Therapy Dog Saves Little Girl's Life

A young girl overcame a rare autoimmune disease thanks to the help of a therapy dog program at a Minnesota children’s hospital.

Ally Gillen was just like any normal 10-year old until one day in 2008 when she began to have trouble walking. Almost overnight, Ally’s condition deteriorated and got to the point where she had trouble making simple movements. Doctors ran tests and she was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), an extremely rare autoimmune connective tissue disease that affects one in a million children.

Upon receiving her diagnosis, Ally was checked into Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota, where she spent the next seven weeks. Ally’s mother, Heather Gillen, says that her daughter was in so much pain that she could barely lift her head up from the hospital bed. “When the occupational therapists would come into her room to get her to move, she would cry because it hurt so much. I wanted to yell ‘don’t touch my daughter.’”

During the course of her treatment, an occupational therapist brought a therapy dog in to visit Ally. After spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and her birthday in the hospital, Ally missed her own dog, Angel, and was excited to spend some time with the therapy dog. “The occupational therapist would place a dog on my shoulder so I could pet him. Then she would move the dog to my other shoulder or other part of my body. I would reach down and pet the dog,” explains Ally.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Ally engaged in a variety of rehabilitation exercises which involved therapy dogs. She moved her arms around to pet the dogs and redeveloped her fine motor skills by dressing them up costumes and taking them for walks in her wheelchair. A small dog bearing a tic-tac-toe board game on its back kept Ally challenged, as she had to get on the floor and move the pieces of the board game around in order to play.

Forty-nine days after the therapy dogs began visiting, Ally was able to move out of a hospital bed and into a wheelchair. She resumed her therapy with Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota on an outpatient basis, where she continued to work with the dogs. Now at twelve years old, Ally has decided that she wants to become an occupational therapist and work with therapy dogs down the line. She enrolled her seven-year-old dog, Angel, in the Delta Therapy Dog Certification program, which she completed alongside her mother. Ally and Angel visit Children’s once a week and bring joy to many of the hospital’s patients.

Ally attributes working with the pet therapy program to saving her life. “Dogs are a big part of my life and always will be. Now that all of this has happened, I’m going to get a degree in OT when I’m older. And I will train a few dogs to be therapy dogs.”

source : Nicole Pajer

Common Pet Behavior Problem Solving - Potty Training

Whether you adopt a puppy or an older dog, a little training goes a long way toward preserving a happy, healthy relationship. I asked professional dog trainers to share the most prevalent behavior issues, along with tools to address the problem. Here are the top five issues and tips to promote good behavior for the rest of the year.


Lack of potty training


Before addressing any behavior issues, animal trainer Kristen Collins of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says pet owners should start with a thorough veterinary exam. This helps rule out potential medical conditions. She also recommends watching pets carefully during potty time.

"Most people don't realize they need to supervise in the beginning," she says. "That is one of the biggest ways to develop a good habit. If the option of going inside is not there, it's more likely that -- when you get them outside — they will go."


To reinforce good behavior, reward pets for going in the proper place. Remember, they will make mistakes. While it may be tempting to get frustrated, avoid punishing pets when you find accidents after the fact.

"It's useless," Collins says. "That moment is gone in the animal's brain."
While perfect in almost every way, sometimes cats need remedial potty training, too. Cats may soil outside the litter box to mark their territory. Less than ideal litter box conditions also trigger feline poop protests, Collins says. To correct the issue, make sure that your cat has more than one litter box available. Also, pay attention to what's inside that litter box. Avoid switching litter brands, clean the box frequently and pay attention to the amount of litter inside.


"If the amount is too shallow or too deep, that can turn the cat off," Collins says. "You may need to avoid using linings or box covers if cats are not making it to the box."


source - ASPCA

Adopt a pet from your local shelter today. Take the time to find the best collar and ID tag for your pet and keep them on him/her. If your pet is found, the ID will help your pet to be safely returned.

Flying with Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals

It is unlawful for airlines to charge a fee for a service animal or ESA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) allows for Service dogs and emotional support animals to travel in the cabin of the aircraft as long as the dog does NOT obstruct an aisle or any other area used for emergency evacuations.

Although general in-flight rules will always be enforced by every airline company, the processes of actually making reservations, passing the ticket counter, luggage check in, security checkpoint, and gate may vary slightly, depending on the airline and airport. By reviewing the websites for individual airlines, you'll learn most of their guidelines, including that all request and require service dog and ESA identification and identifying apparel.

What To Expect At the Airport
• Flying with a service animal or ESA for the first time can be very anxiety producing, but in reality, the experience is actually easy and low-stress for prepared handlers. It is a very good idea to contact the airlines or consult their website a week or more before the flight (or at the time tickets are purchased) to find out what the requirements are for flying with a service animal or ESA. Most airlines now require advance notification and some, like Frontier and Midwest Airlines require special forms to be completed, in addition to the letter of prescription.

• At the airport and on the plane, the animal should wear an easy identification photo ID tag attached to the leash or harness. All airlines strongly encourage this because it makes identifying your dog as a service dog or ESA much easier and will prevent unnecessary confrontations (this is also true for all other settings in which you may be accompanied by your dog).

