‘Stay at Home’

Gifts For Dog Moms

For many women, the dream of motherhood looks a little different than what you’d find on an average parenting website: instead of baby cribs and onesies, some women imagine their babies a little furrier – and ideally with four legs. And then there are moms with the boundless energy needed to parent both human and canine babies at the same time.

Fortunately, there are plenty of lovely and thoughtful gifts out there for dog moms, whether you’re buying a thoughtful gift for someone who also has a human child, or an inexpensive “thinking of you” gift for your dog-obsessed friend. Sea Bags makes nearly all their products out of recycled sails, giving their products a casual but upscale feel. And while many women will appreciate the clean styling and usefulness of a simple, durable tote, pet moms especially will love a Sea Bags tote embroidered with a custom appliqué of their dog. Pre-designed totes are available of a few popular dog breeds, like black labs, Bernese mountain dogs, and golden retrievers, but designers can create a one-of-a-kind appliquéd tote using colors and cuts personalized to her dog. Rope handles give all the totes a semi-nautical feel, and you can add in an interior pocket or top clasp (recommended for moms whose dogs may be anxious to check if there are any treats in the bag.) Turn-around time can take up to three weeks, so order as early as possible. Pajamas make a great gift under normal circumstances, but they’re especially relevant in the current climate as many people are finding they can wear pajamas for the better part of the day. Fortunately, there’s no reason her pup can’t relax in comfort, too, thanks to matching doggy pajamas sets from Lazy One. You can buy matching loungewear for just Mom and her furbaby, or get the whole family in on it with matching sleep pants, shirts, onesies, and slippers for everyone else in the home in a variety of woodsy patterns. Doggy pajamas come in sizing for dogs with backs up to 25 inches long from neck to tail, but bandanas are also available for dogs who don’t fit standard sizing (or who don’t need an extra layer of warmth.) If she doesn’t have photos of her dog plastered around the house, you can bet she at least has a phone or Google Drive folder full of years worth of adorable dog photos. Fortunately, it’s easy to turn her favorite dog photos into printed canvases for hanging at home. For dog moms who love color and modernity, consider buying a pet portrait from Canvas Pop. It has an easy-to-use online interface so you can immediately see what your canvas will look like, though you can request changes if it doesn’t look quite like what you imagined. Dog moms with a sense of humor will almost certainly love seeing their dogs as kings, duchesses, astronauts, and more with a Renaissance-style portrait from Crown & Paw. There are dozens of designs available, so it’s easy to find one that fits any dog’s personality.  The engraved pet necklaces from Etsy seller Mignon and Mignon are simple and elegant – and perfect for dog moms, since they include an etching of her pup. They come in one of three finishes and are tasteful enough for everyday wear. Buyers order via Etsy, then email the seller a photo of the dog’s face. L.A.-based Mignon and Mignon will etch the pup’s adorable mug on the small pendants, which measure about 3/4 of an inch wide. Creating and shipping the necklaces only takes a few days, so if you’re aiming to receive it by Mother’s Day, you should have plenty of time so long as you order before May 3rd (but rush shipping is available.) You can add additional pets (or people) on to necklaces for moms with more than one pooch. If she’s a dog mom and a coffee drinker, make her a custom pet coffee mug from Gossby. One side has your choice of short phrases (“World’s Best Dog Mom” and “Fur Mama” are options) and the other side shows dogs and their owners, personalized to the recipient. You can customize the number of people and dogs, plus dog and human features like hair color, tail length, clothing and more. Hundreds of different combinations are available, including multiple color combos for each breed. Mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe.

County shelter

It has been exciting and terrifying at the same time.

This is how Supervising Animal Services Officer Stephanie Amato describes how the Yolo County Animal Shelter is adjusting to changes brought on by the coronavirus outbreak.

The statewide shelter-in-place order has caused a ripple effect at animal shelters across California. Some have cleared out their facilities entirely, either by way of adoption or foster homes for dogs, cats and other furry friends.

Yolo County is not quite there yet, but Amato noted that the numbers are dropping.

The shelter was already in the process of “rebuilding our programs” after parting ways with the local SPCA in July 2018. This groundwork made it easier to alter the process in light of COVID-19.

In response to the county’s shelter-in-place order, the shelter closed its gates to the public to lessen foot traffic at the East Gibson Road facility.

This does not mean services have stopped, only changed to meet new health guidelines. People can still arrive at the facility and call the interior line posted on signage at the gate for assistance.

“After we closed the gate physically, we went out on social media stating that we needed foster homes,” Amato said. “Within the first two days we got 75 new foster applicants.”

Volunteers have been coming in to host “virtual fosters” as well as “virtual adoptions” to screen potential pet parents.

“We really like to think outside the box,” Amato explained.

And it seems to be paying off.

As of April 10, there were 18 dogs in foster homes, 14 dogs on site waiting on legal stray hold or rescue request for behavior/medical conditions. There were no cats on site, leaving the cat building empty. The shelter has seen 20 adoptions since the gates closed; 18 dogs and two cats. Meanwhile, 37 animals were transferred to rescues; 22 dogs, three cats and eight others.

Amato clarified that the numbers at the shelter were manageable before COVID-19.

Another change that happened was the shelter can no longer spay or neuter animals because it is considered a non-essential service under shelter-in-place orders. The shelter contracts with UC Davis to provide veterinary services, which will continue but only for animal emergencies. This is partly due to the shortage of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment for medical staff across the U.S.

