A Great Idea for Dachshund Households!

Shayna Meliker, Vetstreet

When you have Dachshunds in the house, they all want to eat their food AND everyone else's food. This is a great idea. I just wish it wasn't so expensive! 

2 out of 3 are food stealers! Guess which ones? :)

WonderBowl Selective Feeder
If your dog secretly snacks on your cat's kibble every time you try to give her a meal, new technology from Our Pet's may be a solution for your dinnertime dilemma. With the WonderBowl Selective Feeder, a unique tag on each pet's collar signals for the lid on their dish to open. The infrared sensors keep animals in multi-pet homes from eating out of one another's dishes. (WonderBowl Selective Feeder, $89.99; WonderBowl Tag, $10.99)

TOM FOUND SOME GREAT TIPS ON-LINE for Wolf-like eaters: 
1) Put a ball in the middle of dog food bowls to make it harder for the dog to eat all the food at once.
2) Turn the bowl over if it has grooves underneath and fill the grooves with the food

eHarmony: "gay people are defective"

For any of our single friends who are looking for a mate, we would urge you to steer away from eHarmony. The bigot that owns it recently created a website for gay people in New Jersey because the N.J.  Atty General said the company could not discriminate. GOOD FOR NJ'S ATTY GENERAL!  - Discrimination does nothing but cause hatred, intolerance, and hateful actions against people.
  SO, I had to share the following story from the Blog: http://shockandaweonamerica.blogspot.com/ 

 

eHarmony has had to answer to multiple legal suits for their foolish point of view as documented here and with that heinous belief ; of the "defectiveness" of gay people.... 

Dr. Neil Clark Warren... psychologist, conservative christian and noted co-founder of eHarmony, recently said in an interview with Yahoo.com...  "I have said that eHarmony really ought to put up $10 million and ask other companies to put up money and do a really first class job of figuring out homosexuality"...he also noted. "At the very best, it's been a painful way for a lot of people to have to live..."

This phrase, 'figuring out homosexuality' really reeks of  willful  misunderstanding and a deep seated hatred that goes to the heart of an issue which Dr. Warren admitted has damaged his dating business. The issue is these people who are so damaged by their own vehement hatred for gay people that they think gays people are themselves defective.

The fact that they think there is something to 'fix' means they think there is something broken, something sinful, something evil that must be eradicated, lest they fail in their religious right, to exorcise... or failing that, ostracize those wretched souls from the circle of the 'saved'...  those approaching heaven's gates.

He is correct in thinking that the amount of pain that those like-minded, hating groups [who think as he does,]  inflict on gay people make it overwhelmingly painful for some to carry on...this apparently does not cause him enough concern to try to see the other side of the coin. Instead, he insists that there is something defective about gay people that he needs to throw 10 million dollars at, to fix.

" It has really damaged our company and when the attorney general of the state of New Jersey decided that we had to put up a same-sex site and we did it out of counsel that if we didn't do it we were not going to have any business in New Jersey -- we literally had to hire guards to protect our lives because the people were so hurt and angry with us, were Christian people, who feel that it's a violation to scripture. " he said.

I for one am happy to see that his hatred and disdain for gay people has damaged his ability to make more of that most evil of things...money. In his interview, he admitted in my opinion, that he was forced [against his religious principles of hating/needing to fix gay people,] to start another dating site oriented to gay partners. 

For a man who admits that he loves to gamble, apparently making that money in New Jersey is too delicious to pass up. He obviously did not start that other dating site without the threat of being shut out of the New Jersey market, making this a clear cut case as to where his loyalties lie... and money seems to come out ahead of compassion, or the willingness to truly understand human nature and the fact that being born gay is not something that religion can 'fix' later in one's life.

eHarmony has had to answer to multiple legal suits for their foolish point of view as documented here and with that heinous belief ; of the defectiveness of gay people, I am sure they will have some more to contend with in the future. Warren described himself as a follower of Jesus but I think he has not asked himself 'What would Jesus do'... I'm sure the answer will surprise and disgust him.

His 'love them enough to fix them' routine is old...and not working for me...

Free download, 80% of “Shock and Awe on America” in different E-book formats at Smashwords.com get sale price of $0.99 with code XV83X. 

VIDEO: Sweet Brown - Original Report and Autotune Remix.

Tom found this video of a woman named "Sweet Brown" who was interviewed by a KFOR-TV, a news station in Oklahoma City, after her apartment complex caught fire.  A creative music producer saw the interview and apparently decided there was enough there to make it into a very catchy song! You'll be singing it after you see the video - it's the news report followed by the catchy remix. 

