Andrea, our black beauty

Hercules Playing With Another Dog

As I said in a prior post, Hercules has surprised us by being able to enjoy the company of some other dogs. I think it is fair to say that the environmental stress of the kennel was a huge factor in his deterioration at the shelter. I hope someone will give him a chance at a home now that it looks he could live with another dog.

It has been said before and I will say it, dogs change over the course of their lives. They can, with guidance, improve their ability to get along with other dogs.

Does He Play Well With Others?

Here's a photo of Hercules who thinks he must have done something wrong because I tried to tie a stupid bow around his neck. In actuality Hercules has done a whole lot more right than wrong lately. I'll get to that shortly.

We at the shelter frequently get asked about a particular dog's ability to get along with other dogs. We make it our mission at the shelter to find out how much a dog enjoys the company of other dogs and how they behave with other dogs. Dog run the gamut of the social spectrum just like people do. Some dogs are party animals and some are wallflowers.

Whenever I am searching for a way to word an explanation of a dog's ability to socializae I turn to
Bad Rap. I like that they work to rehabilitate the socialization of a dog, but we do too. They have been doing it longer and they work with dogs from rough backgrounds.

As long as we have been at this though I don't believe there has been a more mystifying dog than Hercules. In the shelter he did not seem to get along with other dogs. In a previous home Hercules grabbed a puppy and shook it for stealing his pig ear treat. But, when we began working on his dog-dog interactions while he's in a foster home we discovered a pleasant shock: Hercules can play with some other dogs!

Hercules has now had three play-dates at the shelter. Two were with playful females and one with a playful male.

We begin in a kennel that is just the right size so that if trouble happens we don't have to run too far to control the situation. The dogs drag leashes. Sometimes a problematic or unfamiliar dog will wear a muzzle till we know how they want to behave. And the first play-mate is always a dog that we feel confident about, a socially skilled dog. We record key behaviors and how it went. We try to make sure the dogs being rehabilitated get out at least once a week for a playdate. Corrections may be administered with a squirt bottle (water) or a shaker can. Fights might break out and we use special equipment. Don't do this unless you have undergone extensive training, as we all have. Knowing canine behavior and the meaning behind the dogs' body language is essential!

This service has been offered to people who have problems with a shelter dog they have adopted. We have been extremely successful in getting dogs to tolerate each other better.

Since most people coming to the shelter want to have multiple dog households this quality of being social is important to adopters.

Stay tuned and you will get more information about Hercules' ability to live successfully with other dogs.

Pawsability!

Today Mary Jane went out on Pawsability! She's going to be missed in our play groups.

BLACK DOG FRIDAY!!!

This is a special for sure!

One of the world's greatest black dogs!!!



Andrea would love a home where she can get belly rubs, kisses, walks and cuddles. She gets along with most other dogs but NEVER ANY CATS. As near as anyone can guess she is a lab/chow mix. Andrea romps and frisks with her people and can play happily with dogs that don't get in her face too much. Andrea has been a favorite of several volunteers and has attended the basic dog obedience class. She still needs work on her leash manners though. Andrea needs a fair amount of exercise and would happily be your companion for all walks and Montana adventures.


Since black dogs have a lower rate of adoption I hope folks will take Andrea out to the bench for some getting-to-know-you time and some pets.

Thankful

Pilgrim Kat sez be thankful. kthxnbai.



I am thankful and I know the staff and volunteers are thankful for many things at the shelter. We are thankful that there are resources and community help for the rescued Malamutes. We are thankful for Gypsy's Pawsability and Roger's adoption. We are sad that Andrea chased cats and had to return to the shelter. We are sad for Sheebie's return. Life is a balance and the bad comes along with the good, seconds apart even. If you focus on the bad instead of the good then it all seems negative. Let's be thankful for what we have and can do for the wonderful community animals!











Andrea wants to be thankful but being back at the shelter is hard. Can you help Andrea feel thankful? If you are in the market for a dog and have no cats please come see Andrea and find out if she would fit into your family!!!

Happy Dance!!!

We have some Pawsabilities and some adoptions to celebrate these days!!!

Chrome, who was with us for 9 months, went out this week on Pawsability!!! WoooHoooo!!!

Roger, a FFC project, left the shelter with Roger, a gentleman who had seen Roger out on walks and decided he had to stop in and meet this handsome boy!!! Another great Pawsability!!!

Gypsy, our longest term resident left yesterday for a home she will share with a beagle!!! We are ecstatic that she got to go to her own home!!!

One of the Carroll College professors chuckled with us about Trigger, one of the dogs selected by the Human Animal Bond program to receive special training, and said Trigger still has a swinging butt!!

Sheebie, a little old heeler mix that wormed her way into hearts has left the shelter on Pawsability. A couple of newer dogs have also left.

Amidst all the good news to be thankful for this Thanksgiving we would like to ask if anyone would be interested in helping with morning potty walks? Please email Jo Bristow, the Volunteer Coordinator, lchsvolunteering @mt.net on the particulars of any volunteer jobs.

