Category: Dogs

No hiding place!

I am referring to my forthcoming book!

Late yesterday evening, I loaded onto a memory stick the final version of my manuscript, 32 black & white photographs, and a list of the captions to said photographs.

Around 4pm this afternoon (Tuesday PDT), that memory stick will be passed to Deborah Perdue of Illumination Graphics. It is Deborah who designed the cover of the book, as shown above, and is handling all the interior design work to ensure that the book is visually attractive, and that the final print file is perfect. Once there has been a final check for any typos, then the print file will go to IngramSparks, who I am using for my Print on Demand requirements plus other services, as their website fully describes. (There will be an eBook version as well.)

I met Deborah the first time I was invited to a monthly meeting in nearby Grants Pass of AIM, an acronym for Authors Innovative Marketing: a group of authors who work together to help sell their books. Deborah is an author in her own right and an AIM member.

However, this post is much less about me promoting my book than me applauding the incredible, professional talents of Deborah and Joni Wilson, my editor, who was recommended by Deborah. If there is anyone out there thinking of writing their first book, or has another one in the pipeline, I couldn’t recommend too strongly Deborah and Joni.

Joni has spent dozens of hours, literally, going through my manuscript time and again recommending changes. Her degree of attention to detail simply beggars belief. Here’s a tiny example of that showing my marked-up draft, followed by Joni’s recommended amendments:

In March 2013 there was a study published in the PLOS ONE10 scientific journal that revealed, according to lead author Dr. Robert Losey(1) talking with Discovery News:

Dog burials appear to be more common in areas where diets were rich in aquatic foods because these same areas also appear to have had the densest human populations and the most cemeteries. . . .(2)

If the practice of burying dogs was solely related to their importance in procuring terrestrial game, we would expect to see them in the Early Holocene (around 9,000 years ago), when human subsistence practices were focused on these animals. . . .

Further, we would expect to see them in later

Losey(1) Comment [JW6]: Your reference is only for the journal article. The quote below does not appear in the journal article. Instead these words are what Losey said to Discovery News about the article. See http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/prehistoric-dog-lovers-profiled-130521.htm. I added this to reference 10.

. . . .(2) Comment [JW7]: These ellipses indicate that the text was left out of the original article—it is not quoted verbatim here.

I wanted Joni to share a few words with you and this is what she wrote.

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Words to Share

While I was an advisor for a college nursing program, I met many older adults who often lamented that they wished they could have had become students when they were younger. To them, it seemed a bit awkward to be going back to nursing school in their later years. I shared with them that their life experiences and what they had learned would serve them well to become better nurses. Everything that had occurred in their lives to this point had prepared them for the next part of the journey.

Those words struck home with me, as I too have had a wealth of experiences to prepare me for where I am now. From nursing to religion to liberal arts degrees; from single life to married life to parenting, and then back to single life; from working with hospitals, corporations, religious institutions, and celebrities, I have learned a lot from the people who have crossed my path.

I am now a fulltime freelancer, providing professional editing and formatting services for individuals and businesses, sharing what I’ve learned during a lifetime of interacting with others in various situations. I have met the most incredible people from around the world who have written their thoughts and feelings and want to share their expertise and wisdom through writing fiction or nonfiction, usually ebook or print books, but also websites, blogs, brochures, and manuals.

How envious I am of authors who are able to express themselves—to tell a story, to share a passion, or to express a concern! It’s incredible the way that words can be used! I do not consider myself a writer, but instead I help mold the words to help the author say what they really mean to say in the most acceptable, reader-friendly manner. I’ve found that my talents include attention to detail; knowledge of spelling, grammar, and punctuation; and a perception to discern if things just seem a bit off. I offer suggestions for revisions of words, phrases, or formatting, always remembering that these are the author’s words and I’m helping to fine tune the finished product.

I love what I do—the people I meet through their words, the new concepts that I’m introduced to that help me grow to create a better life, and the knowledge that our paths intersect because we have something to share with one another.

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I consider myself very fortunate to have Deborah and Joni alongside me.

But that was then, and this is now! This is a moment that is difficult to define in emotional terms. But I am aware that it won’t be long before the marketplace votes with their feet, so to speak, as to whether they like the book or not.

I would be less than human if I didn’t admit to a slight fear of failure. Hence the title to today’s post!

Greek dogs making sad headlines

Once again, the power of unanticipated consequences.

I find it easy to lose sight of recent world events, for every new day seems to bring some new challenge to batter one’s emotions.

So a news item on the BBC website last Friday brought back into focus the debt challenges for Greece, or more pertinently, the Greek people, or even more precisely, Greek dogs.