Sweet Brown - Original Report and Autotune Remix.

Who can Adopt 2 Dachshunds?

Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue has two beautiful dachshunds that grew up together over the last two years before being turned into the rescue.  They really need to be adopted together. 

 We work wtth the rescue and there are SO many dogs that need homes.  To see the dogs available or for more info (and the fees to adopt are minimal, considering how much the rescue spends to get these strays back to health) http://www.c2cdr.org/

 You can also DONATE to help pay for the rescue dogs medical care (and bills ARE HIGH). Help them today!

RIGHT:  Klondike and Gunner are a bonded pair of handsome longhair boys that are looking for a home together. Klondike is 2 years old and Gunner is 5, and both are very sweet boys! They are being fostered in Baltimore, MD.

Fill out an adoption form here: http://www.c2cdr.org/index_adoptioninfo.html

Dog Statue and Bad Architecture

Tom found this- and I'm sure that he'd make this statue into something mobile, given the architectural disasters he points out to me. Being dog owners, we love this!  

 Dog Statue "Pees" on Bad Architecture 

This brings a new meaning to curb your dog: part of Richard Jackson's "Ain't Painting a Pain" exhibit at the Orange County Museum of Art, a large fiberglass Labrador Retriever relieves himself on ugly buildings. The artist rigged yellow paint through a hose in the pup's abdomen to continuously "pee" on the facade.

 

Update: Our 16 Year Old Dachshund is Drinking Water Obsessively

Sprite is drinking water excessively

Our Dachshund Sprite turned 16 years old on December 23, 2012. Over the last two months we've noticed he's drinking a lot of water. In fact, it's an obsession. He drinks and walks around for 5 minutes, then comes back and drinks again. He'll drink an entire bowl of water in a couple of hours (a large bowl that all the other dogs usually drink from, too- but he empties it alone). We asked our vet about him and she said there may be a urinary tract infection, or his kidneys may be failing. The vet said last year that it appeared his kidneys were failing.

  We noticed that now he can only hold his urine about 3-4 hours (or less). In fact, he wakes us up at 1 a.m. after going to bed at 10 p.m., so we can let him out. Then he goes out again at 4:45 a.m. His urine is mostly clear, of course.  I tried diapers and they won't fit. He's very good about going to the door and waking us up to go out. It's SO hard to watch this poor old guy struggle- just heartbreaking.

  UPDATE 9 am 2/23/13: Went to the vet with Sprite to get a blood test and give a urine sample to check for diabetes, kidney issues, etc.   - His kidneys were failing.

Here's what I found on-line and think is going on: Decrease in kidney function
As animals age, the risk of kidney disease increases. This may be due to changes in the kidney itself or result from the dysfunction of other organs such as the heart, which if not functioning properly, will decrease blood flow to the kidneys. Kidney function can be measured through chemistry tests on the blood and a urinalysis. These tests can identify a kidney problem well before there are any physical signs of disease. The most frequent sign of kidney disease first noted by an owner would be an increase in water consumption and urination, but this generally does not occur until about 70% of the kidney function is lost.  **I read that Kidney issues cite diarrhea and vomiting, and he's not experiencing those. He's also eating fine.
**CHECKED Cushings: He's not losing fur, which is a sign of Cushing's.  - The vet tech said that Cushing's will be tested after the other tests come back, and if they're negative.

 Here are some suggestions I got that I wanted to pass on to others:

• Try researching Cushing's disease. Those are some of the symptoms.  Bloodwork would tell. If it is just his kidneys there isn't much you can do for him.
• I'll have him checked for Cushing's disease. It's caused by a tumor in the adrenal or pituitary glands, though, and Sprite can't be operated on because of his severe heart murmur. The 4 medications I read about seem to have side effects, but I'll see what happens. Thanks, all. Here's a great source, btw: http://www.2ndchance.info/cushings.htm
  
• 2015 UPDATE
• A NEW OPTION Our other Dachshund now has exhibited incontinence. We give him a daily chewable from Nutri-vet called "Bladder Control" and over the last couple of months he's only had a couple of in-house accidents (we never leave the dogs at home longer than 5 hours).
• ANOTHER OPTION - Petsmart or Petco both sell "Belly bands" which are strips of material that go around the waist of a dog and over their privates. When they urinate, it gets absorbed by the pad in the belly band.
• Be sure it's not just a urinary infection- Urinary tract infections produce VERY strong smelling urine, and sometimes dark urine. It's extremely Painful for the dog and they need antibiotics to get rid of it (which takes about 5-7 days).  
  Bladder irritation/infection. We do not use antibiotics and use an all natural remedy I get on line.  Official Site for PetAlive UTI-Free™, a Natural UTI Remedy.
  