People will be able to bring their animals back to the shelter once things return to normal to have their animals spayed or neutered, Amato emphasized.

Meanwhile, Animal Services officers out in the field are wearing masks and gloves and maintaining social distance during calls.

“The volume of calls ebbs and flows with the weather,” Amato said, noting some days they can be busy for seven hours straight while others can be slow.

When calls come in dispatch has been “screening the household” in terms of health before interacting with that caller.

Delta Dog

Operation Delta Dog has been helping disabled New England veterans since 2013 — now, the organization is lending a hand to struggling small businesses, as well, through its new initiative: Operation Delta D.O.G. (Doing Others Good).

For every $50 raised through the Operation Delta D.O.G. link, $25 will be used to purchase a gift card to a local restaurant, shop, or other business. The cards will then be donated to one of Operation Delta Dog’s participant veterans.

“Operation Delta Dog has always believed that we are as strong as our community around us. As we watched our local stores and restaurants close due to the Covid-19 crisis we wanted to find a way to help,” says Charlotte Troddyn, acting executive director. “We know that the veterans we serve are also in need of help and want to support their community businesses. We are proud of how this initiative allows us to help both!”

The initiative has already made a difference for local veteran Bob H., who received a gift card to Laney and Lu Café in Exeter, NH.

“My wife and I were so pleased to receive the gift card to one of our favorite places,” says Bob, who received his service dog, Jagger, through the Operation Delta Dog training program. “When I use it, I’m going to keep in mind all the veterans who served with me, before me, and after me. They all deserve our support.”

In addition to Laney and Lu Café, the Operation Delta D.O.G. initiative has also supported Andiamo Restaurant in Chelmsford, The Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond, NH, Market Basket, and others.

Each business is chosen by the recipient veteran.

Operation Delta Dog, based in Chelmsford, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to rescue shelter dogs and train them to work as service dogs for New England veterans who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and related conditions.

The dogs get the homes they need, and the veterans get the help they deserve.

facility for service dog training

 The Mall of Fairfield Commons is offering their common area space inside the shopping center to the local nonprofit service dog organization, 4 Paws for Ability, for training each week. Volunteers with 4 Paws can typically be found in the mall throughout the year, walking and training their dogs so that they are able to graduate and join a family in need. The organization currently has several service puppies that need training, but during the COVID-19 outbreak, volunteers have lacked the public space to do so.

canine companion

Oak Ridge High School senior Nicole Shedd began working on her Girl Scout Gold Award during her sophomore year, deciding to take on a service project that checked two important boxes — fulfilling a passion and honoring someone she holds close to her heart.

“Animals, especially dogs, have always been a passion of mine,” explained Nicole, who plans to study animal science in college and chose this project in memory of her late math teacher, Mrs. Mattey.

Shedd decided she would volunteer to be a puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence, which trains assistance dogs for children, adults and veterans with disabilities. Puppy raisers volunteer their time and households to the training and raising of Labrador or golden retriever puppies from the time the pups are eight weeks old. Puppy recruits spend about a year and a half with their puppy raisers, learning basic etiquette such as potty training, crate training and socialization skills before returning to Canine Companions for continued professional training.

During those following six to nine months they learn more advanced commands such as turning on lights, picking up dropped items and opening and closing drawers. Graduating canines are then placed in various assistance roles, depending upon their skills. Some will go on to become service dogs, where they will help adults with daily tasks, while others will work as hearing dogs and be the ears for the deaf and people with hearing loss. Skilled companion dogs help children and adults with various disabilities lead more independent lives and facility dogs visit and educate the public in schools or hospitals.

If a pup doesn’t quite make the cut, like Nicole’s first Canine Companion puppy named Kamden, they are released from the program.

“It takes a very special dog to be a service dog and that just was not his calling,” said Nicole, who was then given the option of adoption. Kamden now lives a wonderful life with the Shedd family as their family dog.

Nicole’s project focused on training and spreading knowledge about service dogs and making the public aware of service dog fraud.

“Service dog fraud occurs when people pose their pet dog as a service dog by putting service dog vests on dogs that have not been properly trained and do not have public access rights. This is illegal, disrespectful and dangerous to service dogs and their handlers,” she explained. “Service dogs take years of hard work, socialization and money to properly equip them to be able to help someone with a disability and the majority of service dogs cost more than $10,000 (service dogs from Canine Companions are free for graduates).

“It is dangerous and disrespectful for people to bring their pet dogs into public places because of all of the hard work it takes to train a service dog for a person with a disability … and it could put the service dog in danger if the pet gets out of control,” Nicole added.

She noted people who have service dogs “need the dogs.”

The puppy-raising experience taught Nicole three important things: “how to take responsibility for another being, how to manage my time and how to show empathy.”

“It is a lot of work to raise a puppy to become a service dog; you are responsible for both their physical needs and managing their behavior that is appropriate for a service dog that someone will rely on in the future,” she shared. “Empathy was also a huge part of my project and has shaped me immensely as a person. I have learned how to have empathy for these dogs that work so hard as well as for the graduates who live with some type of physical or mental disability, but that doesn’t stop them from accomplishing amazing things. Many of the graduates that I have had the opportunity to meet are so beyond thankful for puppy raisers and the stories they tell about why they are excited for the dog and what they are excited to be able to do now that they have a dog is so inspiring.”