Here’s what I read:

A million stray dogs ‘victims of Greek debt crisis’

3 October 2015 Last updated at 07:10 BST

Among the many problems brought on by the Greek debt crisis is a surging population of stray dogs.
Animal charities say there are now more than a million strays in Greece because people are simply abandoning pets they can no longer afford to keep.
There are fears it could lead to the spread of disease if the problem is not tackled soon, as Emilia Papadopoulos reports.

Emilia’s video report was uploaded to YouTube, thus allowing me to share the sad situation with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wndqpXfZBFM

A quick search online found the following photograph.

That sad picture came from the ANSAmed website, that included a fuller report on the situation. That report ending:

According to the deputy mayor of Athens, Angelos Antonopoulos, who is also in charge of environmental issues, city officials in Athens picked up 457 dogs in the capital’s streets last year, providing medical treatment for 305 of them.

Antonopoulos, a vet by profession, admits that the number of cases of abandoned domestic animals – dogs in particular – has risen alarmingly because of the economic crisis, but says that a new trend is emerging for the same reason. Indeed, an increasing number of people who want to own a dog are choosing to adopt strays from the city’s doghouse rather than buying one from a pet shop or from dog-breeders. “People are becoming increasingly aware of the problem,” Antonopoulos says, providing a ray of hope for his four-legged patients. (ANSAmed).

Finally, I came across what appears to be a Greek charity, Stray.gr, and I’m going to contact them to see if readers of Learning from Dogs who wish to donate, can do so. Will report back.

Back to dogs!

Wonderful clips of my favourite dog breed: German Shepherds.

You all have a very peaceful weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dBGnUSrjQo

Dog Food Recall Alert

Yet another one!

Note: If readers find these food recall alerts a waste of time, then do let me know – I’m aware that for many there are already too many emails in the ‘in-box’.

Dear Fellow Dog Lover,

On September 30, 2015, Salix Animal Health of Deerfield, Florida announced the recall of one lot of its Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can affect the health of both pets and humans.

To learn which products are affected, please visit the following link: Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks Dog Chews Recall

Please be sure to share the news of this alert with other pet owners.

Mike Sagman, Editor
The Dog Food Advisor

If you click on that link above, you will see pictures of the packets and also read this:

What’s Being Recalled?

The recalled product is packaged in a 2.8 ounce bag stamped on the back side with:

Lot # AO15010
Expiration date of 03/2018
UPC code 0 91093 82247 1

No other product is affected at this time.

Where Was It Sold?

The recalled “Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks” was distributed nationwide by Salix Animal Health at the following retail stores:

Dollar General Stores
Dollar Tree Stores

Dog Food Recall Alert

Reminds me of London buses: You wait for hours and then two arrive almost one behind the other!

(Previous alert was just two days ago.)

Dear Fellow Dog Lover,

Because you signed up on our website and asked to be notified, I’m sending you this special recall alert.

On September 23, 2015, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the recall of certain lots of Dingo brand dog chews because the product has the potential to contain amantadine.

Amantadine is a human antiviral drug not approved for use in animal food.

To learn which products are affected, please visit the following link: Dingo Chip Twists Dog Chew Treats Recall of September 2015

Please be sure to share the news of this alert with other pet owners.

Mike Sagman, Editor
The Dog Food Advisor

P.S. Not already on our dog food recall notification list yet? Sign up to get critical dog food recall alerts sent to you by email. There’s no cost for this service.

The healing power of our beautiful dogs.

Forget about the big world out there, be loved by our dogs.

Monday’s post about the precariousness of man’s future on this planet if we don’t prevent the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet was a bit gloomy, however true it might be. The gloom continued with yesterday’s post about the VW scandal illustrating the “unethical culture endemic in business”.

So what a nice change to think about the way that our pets keep us bright, cheerful and healthy.

All of which is my way of introducing a guest post from Vee Cecil. Now I am fairly cautious about guest posts from those who want to promote their businesses, for obvious reasons. But Vee’s essay is so lovely that it truly deserves to be shared.

Firstly, here is the email that Vee sent me back in August,

Hi!

In the U.S., 91 percent of pet owners say they consider their pet to be a member of the family. And for good reason! Our pets are constant sources of comfort and companionship.

What many pet owners may not realize is how great their furry family members are for their physical and mental health. For example, studies have shown that pet owners have lower blood pressure than people who don’t have pets and that being around pets also makes us “less anxious and less stressed.” And that’s just the beginning. There are many other wonderful health benefits that result from owning a pet.

May I write an article for learningfromdogs.com on this topic? The article will be approximately 500 words, unique to your site, and complete with resources.

Please let me know – I am always looking to spread the word about how we can be healthier and happier and having a pet is a great way to achieve both!

Best,
Vee

Here then is that article.

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Feeling Under the Weather? Learn More About the Amazing Healing Powers of Pets

Ask any dog owner and you’ll find out just how remarkable a dog can be. They can turn a terrible day into an amazing one with one lick of the face or wag of the tail. But more and more studies are showing that our four-legged friends might be even more awesome than we previously thought.

