Dog Friendly (Canine Thirst Quencher)

Tacoma Metro Parks built this kid play area, which is totally awesome, and part of it is a water park.  I don't go to this park very often, but today I noticed that it had like the coolest dog water fountain I had ever seen.

Now that's dog friendly!

Dog friendly places are where you know it's okay to have your dog, so long as your dog is okay with whatever else might be there.  You know what I'm saying?

It's like when I walk my dog, I know which houses have dogs and probably don't mind if my dog makes a little wee wee on their lawn.  (I always pick up the #2.)  I know which houses are dog friendly.  Hey, yeah, and I know which ones aren't!

The entire world is like that.  To find the dog friendly places, sometimes you have to look for them and sometimes they just surprise you.

Did you know that fancier hotels in the US are more likely to allow dogs?  Yep.  Think about little old ladies with teacup pooches in their purses.  Cheap American hotels won't let you have your dog there ... fancy hotels will.  Not always, but most of the time.

And the dog/fancy hotel works with larger dogs.  Many times I have had to upgrade the hotel to find one that's dog friendly.  I should add that this rule applies in all places BUT Canada. But in Canada a cheap hotel is likely to allow dogs.  Don't know why that is.

It's also easier to fly with your dog in Canada, so long as you depart from Canada.  So, I used to drive up to Vancouver and fly over to Calgary, rather than fly from Seattle to Calgary.

Dogs enjoy wide-spread acceptance in Canada, within reason.

When you get a dog, though, it's like the rest of your life consists of bouncing from one dog-friendly place to another.    From your house, to the dog park, etc.

Ah, heck, though I do have to admit that I appreciate the City of Tacoma putting this dog fountain in.  It's in the park behind Norpoint Center.  If you know Northeast Tacoma, you probably know where this is.

My dog's name is Zoozoo, and she is a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.  If she is an indication of the breed, this is not a good breed for the novice dog owner.  She's a handful.  She would chase cars and scare people if I let her.  I don't let her.

Anyway, she gets doggone thirsty when we play frisbee at the park.  Just saying.

Jimmyjumpnjive  April 2012

Easy Dog Game - Do You Wear Funny Hats Sometimes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KMwmdG4w2dM


How should you care for a geriatric dog?

Beyond the basics of food, shelter and medical care, older dogs need interaction and attention as much as any dog does. The "Funny Hats" dog game is excellently suited for elderly dogs and dog breeds with lower activity levels.

The photo at the start start of the video is of the Good Boy Blue, who was my "show" or "performance" dog for about eight or nine years. I retired him when he was around 11 years old. He is currently 13 years old.

How do I care for my old dog? A few quick tips - be sure to keep their nails clipped, as elder dogs require less activity nail clipping becomes essential; moisten a towel with warm water and give grandpa (or grandma) dog a good old sponge bath, they'll love it; a check up with your veterinarian is highly recommended.

The Good Boy Blue has slowly lost most of his eyesight, but his hearing is still exceptional, his appetite is good, and he can still romp around and play when he wants to. Not bad for one of the elder statesmen of canine disc. Blue started performing at disc dog competitions in 2001. He was a runner up to be the dog pictured on the large size Milkbone Dog Biscuit box, and that was really fun. He performed freestyle canine disc with the member of the Washington Owners of Flying Disc Dogs from 2001 through about 2009. He was a five time Skyhoundz Canine Disc World Championship contender from '02 through '06. In the photo at the beginning of this video, it's Blue and me performing that Human Canine Disc World Championships in Seattle, Washington, in approximately 2004. Blue is still in excellent shape, and I call him a "skinny old man." Yet, I watch him, as anyone who cares for an elderly dog should. He has a couple of lipomas that I keep an eyey on. I make sure he has plenty of fresh water. I make sure he gets a good walk every day. But I also watch him to make sure that he's not experiencing pain or discomfort. He's a bit arthritic, but that's not terribly surprising. I'll get some links and research together on the topic of caring for an elderly dog. It's really important to make sure that your best friends last years are his best years. Mike McKenzie, January 27, 2012, Tacoma, Washington.