  • http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/products/uti-free-cat-dog-urinary-tract-infection.html?ysmchn=GGL&ysmcpn=Google%20PetAlive&ysmgrp=PetAlive%20UTI-Free&ysmtac=PPC
• PEE PAD OPTION - One person said during kidney failure, I'd keep him confined to the kitchen with blankets and pee pads. He was also blind, so I had the same problem. It helps to get pee pads that are scented to attract puppies to the pad. That way, he'll at least be able to kind of find it, but he still might not aim exactly right. My vet had given me some kind of enzyme to put on his food that was supposed to help. It was a powder that was also available online. I'll see if I can hunt down the name, but you might want to ask your vet. It was basically when he stopped eating and seemed to have a lot of pain/weakness in his hind legs (so much so he could hardly stand and often fell in his own urine/poo) that I decided he no longer had any real quality of life. Hope this is helpful.
• DIABETES - also leads to frequent urination and excessive thirst.  
• Unconventional, but have you sought out anyone who can do animal Reiki?  - Yes! 
  
  (JULY 8, 2013:  We said goodbye to our beloved Sprite. His kidneys were failing, but we made the decision after he bled excessively out of his nose (and after an emergency vet hospital visit) we made him comfortable. His hearing, sight and strength in his back legs were almost gone. )
   ***************************************************
  Sprite provided us with several signs that he was still around after his passing. If you or someone you know has lost a dog or cat, you may find comfort in reading his story and stories of other pets who have communicated from the other side: Book: Pets and the Afterlife - by Rob Gutro -  To lose a pet means to lose a child. The love we share with our pets never dies, and the author proves our pets do communicate with us from the other side. Learn how dogs, cats, horses and some birds have the intelligence and ability to send signs to the living after they pass. Take comfort in knowing our pets are around us from time to time and recognize the signs they give. Learn how they wait for us when it’s our time, what a pet’s ashes can do, and the difference between ghosts and spirits. Learn how and why living pets can sense entities. Follow one of the author's dogs on a ghost investigation. Read how spirits of the author’s 2 dogs and dogs from three other mediums communicated with them from the other side. Read about spirit cats and how a ghostly dog rescued a girl. The author also volunteers for Dachshund and Weimaraner rescues and has several dogs.
   http://www.amazon.com/Pets-Afterlife
  
  

The Cool Painting Tom Gave Rob

One of the great things we wake up to each morning is a (reproduction of a) painting that Tom had made for my birthday this past fall. It's the "Dog on Bed," originally done by Andrew Wyeth.

   I've seen that painting before and loved it, and it was a great surprise. Where better to hang a painting of a dog on a bed than in the bedroom?
(Note: the bright area in the middle of it is a reflection of the flash from the camera).
   Learn a little more about the painting in the description below from Andrew Wyeth's website.
 - Rob


Andrew Wyeth Master Bedroom – dog on bed
Master Bedroom depicts a dog lying curled up on a bed in a peaceful afternoon slumber. The sunlight streams through the small window into the dim room and casts shadows on the blanketed bed. The walls are left unadorned. Although there is only the window, the bed and the dog, a cozy, comfortable aura emanates and encompasses the observer. Wyeth uses light and shadows to distinguish the passing of time which seems to highlight the simplicity of a dog’s life. The scene invokes a sense of fantasy and dreaminess in viewers. It is also interesting that Wyeth titled the painting Master Bedroom and depicted the dog at the center of the bed with its head on the pillow. Is the message that we are all masters of our own universe regardless of our species or level of consciousness?

Downton Abbey: Top 10 Violet Moments

If you follow Downton Abbey like we do, you'll enjoy this short video. Here are ten collected favorite short scenes with Dame Maggie Smith playing the Dowager Countess Violet Grantham in Downton Abbey Series 1. (If the video doesn't show below, click here: http://youtu.be/TVMtffzbAwk)
Here's a blog for you:  http://www.gpb.org/blogs

A Week of Medical Appointments!

Every family has their share of illnesses and doctor appointments and this has been a banner week for ours, but things are working out.

Tyler (left) and Franklin (right) both with vet visits this week

On Monday, Tyler our foster dachshund went to the vet for his second anti-heartworm injection. It was painful and was the second of three shots. Rob went to the chiropractor to work on his TMJ jaw pain and tendonitis in the thumb (which makes it hard to grip things and open doors,etc.).