As The Washington Post explains, research is showing that being around dogs can help us feel better and less stressed, while also improving our physical health. For example, the article cites studies which found that our pets can lead to “lower blood pressure, lower resting heart rates and less risk of hypertension.”

And that’s not all. Here are four other health issues and how dogs help their human companions:

Cancer. As this CBSNews.com article explains, a recent study at Mount Sinai Beth Israel found that therapy dogs had a very positive impact on patients receiving chemo therapy. The patients showed improvements in “emotional well-being and quality of life.” The director of the program that provided the therapy dogs also noted that patients felt less stressed and anxious. The article notes that this was a ground-breaking study as the impact of therapy dogs on cancer patients hadn’t been examined before.

Alzheimer’s Disease. Therapy dogs are also proving to be extremely helpful for patients with Alzheimer’s. In this article, a man with early on-set Alzheimer’s explains how his therapy dog helps him with daily tasks. Through the help of his therapy dog, the man says his stress and anxiety levels have significantly reduced.

Surgery recovery. Chances are if you were recovering from a painful surgery you wouldn’t turn down a snuggle from a pet. But, as The Telegraph shows, researchers have found that pets can do more than just provide you with a little tender loving care. A study led by a researcher from Loyola University found that pet therapy can reduce the amount of pain patients experience after surgery. In fact, according to the article, the patients in the study, who had had joint replacement surgery, “needed 50 per cent less pain medication if they used pet therapy.”

Diabetes. And perhaps most remarkable of all is what therapy dogs can be trained to do for diabetics. In this case, dogs put their acute sense of smell to good use. As this article explains, dogs exhibiting a better-than-average sense of smell can be trained to help diabetics. Once trained these dogs use their sense of smell to detect signs of hypoglycemia and low blood sugar (based on their human companion’s breath). They’re also trained to get a sugary food for their diabetic, get help if the person goes into diabetic shock, and more.

As more research is conducted to see the benefits of not only service dogs, but pets too, it will be interesting to see how dogs are woven into more medical treatments. They are truly amazing creatures, who can help us mind, body, and soul.
***

Vee Cecil keeps busy by being a wellness coach, personal trainer and bootcamp instructor in Kentucky. She also recently launched a blog where she shares her passion for health by writing about her favorite tips, activities and recipes.

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Here’s a republication of a picture from a recent Picture Parade. It has health stamped all over it, for the young boy and the Shepherd Dog!

Dog Food Recall Alert

Republished for the wider promotion of this alert.

Dear Fellow Dog Lover,

Because you signed up on our website and asked to be notified, I’m sending you this special recall alert.

On September 25, OC Raw Dog of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, announced it is recalling its OC Raw Chicken, Fish and Produce Raw Frozen Canine Formulation because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

To learn which products are affected, please visit the following link:

OC Raw Dog Food Recall of September 2015

Please be sure to share the news of this alert with other pet owners.

Mike Sagman, Editor
The Dog Food Advisor

P.S. Not already on our dog food recall notification list yet? Sign up to get critical dog food recall alerts sent to you by email. There’s no cost for this service.

Picture parade one hundred and fifteen.

The openness of dogs, and cats, to new ways of living.

Today’s picture parade needs a short introduction.

When Jean and I moved from San Carlos in Mexico to Payson, Arizona, we came with twelve dogs and seven cats of which all but one (Pharaoh) were rescues from the Mexican streets over the years; many from before Jean and I met each other.

That was five years ago and, inevitably, some of the dogs and cats have died of old age.

Since we arrived here in Merlin, Oregon, three years ago this October, the five cats we came with have been living in our largish double garage that, as you can imagine, is pretty cold during the winter. One cat died last year and Jean and I were thinking how nice it would be to bring the remaining four cats into the house.

Thus, just over a week ago, we brought two of the cats, George and Mitts, across to the house and the following pictures reveal a little of how that has gone.

Wow! What's this that Mummy is holding? — Wow! What’s this that Mummy is holding? A guess at what Cleo could be thinking!

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P1150734 — Jean combing Mitts very soon after it came into the house much to the interest of Cleo and Sweeny (whose head can just be seen by the edge of the table). Mitts has not a single tooth in her head, by the way.

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P1150735 — Little Pedy was totally nonchalant about the arrival of Mitts right from the start.

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P1150755 — As this photograph underscores.

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Hedy just as happy with ??? — Pedy is just as happy with George.

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The cats have adopted my office as their new home. — The cats have adopted my office as their new home, with Mitts demonstrating how to fit a cat into a small bin!

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P1150738 — Meanwhile, George has found his resting spot under a small table.

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But not if the vacant settee in the den is free. — But not if the settee in the den is vacant.