Nicole is now on her second Canine Companion, Helga, and said Kamden is a big help. “When we are practicing commands with Helga, Kamden always joins and ‘teaches’ her,” she said, adding that Kamden is a “super special pup who loves to work and we continue teaching him everything we can.”

What will happen in the event Helga doesn’t graduate? “I’m not sure yet, since I will be in college,” Nicole said, “but I have high hopes that she will graduate.”

Adoptions increase

During the coronavirus pandemic, some people are looking toward animals to provide emotional support in this uncertain time.

Because of this, inside the Fayetteville animal shelter you’ll only find three dogs without homes and no cats.

This, compared to the 12 to 25 dogs and cats it usually houses.

But, Superintendent Justine Lentz said the shelter is also limiting the intake of animals to emergency only situations.

“Hopefully we’re kind of reaching the peak of things here, of course we don’t know, no one does, but we just want to make sure we’re prepared in case things do get worse to be able to help animals who truly are in a life threatening situation,” she said. “But our community support has just been amazing.”

Right now, all adoptions fees at the shelter are waived.

FOX 24 also checked in with the Centerton animal shelter in Benton County, which told us it has seen an increase in interest in animals during the pandemic, but not necessarily adoptions.

That shelter has seven dogs still up for adoption currently.

Emotional support animals

Though dogs are the most common therapy animal, plenty of other animals support their owners. Pet Partners told ABC News that, “dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, rats, miniature pigs, llamas, alpacas, horses, donkeys and mini-horses” can all be therapy animals.

There are important distinctions between therapy animals and emotional support animals. Therapy animals have special training, and must pass obedience tests to be certified; emotional support animals have to be registered and require a prescription by a mental health or healthcare professional, but do not need to undergo any training.

Service animals are also different. They are highly trained to provide assistance for owners who might be physically or visually impaired.

In recent years, there’s been a boom in emotional support animal popularity. Many people have attempted to travel with unusual companions, and in 2016, ABC News reported that passengers were stunned when a woman with PTSD brought her emotional support duck on her flight.

Debbie Garcia, an education director at Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, said she gets a similar response when people see her animals. “When an elevator door opens in a hospital and tiny horses walk out it is unexpected and magical. People do not expect to see a horse indoors,” she said.

Take a look at all the animals that you might not have imagined could work in therapy or emotional support roles.

Dog Carrier Backpacks

Dogs are often close companions, best friends, and sources of emotional support. And if you’re anything like me, you probably try to take your pup with you everywhere you go. To make that task a bit simpler, I’ve created a list of the best dog carrier backpacks that’ll keep your fur baby by your side. While searching for the best carrier, first consider your particular travel situation. If you’re trying to take your dog for a quick outing to the store, a small, lightweight backpack with little-to-no frills is probably your best bet, because it’ll be easy to carry and maneuver without costing a lot. But if you’re going on a more extensive trip that requires travel by bus, train, or airplane, you’re probably going to want to go with something that can transition into a tote or rolling bag. Just make sure your pack meets airline regulations before heading to your destination if you’re flying.

Regardless of where you’re going (and how you’re getting there), you’ll want your dog to be safe and content. That means checking your dog’s weight before purchasing a pack. You’ll find backpack carriers to suit pups up to 25 pounds, below.

With that being said, take a look at these dog Carrier Backpacks which are equipped to carry your pet with ease. The Pawaboo dog carrier is the perfect size for petite pets. It’s made of soft, durable polyester fiber with spongy filling and mesh accents. It also comes with thick, padded shoulder straps for comfortable and easy carrying. It’s styled to be worn as a backpack or front-facing carrier, and it features a legs- and tail-out design with an adjustable drawstring head opening so that your pet has full visibility. At less than $25, this backpack is a great deal and can be purchased in a myriad of prints and colors. Unlike other options available, this one doesn’t include a tether that you can attach to your pet as a leash.

Take your pet from the car to a plane with this Pet Gear dog carrier backpack that travels like a suitcase. Yes, it’s a bit bulkier than the rest — but it’s great for navigating through airports, train stations, bus stations, and more. That’s because it features bottom wheels so you can cart it around like a roller bag. However, the brand recommends checking your airline’s regulations before using it on the go.

The bag is also equipped with a long handle that moves in and out for easy maneuverability. Its expandable interior even has a fleece lining, and it offers a tether that provides extra security while attached to your pet’s collar or harness. This bag also works as a car seat and carrying tote for your furry friend when you need to take them along on road trips and more.

 

Pandemic Puppies

What’s the ultimate cure for this recent heaviness? Puppies, of course.

In the past few weeks, families have been using the forced time at home to finally say yes to the question they’ve been asked for months/years: “Can we get a puppy . . . Pleeeaaassseeee???”

“For years, my kids have asked—daily—for a dog,” says Jessica Klaitman. Slowly, she and her husband’s firm “no” had started to soften. “Not that we ever told the kids that,” jokes Klaitman, who lives in Towson. Then quarantine hit.

As she walked her kids home from school on March 13th, the last day that schools were open, a dog was the last thing on her mind.

“A week later though, as the reality of our collective situation started to sink in, and the tears and frustration started showing,” Klaitman says, “we realized that we needed an infusion of happiness—right now.” Her kids were so surprised when they brought Pepper home, that her daughter asked, “Is that a real dog?”

Josie Moon joined the Siegal-Andorsky family on March 23rd, the day Governor Larry Hogan‘s executive order that only essential services remain open in the state went into effect.

