I get very sad when I learn that a dog has wandered away from home and has been lost. I don't know what I would do if I ever got lost - I don't think they have organic dog food if you live on the street. In the even that I do get lost though my mom has taken some precautions to make sure that I find my way home. First I ALWAYS wear my collar with both my city license and a tag that has my phone number and address. My mom has to replace that every few years because sometimes I lose it and sometimes it just wears out.
I am also microchipped that way if lose my collar someone can just scan me and I can get home. My mom and I have heard stories on the news of dogs that have been gone from home for months and then someone finds them and scans them and they get reunited with their people. I love a happy ending!
Anyway this Saturday, November 6th, there is a Pet Fair/Chip-A-Thon in Santa Monica. You can bring your pet in to get microchipped for FREE. There are also going to be dog contests, free dog food samples and other activities as well. The event will be from 9 a.m.until 3 p.m. at Clover Park in Santa Monica at 2600 Ocean Park Boulevard. They are also offering low cost vaccinations and demonstrations on CPR.
Please don't forget to bring your dog on a leash!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
What is a Coonhound anyway?
There are not many coonhounds in Los Angeles. Occasionally I meet one on a hike or my mom will catch a glimpse of a long ear out of a car window and tell me about it later. There are several types of coonhounds - I am a Black and Tan Coonhound - other types include Bluetick (Smokey the University of Tennessee's mascot is a Bluetick), Redbone (the kind of coonhounds in Where the Red Fern Grows), Plott, English and Treeing Walker.
My mom thinks that I'm a pretty good pet and also she gets lots of compliments on how handsome I am so she would consider getting another coonhound if she decided I needed a brother or sister. While it may be easy to find a coonhound in other parts of the country there aren't many around here (I can't remember how I got here exactly before I went to live with my mom) so probably the best place to get one would be to go to the American Black and Tan Coonhound Rescue's website. The great thing about getting a dog from a rescue is that the dogs have been fostered with families who can tell you what the dog likes and doesn't like. Some coonhounds get along fine with cats, for example, but not others (I like to chase cats) and if you get one from a rescue they will know all of that ahead of time. There are also lots of great dogs at the city shelters too though - that's where I came from after all so you should take a look there as well but I'm not sure you will be able to find a coonhound.
If you are going to adopt a coonhound there are some things you should consider. First, we are not going to be one of those dogs that can run around off-leash if we are not fenced in. We are are scent hounds - we follow scents and go until we find it and then you find us and whatever we found. There a lot of dogs in my neighborhood who roam around off-leash and my mom is continually explaining that I can't do that (and also it is against the law where we live anyway) because I can end up on Pacific Coast Highway or somewhere else where there are lots of cars.
Second, there is something that is referred to as "counter surfing" and I think it is pretty common among us coonhounds. Because of that great sense of smell we can find food any where and it may be difficult to break us of the habit of not getting on the counter or in the garbage or any where else there is something that smells good to us. My mom is on to me now though and keeps the counters clean and clear at all times (I occasionally sneak a look just in case she forgets) and we have a garbage can that is "Chopper-proof" as well. (She made me go to the Container Store and try them all out.) I also used to like to go into the kitchen sink so that meant no more leaving dirty dishes around anymore. There are some ways to correct this behavior when you are at home but if you're not home and the dog can access the kitchen then it is best to leave everything clean.
Third, coonhounds have a distinctive bay which is meant to identify them to their hunter. But if your coonhound is not regularly exercised or given proper mental stimulation they may just bay out of boredom. Not good if you are living in close quarters to your neighbors. I was never a bayer. As a puppy I was a chewer if left alone too long or didn't have something else to do. I do bay when I tree a squirrel on a walk (my mom says it sounds like a little girl screaming) but Inever hardly ever "scream" at home.
My mom knew NOTHING about coonhounds when she adopted me, other than the fact that she had read Where the Red Fern Grows, but she is still glad that I'm around (lucky for me). She had to learn some of the above through trial and error and now, three years, seven months, and 16 days later we have it (almost) all figured out.