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Plus, a sunny area of the carpet suits Mitts better than the bin.

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I hope to update you with the news of how the final two cats make the transition into the house in two or three weeks time.

The truth about Pit Bull dogs.

Like all dogs, they are beautiful animals.

Previously, I have mentioned the authors’ group AIM, that meets monthly in Grants Pass.

One of the authors is Frank Morin and he and I have a monthly chit-chat lunch together. Not so long ago, Frank posted a link on his Facebook page to the following video that shows the truth about Pit Bull dogs.

We have a Pit Bull here at home. His name is Casey and he is the perfect gentleman. You would never know that he was in a care centre for over a year because no one would give him a home, for there is not an emotional scar on him!

Ruby behind Casey. — Casey, in the foreground, sharing Ruby’s bed as they are great friends.

Please ensure you and your dogs have a great weekend.

Please adopt your next dog.

Continuing the message of that special bond between us humans and our dogs.

Yesterday’s post regarding the dog saved from the Texas floods came to mind when earlier today (Tuesday) I was reading the Fall issue of The Bark magazine.

Reading the magazine took me across to The Bark website and from there I ended up reading about dogs being mentioned in people’s obituaries. Here’s a snippet of that article:

Dogs in Obituaries

Included as cherished family members
Karen B. London, PhD | September 18, 2015

It’s been a long time since the majority of people with dogs considered them property, but the inclusion of them in the celebrations and events of life associated with family continues to grow. Birthday parties and gifts for dogs have become increasingly common in recent years, and the number of dogs included in family photos or in signatures on greeting cards is bigger than ever. It’s really old news to say that many people consider dogs to be family members, but interesting studies of the ways in which that’s true continue to be published.

Earlier this year, a study called Companion Animals in Obituaries: An Exploratory Study was published in the journal Anthrozoös. The study illuminated the importance of companion animals, including dogs, based on the frequency and manner in which they were mentioned in obituaries.

Another article in that same issue of The Bark was by photographer Traer Scott. Scott is the author of the book Shelter Dogs and has just launched a new book called Finding Home: shelter dogs & their stories. (Her blogsite is here.) As is detailed on her website:

Traer Scott is an award winning fine art and commercial photographer and author of six books including “Nocturne: Creatures of the Night” (Princeton Architectural Press, 2014) and her newest release “Finding Home; Shelter Dogs and Their Stories” (Princeton Architectural Press, Fall 2015). Her work has been exhibited in several countries and featured in National Geographic, Life, Vogue, People, O, on the NY Times Lens Blog, “Behold” and dozens of other national and international print and online publications. Her first solo museum show Natural History opens at the University of Maine Museum of Art in October 2015. Traer was the recipient of the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts 2010 Photography Fellowship Grant and the 2008 Helen Woodward Humane Award for animal welfare activism. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband, daughter and adopted dogs: a pit bull and a baby basset hound.

A quick mouse-click took me to Amazon and to Scott’s latest book. Where one reads:

Bold, retiring, serious, sparkling, quirky, or lovable—the dogs in Traer Scott’s remarkable photographs regard us with humor, dignity, and an abundance of feeling. Scott began photographing these dogs in 2005 as a volunteer at animal shelters. Her first book, Shelter Dogs, was a runaway success, and in this follow-up, Scott introduces a new collection of canine subjects, each with indomitable character and spirit: Morrissey, a pit bull, who suffered from anxiety related behaviors brought on by shelter life until adopted by a family with four children; Chloe, a young chocolate Lab mix, surrendered to a shelter by a family with allergies; Gabriel and Cody, retired racing greyhounds; and Bingley, a dog who lost his hearing during a drug bust but was brought home by a loving family that has risen to the challenge of living with a deaf dog. Through extended features we become better acquainted with the personalities and life stories of selected dogs and watch as they experience the sometimes rocky and always emotional transition to new homes. The portraits in Finding Home form an eloquent plea for the urgent need for more adoptive families, as well as a tribute to dogs everywhere.

Further down that Amazon page there was a review by The Bark magazine and what they wrote is the perfect way of heading to the close of today’s post. [My emphasis]

“Photographer Traer Scott follows up her groundbreaking book Shelter Dogs with a new work of equal grace and sensitivity. The portraits in Finding Home not only showcase a collection of canines with indomitable character and spirit, they are also an eloquent plea for more adoptive families, and a tribute to all dogs everywhere.” – The Bark

Please, howsoever you can, share the benefits of adopting a dog from your nearest animal care centre.

No avoiding those eyes (and I'm not referring to Jean!). — Proof positive of the love that flows between Jean and our Oliver.

Words to Share

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A million stray dogs ‘victims of Greek debt crisis’

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Feeling Under the Weather? Learn More About the Amazing Healing Powers of Pets

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Dogs in Obituaries

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