The family had been considering getting a dog for about a year, but was hesitant to do so with their busy lifestyle. Their middle child was the one who had been consistently and persistently asking for a dog. She pointed out that this—meaning the pandemic—was the best opportunity to be home with a puppy. “I’ve literally been waiting 10 years for this day to come,” says 10-year old, Nava.

Since the children’s school—Krieger Schechter Day School—had moved to an online learning environment, mom Rachel Siegal had been exploring the pet possibility with renewed vigor.

“When I heard the essential-services-only executive order was coming into effect at 5 p.m., I told myself it was now or never,” Siegal says. “I went and met the puppy by myself at 1:30, leaving the kids at home with my husband, Sam.” (She had learned her lesson from a previous puppy encounter earlier in the week, when they all went and the kids left brokenhearted when she decided that particular dog wasn’t right for them.)

“When I met this puppy I had a sense that she was the one,” says Siegal. After meeting the entire family later that afternoon, the new pup was settled in her new home before the executive order went into effect that night.

“We borrowed some puppy supplies from neighbors, did a curbside pick up order from Petco, found Joy Freedman, a trainer who was willing to do online virtual trainings with us as a family, and we were off and running,” she says.

The Sandhu Potter family had been talking about a puppy for a while, given that their last rescue, Freddie, is 17. “We thought we’d do it after she passes,” says Kiran Sandhu. “But since she’s still going pretty strong and we are all home now, we decided to take advantage of the time.”

Hodja, a “probably” collie/corgi mix, is named after Nasreddin Hodja, a Turkish satirist from the 13th century. “We used to read his stories to the kids when they were little,” says Sandhu.

Another big motivating factor for the family was giving the kids something to focus on that isn’t a screen.

“It’s been great having the time to dedicate to a puppy,” says Sandhu, an ESOL educational associate with Baltimore City Public Schools. “I’m not sure how we could have done it with our normal schedules.”

Klaitman agrees it’s a wonderful distraction and way to fill time. “Pepper has been such a wonderful diversion for us,” she says. “And yes, she has succeeded in increasing our happiness exponentially.”

The same is true in the Siegal-Andorsky household. The first day, they filled up a wall in their hallway with Post-It notes covered in possible names for their puppy. Over the course of the second day, they eliminated some names as her personality started to emerge.

Their 13-year old son, Yoni, wanted a nature-based name, like Storm or Ash, reflective of Josie’s merle coat. “We didn’t want to do a name that was anything reminiscent of coronavirus or of this terrible time for our world,” says Siegal.

After day two it became clear that Josie Moon was the name that best suited her chill personality.

“I like to think of her as an old hippie come to our family to help chill us all out,” jokes Siegal. “It’s also been great to have her around for those 15 minutes here and there when the kids have breaks between their Zoom classes. Rather than watch one more YouTube video, they’re coming downstairs to the kitchen to play with the puppy,” she says, mentioning, “That’s not to say they’re not watching hours and hours of YouTube and Netflix—which they are—while Sam and I try to continue to work.”

Says Klaitman, “The kids call her their ‘emotional support dog.’ To be honest, so do the adults. We love our ‘pandemic puppy’ and know that she will help imprint some delightful memories from a difficult time.”

Business Unleashed Dog Grooming

The new coronavirus has changed life for all of us. Local businesses have taken a huge economic hit, but communities are finding creative ways to support the establishments they know and love.

In an effort to help local businesses in our communities stay connected and succeed, Patch will shine a light on some of them through a series of Q&A articles during this time.

Unleashed Dog Grooming Salon is one of the businesses in town facing struggles during the coronavirus.

Dogs Are Like Prozac

More noise from black screens, increased crumbs on the couch, lack of clean socks and frequent delays, or even worse cancellations to daily walk schedules have been some of the concerning behaviors displayed by beloved owners showing signs of the classic doggy diagnosis’.

Seemingly overnight many of us were abruptly and somewhat traumatically separated from our comfortable lives and social networks. Our daily routines, both personal and professional, have been turned upside down as we find ourselves restricted to our homes and physically isolated from other humans. This has resulted in a diminished sense of human connection that when combined with the unprecedented levels of uncertainty and fear from the pandemic have left people more vulnerable to stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression.

As we face our emotional challenges and the fear of the unknown an everyday hero has emerged from behind the couch carrying a ball. With tails wagging and slobber flying, dogs everywhere have leapt into action to provide critical emotional support and mental health services during the COVID‌19 Crisis. After all who is more equipped to show empathy and support than those that have experienced separation anxiety in the past.

On the surface level it’s obvious why being socially isolated with a dog increases your resilience and emotional wellness — they provide unconditional love, companionship, physical touch (snuggles and kisses) and entertainment. All these things that can be hard to come by when you have been isolated for weeks on end. Yet to stop there would be an injustice to the work they are actually doing and the much deeper profound effect they have on our emotional wellness — especially as we lean on them more during this time.