Tuesday brought Tyler back to the vet for his third injection to help rid him of heartworms. The next step is to see if the injections dissolved the worms around his little heart - and for that, we have to wait until August, because it's a 6 month process.

Wednesday is Franklin's turn back at the Animal Hospital as a follow-up to his paw surgery, where tissue was removed and two of his front toes were stitched together. Franklin gets stitches out today, Wednesday and will hopefully never have to have a bandaged foot again (after 2 years on and off). Fortunately, the rupture turned out to be benign.

Thursday, Rob goes back to the chiropractor... so it's an exciting week of healing and medicine. No different from any other family, but this week it happens to be almost daily!

What is YOLO? Only teenagers know for sure

We didn't know what "YOLO" meant, and we thought you'd like to know. 

What is YOLO? Only teenagers know for sure

A youthful slang craze flies under the adult radar

BOSTON GLOBE:http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/08/25/what-yolo-only-teenagers-know-for-sure/Idso04FecrYzLa4KOOYpXO/story.html 

Every now and then, a bit of slang comes along that draws a bright red line between young and old. In 2012, that slang term is YOLO.
   If you are over 25, YOLO likely means nothing to you. If you are under 25, you may be so familiar with YOLO that you’re already completely sick of it.
   A tip to the oldsters: YOLO is an acronym for “You Only Live Once.” It shot to fame earlier this year thanks to the rapper Drake, whose song “The Motto” has the hook, “You only live once, that’s the motto...YOLO, and we ’bout it every day, every day, every day.” After a video for the song was released in February, the buzzword spread quickly among the high school and college-age set by word of mouth, not just in person but through the turbocharged vehicle of social media.
How quickly? Consider the lists of slang compiled every semester by students of Connie Eble, a professor of English at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. YOLO was entirely absent from the submissions by Eble’s fall 2011 classes. By the spring semester, YOLO had become the most frequently mentioned slang term among the students, just edging out “totes” for “totally” and “cray” (or “cray-cray”) for “crazy.”
What accounts for the meteoric rise of YOLO, and how has it gone virtually unnoticed by nonmillennials? Its appeal to the youthful is self-evident. YOLO as a shorthand mantra defines youth, on a certain level. What is teenagehood if not the adventurous, often foolhardy, desire to test the limits of acceptable behavior—because hey, why not? YOLO!

 

Cliff Richard Interview - Rob's fav male singer

Cliff Richard is my (Rob's) favorite male singer (Dolly Parton for female singer), and I've loved Cliff's voice ever since I heard "We Don't Talk Anymore" in 1979... and have tried to collect all of his albums on CD. I just love his smooth voice.  He didn't make too much of a splash in the U.S. for some stupid reason, but he's the biggest thing in the UK and has been since the late 1950s.
  Who is he?  Sir Cliff Richard, OBE (born Harry Rodger Webb, 14 October 1940) is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist. He is the third-top-selling singles artist in the United Kingdom's history, with total sales of over 21 million in the UK and has reportedly sold an estimated 250 million records worldwide.

 The official website by the Cliff Richard Organization: www.cliffrichard.org/

  The following interview was done recently, and I found it very enjoyable. Cliff is easy going, funny and personable, and he still looks young, despite being 72. He recently performed at the Queen's Jubilee, and he's had a hit in each decade she's been on the throne!

 

Dog show Stuff

Monkey-faced Westminster winner

The Westminster Dog Show is over, and a dog I've never heard of won the event. In fact, this dog is known for having a "monkey-like face." I don't get it.

RIGHT:   The Winner:   Affenpinscher "Gch Banana Joe V Tani Kazari" wins Best In Show in the 137th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. A total of 2,721 dogs from 187 breeds and varieties are to compete in the event.  Photo:  Eileen Blass, USA TODAY

WHO SHOULD HAVE WON???

 LEFT: Weimaraner GCH Rosewin Clasic Schwin Of Anson gets ready to be examined during Sporting Group judging.  Eileen Blass, USA TODAY
 

OR:   Vizsla GCH Regal Point Pinnacle of Kilauea gets ready to be examined during Sporting Group judgingin the 137th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.  Eileen Blass, USA TODAY

OR: Great dane GCH Longo Miller N Lore's Diamond Lil with his handler, Laura Combs, during Working Group competition at the 137th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.  Eileen Blass, USA TODAY

OR: Dachshund!! -   83-year-old Pearl Dilg of Gurnee, IL, snuggles up in the benching area with a smooth dachshund named Tasha of Rockford, IL, before bringing her into the ring at Pier 94 in New York City Monday for breed judging.  Eileen Blass, USA TODAY

SUNDAY on 60 Minutes: Maggie Smith's never seen "Downton Abbey"

Dame Maggie Smith (Violet on Downton Abbey)

**WATCH TOMORROW!*** Watch Steve Kroft's profile of Dame Maggie Smith (Violet on Downton Abbey) on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT!
Another zinger from the dowager of "Downton Abbey:" Dame Maggie Smith says she has never watched the show!
 

