There is no better feeling than to see a fearful, neglected dog return to health, confidence and the true enjoyment of life – and to know that you made it happen!
Copyrighted Cherie Fehrman 2010. All rights reserved.
STOLA–Saluki Tree of Life Alliance, an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit rescue charity. STOLA 3701 Sacramento Street, #345, San Francisco, CA 94118 • www.stola.org.

Vincent, estimated to be 2  years old, arrived at STOLA in pitiful condition. Although heartworm negative, he is ehrlicia positive and has many blood and parasite related conditions as do most of the surviving dogs from this seizure. Many did not survive and our hearts go out to their extreme suffering.  Vincent was so riddled with parasites that a normal dose of Droncit and Panacur did not do the trick and additional doses had to be administered. Vincent is a tall, elegant Saluki with a lovely ’prancy’ gait, who should weigh 55+ lbs, but was rescued weighing  38 lbs. Fortunately, he is responding well to treatment and to lots of good food. Vincent is shedding his coat. He will probably lose all of it. He is getting  oatmeal baths for his skin and will be covered with a T-shirt until he is healed. His coat should come back in beautifully.

The very saddest part of this story is how sweet, and endearing this Saluki is, but one look at all of the pain in his eyes could cause a grown man to weep. Can you believe he still trusts people after this?

In a few months when he is ready to go to a new home,  he will make someone an amazingly loving and affectionate companion. Vincent is a STOLA angel in every way! STOLA will go even beyond their usual careful procedures to make sure he has the most wonderful home for the rest of his life. Youth is on his side and the loving volunteers at STOLA look forward to making sure that all his bad times are behind him.

At this point, it is not know if monster who treated these beautiful animals in such a shameful manner will get jail time, a fine, or a slap on the wrist. Our archaic animal laws do not do justice to the needs of our animals. “Cruelty to a non-livestock animal is generally a Class A misdemeanor and could lead to a sentence of a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000″, said Randy Turner, who has been practicing animal law in Fort Worth for 30 years. This appalling cruelty should certainly be a felony and this monster should serve jail time. Chances are very good he will be repeating his horrors all too soon.

One way to prevent this kind of abuse from happening is for all breeders and rescue groups to do home visits before placing any animal. That is the only way to truly assess the situation. Too often hoarders and abusers can be very charming and they can fool you. If they do not want you to see their homes, you can be sure there is a reason.

Please  support STOLA  to continue helping Salukis like Vincent find the good life they deserve. You can donate online now at http://www.stola.org/support/index.html#donations. Your support is greatly appreciated!

The more pesticides you use, the more fleas you get. There are four universal truths with regard to insects:
1.    Bugs will eat.
2.    You cannot eradicate every single insect.
3.    Pesticides will ALWAYS eventually backfire because the insects adapt.
4.    Pesticides may be harmful to your dog, your children, and you.

Pesticides will sooner or later backfire on the user. They are effective when initially used, but over time their effectiveness dissipates and eventually the bugs will develop stronger generations which are immune to them. This is because insects reproduce rapidly and have many offspring that have mutations resisting the insecticide. As this process occurs, the living insects will pass down their new genetic traits to the offspring and most of the new generation will be immune to the insecticides. We then have to keep coming up with newer, and stronger alternatives.

Pesticides have a major drawback–they are all dangerous.

Pesticides are also expensive. Ask anyone who uses the monthly spoon-on products.  Whenever you use pesticides on your dog you are also using them on yourself. Whether you use a few drops of a product, or a spray or a powder, every inhabitant of the house will be exposed. Even professionally applied pesticides evaporate somewhat and affect the people living in the house. It has been shown over and over that pesticides have very negative effects on pregnant or nursing women, infants, and small children as well as cats, dogs and birds. I have never been a fan of toxic insecticides but when I learned that the anti-flea products applied monthly on the back are nerve gas derivatives, I knew I would never use them.

So what is the alternative?  The natural approach. Why? Because it’s effective, inexpensive and it doesn’t damage you, your dog or the environment. There are many methods used in natural flea control.  Hand picking is very effective. Every time your dog comes in from outdoors, quickly run a narrow toothed flea comb over him and wash the critters down the drain. This can be time consuming if you live in a multi-dog household, but fortunately there are other methods. Fleas live on plants in the outdoors. Adding kelp to the soil helps plants develop their own arsenal against pests. Kelp is an important and undervalued defensive weapon. When composted in the soil it adds many nutrients and plant enzymes which act as preventative against insect pests.

Two of my favorite natural-based weapons against fleas are diatomaceous earth (sometimes called diatom dust) and steam cleaning of carpets and dog bedding. Diatomaceous earth is a mined mineral product that consists of remains from fossilized one-celled diatoms that lived nearly thirty million years ago. It kills pests like fleas, worms or any hard-shelled insects because its sharp silica edges puncture their soft covering. Therefore, insects cannot become immune to it. It is inexpensive and considered safe for humans and animals. It is even added to some animal food to kill intestinal parasites and worms. It is also used on stored animal feed to deter pests. Animals such as birds that eat the bugs that are killed by diatomaceous earth particles will not be harmed. There is one word of caution when dealing with diatomaceous earth–there are two grades. One is the kind used for swimming pool filters and spreading around the garden, the other is food-grade and this is the only kind to use on your dogs or in your home. Why? Because it won’t damage lungs or eyes. It is difficult to find the food-grade kind, and my suppliers change constantly. When diatomaceous earth is not available, a good alternative range of shampoos and sprays is made from Erigeron (Canadian fleabane) a rare herb whose oils dissolve the shells of fleas and other insects without harming you or your pet.  Erigeron is preferred over citrus-based natural flea-killers that can trigger allergies in some dogs or burn sensitive skin.