Daily our furry pals work tirelessly behind the scenes putting their paws to good use well beyond their most known roles of man’s best friend, chief snuggle officer and America’s funniest home video super star, to fulfill other vital roles that boost our mental and emotional wellness and resilience. These include:

Our furry emotional support companion’s resume runs deep including not only their most known roles of man’s best friend, chief snuggle officer and Instagram super star, but other other vital roles that boost our mental and emotional wellness and resilience. These include:

Bond Buddy: To open a door and be greeted by another being that is so happy, grateful and excited to see you that they occasionally pee themselves is one of the best parts of being a dog owner. This daily event has the ability to innately evoke a deep sense of joy, love and belonging within us. This is because we experiencing something called social recognition, where the dog sees you and recognizes you are significant to them. Social recognition is part of how we form bonds with others and these bonds drive the feeling of social connection.

In a time that our human social connectivity is challenged, we can rely on those bonds with our furry friends to fill some of the gap. This itself further increases the reliability, trust and value we derive from them and you guessed it — boost our happiness and resilience.

Self Care Enforcer: Stress can do crazy things to our self care and daily routines. We often forget to wake up early, exercise appears optional, food is an afterthought and binging on the media becomes more than a habit. ‌For a dog — all these activities are unacceptable and trigger stressed responses such as endless barking, holes in clothes and counter surfing. Dogs love and almost mandate a consistent routine, one that involves exercise, nutrition, leisure time, focused learning and family time.

For our efforts we are repaid with a fun, loving and obedient companion and a more harmonious relationship. During highly unpredictable times, Humans are much like dogs — we do better when we know what to expect. Having a consistent schedule that ensures we take care of ourselves is key for minimizing stress and boosting our happiness levels.

Stress Watch Dog: “If you want to see how you are feeling emotionally just look at Pi (my dog)” my therapist told me. This may sound crazy, a 2019 study indicates that dogs may synchronize their stress levels with ours. While this may seem unfortunate during these times, it actually can be an advantageous gift to us. Let me explain — if we can non emotionally look at our dogs and observe their behaviors we can approximate our own stress levels.

This is an easier process than the self assessment of oneself as dogs are external to us and thus creates a non-personalized way to do this. If we can then turn these observations into actions that help us mitigate our dogs’ stress (giving to others) and subsequently our own (self-care) — then we have a positive feedback loop that allows for early intervention to avoid more serious problems.

In a few weeks, as we have emerged from our social distancing and some of us head back to work it will be our turn to step up and repay the favor to our amazing canine heroes. I only hope that our experience with separation anxiety makes us better equipped to help our furry friends re-adjust to their old lives of more time alone and social distance from their owners.

Pets Need Virtual Services Too

Bond Vet, a veterinary-care startup with two locations in New York, tried a virtual meetup last month for people and pets who couldn’t congregate in dog parks during the coronavirus pandemic. It wasn’t the same experience.

“I believe since the dogs actually couldn’t interact, it wasn’t as exciting for them,” said Brooke Goldstein, a marketing associate at Bond Vet. “They ran away from the camera and didn’t want to look at the other dogs. It was mostly the humans talking about their dogs to each other.”

Businesses trying to survive while customers and employees follow stay-at-home orders are learning which physical experiences translate to the digital world and which don’t. Adobe Inc. converted its annual developers summit into a virtual conference, Planet Fitness Inc. is streaming at-home workouts, and the National Basketball League enlisted its players in a videogame tournament on ESPN.

But going virtual turns out to present particular intricacies when pets are a key constituency. Animals can’t engage with a screen the same way they would a live event with other pets and owners.

In some ways, however, it is less tricky than digitizing experiences that are just for humans, executives said. People under social isolation are spending a lot more time with their animals and are willing to try activities online.

“People are more open and looking for things to do during this time and it’s easier to plan doing these virtual events rather than a whole in-person type of thing,” said Ms. Goldstein.

Barkbox Inc., a maker of dog treats and toys, used to host monthly stand-up comedy events in its offices in New York, Ohio and Tennessee. Since the novel coronavirus arrived, it has transitioned that experience to virtual “Squeakeasy” events with themes like comedy, magic and party tricks for dogs.

“Once all this started, we threw our marketing and social media handbooks out the window and we have created new ads and content that we hadn’t planned before,” said Stacie Grissom, director of content and communications at Barkbox.

Like many people across the country, dog owners are now likely to be online much of the time. Ms. Grissom, who’s worked on the social media team since 2012, said jokes about the quarantine and dogs are resounding with everyone. “Whether you’re in Indiana, or Washington, or in New York City, we’re all having a similar experience living at home with our dogs, ” she said.

Petco Animal Supplies Inc.’s Petco-branded stores remain open across the country but have canceled services such as dog training. Petco held a remote dog training information session Thursday and plans to roll out telehealth, virtual dog training and more services online. Petco is informing customers about the status of its stores and other services through social media, email and a dedicated Covid-19 site.

“We’re also helping pet parents navigate this new normal with helpful educational information, resources and unique experiences designed to strengthen the human-animal bond, including live Q&As on Instagram with Petco’s Head of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Whitney Miller, tips on how to keep pets engaged at home, DIY recipes and activities for pets, and at-home pet grooming and training tutorials,” Petco said in an email.

Like Petco stores, PetSmart Inc.’s PetSmart shops continue to operate, but without any in-store events like its annual Easter photo shoot for pets. Instead, PetSmart held an Easter photo contest using social media, with participants eligible to win a $100 gift card. Consumers were asked to take photos of their pets and follow certain guidelines to enter.

Boris and Horton, a New York City dog-friendly cafe that temporarily closed its doors March 21, has turned some of its offline events into new online experiences. On March 26, it transplanted its usual Thursday trivia night to the web as a benefit for locked-out employees. The event raised more than $2,000.