• When you arrive at the ticket or baggage check-in counter, make sure the airline representative is aware of the service animal/ESA. Airline personnel have typically seen and managed many passengers with service animals, and have a specific process they must follow before a passenger with a service dog can proceed without delays.

• First, you'll be asked questions to determine if the animal is a working service dog or an ESA. If the animal is a working service dog, the airline representative will ask what task your dog is trained to perform for you because of your disability. You, as the passenger, must be able to provide credible verbal evidence at this point (that means you need to be prepared to convincingly tell airport personnel what task your dog performs specific to your disability.

• If the animal is an ESA (emotional support animal), then you must tell the airline representative that the dog is an ESA. You will be required to produce a formal letter of prescription for a service dog or ESA from a licensed mental health professional. A letter from your medical doctor will NOT be accepted, as the letter must be written by a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, counselor, social worker). There is no way around this. In addition, it is becoming increasingly common for airlines to require you to submit a copy of this letter several days prior to the flight. Some airlines (Midwest and Frontier, for example) actually require you to have your therapist or licensed mental health professional complete one of their third party verification forms.

• Once you're on your way to the boarding gate, the next step is to pass through the security checkpoint. This is easy, and your dog may walk or be carried through the scanner with you, but the dog's leash, collar, harness, or anything else with metal in or on it must be removed prior to going through. So we highly recommend non-metal ID Badge/tag to eliminate the hassle. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer may also ask about your dog, but it's just a formality.

• Having arrived at the boarding gate, it's a good idea to let the attending airline personnel know that you are being accompanied by your service dog or ESA, although it isn't required. Often, they will allow you to board first and be seated ahead of others out of convenience for you, as well as other passengers.

• Once you have boarded the aircraft, most airline policies state that your dog must be on the floor between your knees and the seat in front of you. Most of the time, however, flight attendants rarely seem to mind if small a service dog or ESA sits on your lap.


ID4Pet wish you a pleasant flight.


Source: AAA ebook
ADA

my dog LOVES food!!

My dogs are food lovers. Lot of times I think they can handle inspecting meat for living as a job? So I created this United State Dog Alliance Meat Inspector badge for all those dogs love food!
Here is a great recipe for all our four legged friends who are

considered as meat connoisseurs. Even the most picky one will love this recipe!

Chicken and Rice for Dogs

Ingredients:

•1 cup boiled chicken
•1/2 cup cooked brown rice
•1/2 cup steamed mixed veggies (carrots, green beans, peas,spinach, potatoes)
•4 Tbsp unsalted chicken broth

Directions:

1.Boil chicken, add to cooked rice.
2.Steam veggies, add broth, rice and chicken.
3.Simmer for 10 minutes, cool and serve.


recipe source:www.suite101.com
More dog food recipe, click here.

Paris, Je T'aime

The radio plays the famous song, I love Paris:

I love Paris in the springtime.
I love Paris in the fall.
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles,
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles.

I love Paris every moment,
every moment of the year.
I love Paris, why, oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is near.

It was cold and drizzly and grey now in the pacific coast but this lovely song brings my memory back to Paris,the most beautiful and charming and deeply cultural city in the world. I always feel like I am traveling through time when I visit there. It's amazing to me how the city is so wonderfully nostalgic even though it is also so modern and it seems to be constantly evolving. I am inspired so much and created the amazing pet ID tag for my furry friends, Love from Paris postcard.

Dog song

"The Dog Song" -- NELLIE MCKAY

I'm just a walkin' my dog
Singin' my song
Strollin' along
Yeah it's just me and my dog
Catchin' some sun

But how to walk your dog the right way? Here are some tips provided by Cesar Millan.

Position matters.
Walking in front allows you to be seen as the pack leader. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk, he’s the pack leader. You should be the first one out the door and the first one in. Your dog should be beside or behind you during the walk.

Use a short leash. This allows you to have more control. Attaching the leash to the very top of the neck can help you more easily communicate, guide, and correct your dog. If you need additional help, consider the Illusion collar. Always keep your dog's safety in mind when giving corrections.

Set aside time. Dogs, like humans, are diurnal, so taking walks in the morning is ideal. I recommend setting aside thirty minutes to a full hour. The specific needs of each dog differ. Consult your vet and keep an eye on your dog's behavior to see if his needs are being met.

Continue reading on Cesarsway.com
photo source: crazyartideas.com

8 gift ideas for pet lovers

Find the perfect present for your pet-obsessed pal in this holiday season.
Forget the boring package of treats or biscuits – let’s get back to the real basic, dog IDs. Then I am going to share with you some extensive gift ideas. Thanks to modern technology, lots of these quality dog ID can be purchased online. Save you time to travel to the big chains or pet stores.

Gift Idea 1. Dog ID
It doesn't matter if you have an indoor dog or indoor cat, each pet should have a ID tag. There are many styles, sizes, shapes, and materials to choose from in dog ID tags. Here is a popular dog ID tag website ID4PET.COM
The ideal choice is a plastic PVC or metal dog ID tag with your pet's name and your phone number. They are durable and easy to clean. Or you want to add on some bling. Collar charms come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. Try a jewel-encrusted crown for your little princess or dog bone for his royal pooch baby.

More ideas, click here.