There are many other options including a wide variety of natural sprays, shampoos and treatments but I have found the easiest and purest and most foolproof way to get rid of fleas – steam. Of all the natural flea control methods I have used, this one works the best:

STEAM YOUR FLEAS AWAY!

I purchased a small hand-held  pressurized steamer unit (not the mop kind), which is relatively inexpensive when compared with the ongoing cost of pesticides. The steamer unit has a nozzle that allows the steam to be released as a pressurized stream at 212 degrees F. I treat my carpets, upholstery and dog bedding every month and voila – zero fleas! It also kills dust mites, and  is great for sanitizing. It is easy. It is nontoxic. It is environmentally friendly. It works! I first used it weekly, but found that over time I could use it less and less and still be flea-free.

You can also use the unit to clean and sanitize other areas of your home. Steam kills E.coli and salmonella and it’s great for cleaning burned food off your oven or burner grates. Since I’ve been using it, I have noticed a real improvement in my dust mite allergies so I guess it must be killing the mites along with the fleas. There are probably other brands which work as well. This just happens to be the one I use. If you choose to purchase a steamer unit, make sure it has a pressure nozzle which will allow the steam to come out in a  strong stream. Gentle steamer units for steaming clothing will not work to kill fleas unless they also come with a pressure nozzle.

!!!WARNING: DO NOT USE THE STEAMER DIRECTLY ON YOUR DOG. The steam could scald animals. It hardly seems necessary to say that, but better safe than sorry!!!

Conventional harsh training methods can be extremely detrimental to the sighthound or shy dog personality, sometimes even ruining the dog permanently. Affection Training–a method of communication where human and dog learn to interact together, to learn a common language, and to complement one another–is the perfect solution for these gentle temperaments.  You obviously want the best for your dog or you wouldn’t be reading this, and you may be experiencing some behavior problems that need addressing: chewing of furniture, difficulty in house training, excessive shyness or fear of people, children, or loud noises.  Perhaps you have just acquired a rescue dog or a new puppy who needs socialization and a guide for appropriate ways to live in a home with people, children and other pets. Virtually all of a hounds’ bad habits are caused, either directly or indirectly, by the dog’s owner due to a lack of understanding of canine behavior or as a result of inappropriate training techniques. In the saddest situations, the dog is given up as “unmanageable” due simply to the lack of communication between dog and human.  Your dog instinctively wants to please you–it is your responsibility to help him understand what you want him to do.

Affection Training is a holistic approach to dog training using positive reinforcement methods based on the concept of wolf pack behavior.  Even the tiniest, fluffy furball of a dog is essentially a wolf when it comes to behavior.  Dogs are social animals who love to be in groups–they need touching, group support and a strong leader.  The Affection Training Method uses the same concepts of control as those used by the leader of the wolf pack–visual and auditory communication methods.  You will learn how to communicate with your dog by using your eyes and your voice.  Your dog watches you constantly for clues on how you want him to behave; it’s up to you to be sure you’re giving him the right message.  Affection Training has proven to be a gentle, effective approach to solving problems in dogs of all ages.  Ideally, this training begins in puppyhood before the age of 16 weeks.  However, it is never too late to begin, although adult dogs who have already formed unwanted habits may require a little more time and patience to achieve the desired effect. Affection Training is a method in which you learn how to communicate with your dog by using your eyes and your voice.  The Affection Training Method is reward and praise based so it is fun for you and your dog.

NOTE:  The photograph above is copyrighted and may not be used in any form without written permission from the owner. Please contact Fehrman Boks for information.

If you use monthly spot-on flea and tick products on your dog you  may want to rethink that. The EPA has just sent an alert that these products may not be as safe as first thought. In 2008 there were over 44,000 bad reactions and 600 deaths as  result of these products. For  more information check with the Environmental Protection Agency or go to this link http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/03/31/dangers-of-flea-and-tick-problems.aspx

POISONOUS HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT CAN KILL YOUR DOG OR CAT

Acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol, Anacin, etc.) never give to any dog or cat– very toxic – causes liver failure
Ant Stakes or Ant Poison
Antifreeze
Aspirin (may be given under veterinary direction only)
Avocado
Bleach
Boric Acid
Brake Fluid
Carbon Monoxide
Carburetor Cleaner
Christmas Tinsel
Chocolate – highly toxic to dogs, especially dark chocolate
Cleaning Fluid
Deodorants/Deodorizers
Detergents/Disinfectants
Drain Cleaner
Dye
Fungicides
Grapes or Raisins – highly toxic to some dogs
Hair Colorings
Herbicides
Holly
Hydrangea
Ibuprofen (i.e. Advil, Motrin, etc.) – never give to any dog or cat-very toxic
Insecticides
Ivy (all varieties)
Jerusalem cherry
Jimson weed/Thorn Apple
Lantana
Larkspur/Delphinium
Lily of the Valley
Marigold
Marijuana
Mistletoe
Monkshood
Morning glory
Nightshade (all varieties)
Nicotiana
Oleander
Onions – cause a fatal form of anemia in dogs
Philodendron
Pointsettia
Xylitol – artificial sweetener found in gums, candy & toothpaste – highly toxic to dogs

Only Angels: How to Raise and Train the Perfect Sighthound