For another trivia night, the company teamed up with a nearby liquor store to deliver themed cocktail kits to remote participants.

“It’s just a great way to engage our community and keep people sort of involved in what we’re doing from a safe distance,” said Logan Mikhly, co-owner of Boris and Horton.

Since its virtual dog park attempt, Bond Vet has tried other events, with more success. The company, which usually held two to three in-person events a month before the coronavirus pandemic, held a dog yoga class with 63 people, hosted an illustrator teaching owners how to draw their dogs and offered a training class to teach dogs tricks.

Bond Vet’s clinics remain open because New York state considers emergency veterinary services to be essential health-care operations, but the company has also seen an increase in customers using its newly launched telehealth service, which was rolled out ahead of schedule due to Covid-19. Since March 24, Bond Vet has conducted 85 visits via telehealth. Bond Vet’s telehealth service was originally slated to launch at the end of the year.

Jess Frost, a dog owner who has attended Bond Vet events in person and online, said the virtual programs help her feel connected during social distancing.

Leave your pet at home

With epidemic still in effect, and grocery stores taking safety precautions to help stop the spread, I witnessed a couple of women bringing in their small dogs, and seating them in child’s seat in front of the shopping cart.

After the girl wiped it down, they were touching the dirty animals and produce and etc., while interacting with unruly dogs.

Service animals are certified and wear identifying vests and garnishes, these so-called therapy animals are not certified or even proven to be a service animal.

During the pandemic and after all dogs should be banned permanently from anywhere food is serviced. That’s the way to be assured no diseases will be spread.

Surf Dog Ricochet helps health professionals

Pawsitive Teams is a service and therapy dog program founded in San Diego in 1997.

The partnership between Ricochet and the organization directly addresses the mental health crisis affecting healthcare professionals during these difficult times.

In every other crisis, therapy dogs are called upon to provide comfort and healing. But, due to social distancing and quarantine, animal-assisted therapy programs have been suspended.

“At a time when dogs could be truly valuable resources, we’re thinking outside the box in an effort to offer some form of canine therapy to the millions of people around the world who need it,” explained Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s guardian.

Ricochet is one of ten certified, goal-directed therapy dogs that participate in Pawsitive Teams’ Canine Inspired Community Reintegration (CICR) program, a collaboration with Naval Medical Center San Diego.

The dogs have more than eight years of experience providing human-animal intervention for active duty service members recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral injury, anxiety, and other mental health challenges under the guidance of an experienced recreational therapist.

Eye contact is one of the anxiety-reducing techniques that is used between the service members and the dogs.

Gazing into a dog’s eyes stimulates the release of oxytocin – a hormone associated with positive, happy feelings.

After receiving long gazes from a dog, a person’s level of oxytocin increases, thus reducing stress and anxiety.

To assess the scientific validity of the effects of eye contact between a human and a dog, Ricochet, Fridono, and an army veteran with PTSD participated in a study at Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center with research scientist Dr. Brian Hare.

“Our virtual canine therapy program is based on this premise,” adds Margery Squier, Pawsitive Teams’ program director.

“Knowing what I do about eye contact producing oxytocin, I wondered if looking at close-up photos of dogs’ eyes coupled with calming music would have the same result,” notes Fridono.

Researchers have already determined that looking at photos of nature for 30 to 60 seconds reduces stress.

Hundreds of individuals who have participated in the virtual canine therapy program have reported they felt a calm, connected state of being.

Cultivating these moments allows for deep experiences of connection regardless of whether physical contact is made.

All you need are a human and a dog with open eyes and open hearts.

It is critical to recognize that the Covid-19 pandemic is a source of great physical, psychological, and emotional distress for front line workers as well as individuals and communities around the world.

There will likely be doctors, nurses, and others who will need treatment for anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD, and more resulting from this crisis.

Then there is the rest of the world that is feeling the panic of losing jobs, being ordered to stay home, the unfathomable reality of not being there when a loved one passes, and the like.

The proactive steps of Ricochet and Pawsitive Teams offering virtual canine therapy with eye gazing will support healthcare workers, essential workers, and the world at large now, as well as into the future.

The best part is, it can be done on any computer or mobile device connected to the internet, and it only takes a couple of minutes.

Stressed individuals can take a quick break from the chaos and find themselves less anxious after engaging in the program.

Let’s help heroic men and women take a few minutes to breathe and decompress through a dog’s eyes.

Catching up with Sara & her dog Hero

Former North Bayite Sara Carson has had a lot of success since appearing on America’s Got Talent, but the COVID-19 crisis has affected her work doing high-profile personal appearances.

“Since America’s Got Talent, we’ve been busy doing lots of live appearances. We did a lot of halftime shows for sports. We did a lot of NBA basketball appearances. My favourite places to appear with the NBA were probably San Francisco and New Jersey,” she says.

Carson actually appeared on AGT twice, the second time in a competition of former finalists. She says while live shows and appearances were keeping her busy, there have been other television appearances. One was called “The Big Stage” on the CW Network, and another show hasn’t come out yet. She and Hero also were part of a movie that is still being edited, which she hopes comes out soon.

The 25-year-old now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and fellow dog-trainer John Devine. In fact, the name on her personal Facebook page is now listed as Sara Carson Devine, but most of the public still knows her as Sara Carson. The couple now has five dogs of their own, including Hero.

She says their lives changed tremendously when the COVID situation hit.

