund-raiser for us. If every person who walked through the door dropped $1 in the donation jar, it would be awesome. We are always thankful for any donation we get, especially in this time of economic stress. We are looking for the following donations: old blankets and towels, laundry detergent, bleach, Purina Dog Chow, wet and dry cat food, but the item we use the most is cat litter. We use the non-scoopable kind, brand is not important.
Have you ever considered what happens to your pet when you smoke? Consider how smoking affects us then think about this, your pets have no choice. With dogs, research has shown that cancer-causing agents may be found in hair and urine for months after being around secondhand smoke. Dogs living with owners who smoke are twice as likely to develop cancer; long-snout dogs tend to get nasal and sinus cancer while short-snout dogs tend to develop lung cancer. What about cats? When you smoke around your cat, that secondhand smoke gets on the cat’s fur, the cat cleans itself and ingests a large dose of the chemicals in the smoke. Cats who live with a smoker are three times as likely to develop lymphoma (Bertone, E. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2002) Are these facts shocking?! It is up to us to do everything possible to keep our pets safe; please consider that next time you light up around your pets.
I have always considered myself a large-dog person; the bigger the better, small dogs drove me nuts. Well, something strange has happened. I now have two small dogs. I have to tell you I am absolutely enjoying the little buggers. Having a small dog has presented some challenges, but we are overcoming them with enthusiasm. I think the biggest obstacle has been the size of a small dog’s bladder, so housebreaking has been a little bit of an issue for us. Another issue is having a small dog under foot; they are easy to step on and trip over! My big dogs have accepted the two smaller ones fairly well; I believe Zoe’s nose is still a little bent out of shape, but she is getting used to them. I think my issue with small dogs was not the dogs, but the people who own them. What I have found is that some people will accept behavior from a small dog that would be totally unacceptable from a big dog. For example, I for one do not like being jumped on but find my little dogs up on their hind legs and jumping on me every chance they get. We are working on this one and these guys would do just about anything for treats. I don’t want my dogs jumping on other people, it just isn’t polite.
Not all small dogs are created equal. I find that some of the most tenacious dogs come in small packages; look at the Min Pin or the Cairn Terrier, both cute and small, but mighty dogs with lots of energy. So it is important to consider not just the size, but the breed when you are looking for a small dog. Jack Russell Terriers are as cute as a button, but they are fierce hunters and can easily kill a cat without leaving a mark. I jokingly say “There is a big dog trapped in that little suit” because they honestly do not believe that they are small.
If you are looking for a friend for life, do your homework. When it comes to choosing a specific breed of dog or cat, it is important to understand what the animal was bred for and where they came from. It is also important to take a look at the health issues these dogs and cats may have, and research what you can expect from the breed. If you have done your homework, then you and your new pet can expect many happy years together.
Visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society often. We are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, or you can give us a call at 764-3441.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