My mom thinks that I'm a pretty good pet and also she gets lots of compliments on how handsome I am so she would consider getting another coonhound if she decided I needed a brother or sister. While it may be easy to find a coonhound in other parts of the country there aren't many around here (I can't remember how I got here exactly before I went to live with my mom) so probably the best place to get one would be to go to the American Black and Tan Coonhound Rescue's website. The great thing about getting a dog from a rescue is that the dogs have been fostered with families who can tell you what the dog likes and doesn't like. Some coonhounds get along fine with cats, for example, but not others (I like to chase cats) and if you get one from a rescue they will know all of that ahead of time. There are also lots of great dogs at the city shelters too though - that's where I came from after all so you should take a look there as well but I'm not sure you will be able to find a coonhound.
If you are going to adopt a coonhound there are some things you should consider. First, we are not going to be one of those dogs that can run around off-leash if we are not fenced in. We are are scent hounds - we follow scents and go until we find it and then you find us and whatever we found. There a lot of dogs in my neighborhood who roam around off-leash and my mom is continually explaining that I can't do that (and also it is against the law where we live anyway) because I can end up on Pacific Coast Highway or somewhere else where there are lots of cars.
Second, there is something that is referred to as "counter surfing" and I think it is pretty common among us coonhounds. Because of that great sense of smell we can find food any where and it may be difficult to break us of the habit of not getting on the counter or in the garbage or any where else there is something that smells good to us. My mom is on to me now though and keeps the counters clean and clear at all times (I occasionally sneak a look just in case she forgets) and we have a garbage can that is "Chopper-proof" as well. (She made me go to the Container Store and try them all out.) I also used to like to go into the kitchen sink so that meant no more leaving dirty dishes around anymore. There are some ways to correct this behavior when you are at home but if you're not home and the dog can access the kitchen then it is best to leave everything clean.
Third, coonhounds have a distinctive bay which is meant to identify them to their hunter. But if your coonhound is not regularly exercised or given proper mental stimulation they may just bay out of boredom. Not good if you are living in close quarters to your neighbors. I was never a bayer. As a puppy I was a chewer if left alone too long or didn't have something else to do. I do bay when I tree a squirrel on a walk (my mom says it sounds like a little girl screaming) but I
My mom knew NOTHING about coonhounds when she adopted me, other than the fact that she had read Where the Red Fern Grows, but she is still glad that I'm around (lucky for me). She had to learn some of the above through trial and error and now, three years, seven months, and 16 days later we have it (almost) all figured out.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Go Giants!!!
Getting ready to root for the Giants (my mom is from San Francisco so that is our home team). Good luck guys!!!
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| I've got my bandanna on and I'm ready for the game (just after I get that squirrel to come down). |
Howl-o-Ween Costumes
One of my mom's favorite holidays is Halloween, which means that I get to get dressed up in a silly costume. I tolerate it because she enjoys it so much and I do get a lot of attention and people telling me I'm handsome so I don't mind.
One year I was Elvis and one year we were both bees. This year my mom decided that we would have a theme - Alice in Wonderland. So she went to work trying to find me the perfect outfit. Now when you're a 70 pound coonhound it is not always easy to find the perfect outfit but lo and behold we found a shop on Etsy, Young Urban Puppy, that custom made a Mad Hatter costume for me.
The best part is that we won the Silliest Costume at the Zoom Room Culver City Halloween Party. My mom is already making plans for next year.
One year I was Elvis and one year we were both bees. This year my mom decided that we would have a theme - Alice in Wonderland. So she went to work trying to find me the perfect outfit. Now when you're a 70 pound coonhound it is not always easy to find the perfect outfit but lo and behold we found a shop on Etsy, Young Urban Puppy, that custom made a Mad Hatter costume for me.
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| Here I am at the end of the night in my costume after all the trick-or-treaters had already left. |
The best part is that we won the Silliest Costume at the Zoom Room Culver City Halloween Party. My mom is already making plans for next year.
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