“We had a seven-week tour ready to go in 23 states, with 11 sold-out workshops. Now that’s all cancelled and so that was a big loss, it took a big impact on us,” she says.

Still, she has optimism in her voice and is still keeping busy.

Training is still something they are doing, and even have some dogs at their L.A. home being trained right now.

“We currently have six boarded dogs that we’re still working with. Training for a typical dog is usually a minimum of two weeks with us, possibly up to a month. We also do service dog training, mostly for medic alert type situations. My husband also does personal protection training of dogs. The service and protection training takes several months.”

Being a transplanted Canadian, Sarah is watching how the COVID crisis unfolds in our country and the U.S.

“I feel like Canada is in the same boat as the U.S, but I think Canada’s Prime Minister is handling things much better than the president. It’s probably a good time to be Canadian and have Canadian health care,” she explains.

And if you’re wondering about the dog most people in North Bay will remember? Hero, she says he is doing well.

“Hero’s still going strong at eight years old. He’s still the leader of our pack.”

 

PetSmart reopens its grooming shops

PetSmart has reopened hundreds of its grooming shops across the country, claiming they provide an essential service that should be available to the public during the coronavirus lockdown.

The huge pet supply chain initially closed its grooming operations as governors imposed lockdown orders in all but a handful of states, but last week — placing profits above public health — it reversed that decision and reopened hundreds of the grooming shops in its 1,650 U.S. stores.

The move has drawn the ire of those who say PetSmart is exposing people to a deadly virus to perform what most would agree is a non-essential task.

The most outspoken of those may be the groomers and other employees — some of whom say the chain’s officials are telling them to tell any members of the public who question the policy that grooming helps reduce the spread of the virus, and that the public should not attempt to do it themselves at home.

During the lockdowns, PetSmart stores have remained opened, exempted as essential since they sell dog food and cat litter.

Salons had, rightly, closed — what with nail trims, shampoos, comb-outs and cute pink ribbons on dog ears not exactly being matters of life and death.

As one groomer noted, all of those can easily be accomplished by an owner at home

“There is nothing that we do that a dog owner cannot do at home.”

PetSmart groomers, whom have a base pay of less than $10 an hour, say it is difficult to groom a dog without having physical contact with pet owners and other workers, both of which risk spreading the virus.

By reopening its salons, PetSmart may be violating state orders. Governors in 45 states have told residents to stay at home and have ordered total or partial shutdowns of nonessential businesses to stop the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.

In Michigan, where the governor suspended all in-person nonessential businesses on March 23, 22 of 40 grooming locations have reopened.

“Everyone in our store is pretty angry,” said one groomer. “It’s ushering people out of their houses. It’s giving them a reason to be out and about and moving the virus around.”

PetSmart initially closed most of its grooming salons on March 21 “out of concern for the safety and well-being of both our associates and customers,” the company said in a public statement. But it reopened many of those locations on Monday, April 6.

The company says its grooming salons underwent a “redesign” during their closure, making them safer. PetSmart workers are not being asked to perform services that require more than one person to be in the salon and are being told not to accept leashes and collars, a company spokesperson told the Huffington Post.

Groomers who are refusing to work are taking unpaid leave, and PetSmart is not guaranteeing their jobs back when the crisis ends.

Those who are working are receiving no bonuses.

PetSmart says it is working to ensure that workers who choose to stay home can return to the business when they feel the time is right.

PetSmart sent employees a set of talking points to repeat if they are questioned as to why the pet salons are open.

The talking points imply that dog groomers are actually helping to prevent the spread of a dangerous disease. (There is no evidence that dogs can spread COVID-19.) The talking points say dog grooming is “much like washing your hands” in stopping the spread of viruses.

“Hygiene such as teeth brushing, ear cleaning, nail trimming and brushing are essential aspects of regular dog care and cannot be performed by the dog themselves,” the talking points further state. “Pet Parents typically cannot perform these functions themselves without risk of injury to themselves or the pet.”

A plan for your animals

Even with everything going on in the world right now, a lot of people are still putting off creating a plan for if they should become incapable of taking care of their animals. In 2019, a survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Brookdale Senior Living found that three out of every five American adults do not have a will. Their numbers fall in line with other surveys conducted over the years. Do you have a plan for what happens if you die? Creating a plan for your animals in case you are unable to take care of them is often overlooked. Who will take care of your pet or Service Dog? Learn how to create a plan for your animals if you become unable to care for them. Some will their dogs to loved ones, some drop them off at the local pound, and some people leave money in trust for their animals upon their passing, which provides for the monetary needs for care of their partner until they pass also.

One of my closest friends seemed to have a plan. He set up final wishes for his fully-trained aging Service Dog and his Service Dog in Training. However, when he suddenly died, his dogs were listed on Craig’s List, free to a good home, due to a situation beyond our control. Luckily, they were scooped up by a rescue. That was a terrible time for all of us left behind. Prior planning isn’t just for the person that’s passing, in fact, it’s mostly for those left behind, to ease the awful truth that you have passed.

While we all know that final planning is a difficult and uncomfortable topic, final planning or the lack there of, on our parts, will be used or missed upon our inevitable passing. If you don’t have a current plan, a will, you’re not alone. T This being said, do you have any plan for your loved pets and/or Service Dog? Is your plan viable? What happens if “Plan A” falls through?