Update on Franklin's Surgery

Franklin showing his hurt foot

Our 8 year old Dachshund Franklin had surgery on his paw last week for a recurring rupture. The boil like thing kept recurring between two toes in his front left paw over the last two years. We've brought him to two vets, and he had surgery on it once, where some foreign matter was removed, but the boils came back. 
 - Everytime they did, Rob would soak them or disinfect them, then apply triple antibiotic ointment on them, and they'd heal after about 3-4 weeks, but would come back 2 weeks later. We just kept treating it, until we decided this last time to consult another surgeon, who removed the tissue and stitched two of his toes together. The stitches went from the top of his paw to the bottom.
  - The biopsy came back negative, so we're very relieved, especially since the "wound" kept returning. It turns out it was a rupture within a hair follicle that was so inflamed inside (even when it wasn't showing) that it had to be removed. (I know, YUCK!).
 - Franklin is now walking on it, although still bandaged. The stitches come out during the week of Feb. 18th - the SAME Week that Tyler goes in for his TWO final Heartworm shots. So, one is healing and the other one goes back to the vet hospital.
   Franklin should be back to normal by the end of next week. Thanks for all of your well-wishes for our little monkey.

What Valentine's Day means to me (Rob)

What Valentine's Day means to me: It means remembering everyone who touched my heart with love throughout my life. Tom is the love of my life and I married the best guy in the world. I love our 4 canine kids. 

Beautiful flowers Tom gave me for Valentine's Day

  This day also reminds me of the love for my family and my friends near and far- from those locally to as far away as the U.K., Germany, Japan, Canada and the Philippines. Friends we've made through fostering dogs, through taking trips. Old high school and college friends. Friends we work with, or live in our neighborhood. 
  Single people are surrounded by as much love as married people. Today reminds me of how fortunate I am to be connected to such wonderful people. If you give love, you receive love- and we should love, respect and accept everyone to make the world a better place. Happy Valentine's Day.

State of the Union address: Read it here

If you didn't hear the President's State of the Union address, now is your chance to read it. I don't care what party affiliation you are- you need to know about the state of our country and what the plan is for moving forward. I'll post the first paragraph, and you can read the rest on the link below.
Rob
STATE OF THE UNION:
   Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the American people, there is much progress to report. After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home. After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over 6 million new jobs. We buy more American cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in 20. Our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before. Together, we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger.
FULL TEXT:
http://www.federalnewsradio.com/145/3224176/Text-of-Obamas-State-of-the-Union-address

Meeting the Governor!

Tom and I have a great admiration for our state's governor, Martin O'Malley. Governor O'Malley has supported education, equality, small and large businesses, and much more. Recently his office  launched the State's First Online Business Registration System.    
He supports alternative energy, something much needed in all states. He recently introduced the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013.     Of course, he was a leading force in getting marriage equality passed here in Maryland. 

L to R: Tom, Gvnr O'Malley, Katie O'Malley, Rob

  During the holidays, the Governor and his wife Katie open their home for a meet and greet and a tour of the mansion. They have live music and great cookies and apple cider, and the mansion is beautifully decorated. Everyone has a chance to get a photo with the Governor and Katie, too -as we did. Of course, we both find the Governor incredibly handsome, and Katie is equally as beautiful, so we opted for a picture. 

10 Things Your Dog Would Tell You/Our Foster Gallery

Thanks to our friend Tad who shared this... 

Dolly and Chance

10 Things Your Dog Would Tell You
1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful: remember that before you get me.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me- it is crucial to my well being.
4. Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment.
5. You have your work, your entertainment,and your friends. I only have you.
6. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understand your words, I understand your voice when it is speaking to me. 

Sprite

Franklin and Dolly

Cooper

Cooper #2 from 2009

Tyler

 7. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget.
8. Remember that if you hit me, I have teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you because I love you.
9. Before you scold me for being uncooperative,obstinate,or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out too long, or my heart is getting to old and weak.
10. Take care of me when I get old; you too will grow old. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: "I cannot bear to watch" or "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is easier for me if you are there, even my death.
Remember that I love you.