The laws governing wills vary from state to state. If you aren’t familiar with them, consider consulting a knowledgeable lawyer or estate planner in your area. Before you do, brush up on these 10 things you should know about writing a will.

Guidelines and Resources For Pet Owners

Before we get into Service Dog Handlers and Coronavirus, let’s clear up a few things about how COVID-19 is different from the flu. The COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly. Since this disease new, people do not have immunity to it and a functional vaccine could be several months or more away. Doctors and scientists are working on estimating the mortality rate of COVID-19, but at present, COVID-19 is thought to be deadlier than most strains of the flu.

First of all, there are many different types of coronavirus. The term “corona” refers to the crown shape the virus has when observed under a microscope. COVID-19 is the name for the specific type of coronavirus that is in the news today. Different coronaviruses can infect different species of animals and birds. There is a canine coronavirus ( technically called CCoV) which is a highly infectious intestinal infection in dogs, especially puppies. Canine coronavirus is usually short-lived, but may cause considerable abdominal discomfort. It is not transferable to humans.The coronavirus in the news is a new strain and is not thought to infect dogs. Currently there is no evidence that pets, working dogs or service dogs can transfer COVID-19, however, details are still emerging about how COVID-19 is transmitted.

No studies have been conducted on pets and questions remain about how long the virus is viable for on a dog’s fur, paws or saliva. Sheila McClelland, the founder of Hong Kong-based Lifelong Animal Protection Charity (LAP) wrote a letter to Hong Kong authorities which states, “Present evidence suggests that dogs are no more of a risk of spreading (coronavirus) than inanimate objects such as door handles.”

We already know that coronaviruses can live on surfaces and objects. Researchers are currently studying how long the virus can exist on surfaces — but the most recent information is that it can last for up to three days. When a dog in Hong Kong tested positive, pets quickly became part of the coronavirus conversation. The case raised the alarming possibility that pets could become part of the transmission chain for COVID-19. However, many questions remain about the details of how best to respond, especially for Service Dog Handlers and Coronavirus.

The Center For Disease Control is continually updating guidelines on this rapidly evolving situation. Please refer to the CDC’s Interim Guidance for Public Health Professionals Managing People With COVID-19 in Home Care and Isolation Who Have Pets or Other Animals Your state public health veterinarian should be contacted by public health professionals, animal health professionals or veterinarians that have discovered a household animal with a new, concerning illness and that resides with a person with COVID-19. Some jurisdictions do not have state public health veterinarians, or geographic, resource, or time limitations may prevent public health veterinarian from managing a situation involving household animals.Treat pets as you would other household members and limit contact as much as possible including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food Service animals should be permitted to remain with their handlers.If possible, a household member should be designated to care for pets in the home.If the individual in home care and isolation must care for pet(s), including service animals, they should ensure they wash their hands before and after caring for pets and wear a facemask while interacting with pets, until they are medically cleared to return to normal activities.Please review our AP’s Hospital Access Rights for Service Dog Teams.

Maryville woman trains dogs

For Shannon Thurston, dogs have been part of her life since she was brought home from the hospital as a newborn back in 1970.

Her family dog, a German shepherd named Bobo, was by her side every day until he died when Thurston was 6. He taught her about friendship and unconditional love, she said.

When she was a young adult with an apartment of her own, a Siberian husky she named Kodie came into Thurston’s life. It didn’t go well at first.

“He made me cry every day for the first two years of his life because he destroyed everything,” she said. “I didn’t have the knowledge to train him or the resources to go out and get help from a trainer.”

The dog chewed her couch cushions and when he was done with those, he chewed the couch down to the wood frame.

“I had him for 14 years and he ended up being the best boy but those first two years were pretty rough,” Thurston said. She ended up moving to a place with more room and a fenced yard. She also learned the importance of exercise for dogs, the physical and mental kind.

Every dog needs a job, Thurston explained. That might be a challenging heel walk around the back yard. They need a sense of purpose and achievement, she said.

Today, this Maryville native, 1988 graduate of Maryville High School and Middle Tennessee State University graduate lives in Knoxville and is a certified professional dog trainer. She has been training other people’s dogs since April 2015.

“I can identify a lot with my clients who are at their wit’s end, asking me to help them with their dog who is destroying everything,” Thurston said.

As a head trainer at Off Leash K9 Training in Knoxville, her specialty is basic obedience — helping families get their dogs under control. But even before she took this job, this dog lover spent years rescuing dogs, first mainly those she would find along the side of the road. Then, she hooked up with rescue organizations mainly up north.

“In my 30s, I started working strictly with German shepherd rescues,” she said. “I did that for 14 years prior to becoming a dog trainer.”

A life-altering moment came back in 2007, Thurston recalled. She was sitting at her computer in Knoxville and saw a heartbreaking photograph of two German shepherds who were hours from being euthanized at a shelter in Murfreesboro. She called her boss and told her she had to take tomorrow off. Her boss agreed.

“I drove to Murfreesboro with no plan,” Thurston said. “I had no idea what I was doing. One of the dogs I had to pick up and carry, she was so weak. One had part of their foot cut off in a trap. One had gotten an elbow caught in a trap. It was really pitiful.”

Those two German shepherds started her years in rescue. Thurston adopted one of them and the other was taken in by someone else. Thurston had her dog, Ruth, for 13 years. It passed away last year.

“That was a pivotal moment in my life,” this trainer said. “It changed the whole direction and course of my life.”