Have a safe holiday and remember to keep the turkey carcass away from your pets. Those cooled bones can cause major problems for their digestive systems!

Shock Me?

I almost lost my dinner tonight. I originally joined Facebook to catch up with people I knew in high school but my friends grew and grew to include organizations, mostly animal rescues. I particularly have been eager to join rescues that help pit bulls. Tonight in my newsfeed one such organization posted a photo of a dog that had a rocket placed in its mouth and lost most of the front part of its face and was still alive. I won't be sharing that photo here or on Facebook.

I don't want to see those kind of photos. I hear, read and imagine bad enough things all the time. It isn't going to compel me to send more money or any money. As a volunteer and a dog lover I have heard bad enough things like the local news where a jerk used a chainsaw to cut off a dog's head and throw it at the owners'. I've seen a poor little 10 lb dog whose mouth was fastened shut with a hairband left in place until it worked its way under the dog's skin, leaving permanent disfiguration. I have read even worse news and such about places far away. The shootings of pets in St. Bernard Parish during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath left me without any ability to withstand those kinds of shocks anymore.

I'm sure there are some people who respond well to shock photos as attention-getters. Advertising, or "shockvertising" finds that the way to grab people's attention is through graphic and disturbing images. Wikipedia says, "Advertisers, psychiatrists, and social scientists have long debated the effectiveness of shock advertising. Some scientists argue that shocking ads of course evokes stronger feelings among the consumers. One finding suggests “shocking content in an advertisement significantly increases attention, benefits memory, and positively influences behavior.” Dahl 2003, p.265 is the citation.
The average person undergoes inundation by about 3000 ads a day. Nonprofits' PSA's rely quite a bit on shock to get attention. Here in Montana the campaign against meth is a well-known and controversial example. So I assume there must be something productive about this type of "shockvertising".

But what about the refusal by many organizations to use shocking pictures of child abuse or animal abuse? Lewis and Clark Humane Society doesn't use horrible images that you can't forget. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary doesn't either and they have millions of dollars donated to them. PETA however relies on shock, it seems to me, every time they put up a photo. I wonder what the breakdown of perception is across the age groups. In other words, do younger people perceive it to be a valid way for organization to get attention? If organizations go too far I think they will lose customer support and goodwill.

I hope I never see another terrible photo like the one of the poor dog whose owner put a rocket in its mouth. I am happy that Lewis and Clark Humane Society relies on positive advertising rather than horrible photos that can shock people right out of looking at anything sent by the organization. By the way, I "unliked" the organization that posted the photo since it turns out to be one of those endless shares that went around the work starting in Sarajevo. My feeling is that the people here in the USA from the rescue were sending the photo with shock on their agenda and no other reason.

This is Avery. Avery may have made history...AFTER his death.

We who have pets know that their value is far beyond the amount of money spent for them. Even if you added up every penny I have spent on food, veterinary care, training, toys, boarding, and dog treats (no small amount) I wouldn't take four times that amount of money for one of my dogs. I don't know anyone in my circle of friends and aquaintances who doesn't feel that way. I'd spend any amount of money to save one of my dogs if they were sick because they are family to me. What price can you put on love?

The courts have always put a market price on animals. If it is a cruelty case the animals are supposed to be maintained completely as they were when seized except for food and shelter. They can receive the basic immunizations that their owner failed to give but no spaying, neutering or grooming, I was told, until after a hearing and then they could be groomed.

If someone walks into your yard and shoots your dog then the courts say your "property" was destroyed. Your feelings didn't matter and still don't in most courts. But, this may be changing due to a case in Texas where an organization mistakenly euthanized a family pet that should have been held for the family to reclaim.

Jeremy and Katherine Medlen of Forth Worth Texas went to the place to reclaim their dog, Avery, who got out of his yard and was picked up. On their first visit they were told the fees had to be calculated and they should come back but the dog's kennel would be tagged to ensure they would get him back. Their second visit they were told Avery had to be microchipped and that the veterinarian who had to do the chipping wouldn't be in for another couple of days. When the day finally came for Avery to go home they were told he had been mistakenly euthanized.

"Eventually, the Medlens sued the worker believed to have put Avery on the euthanasia list, saying her negligence led to his death. They asked for "sentimental or intrinsic value" because Avery had little market value "and was irreplaceable," according to court records. Their lawsuit did not specify the amount of damages. The county judge ruled that they could not sue for sentimental value since the law doesn't allow that. The family pushed it and the case was sent to appeal. The state appeals court in Forth Worth "ruled for the first time that a pet's value is greater than its price tag."

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Dogs are unconditionally devoted to their owners," says the ruling from the Texas 2nd Court of Appeals. "We interpret timeworn Supreme Court law ... to acknowledge that the special value of 'man's best friend' should be protected."

"It is the first time in Texas history that an appeals court has allowed a dog owner to recover sentimental-value damages for the death of a dog," said Randy Turner, the Fort Worth attorney who represents the Medlens. "This is a huge deal for pet owners. Up until the Medlen case, if a person came to see me wanting to sue someone for killing their dog, I had to tell them it was not worth it.

"No matter how attached they were to their pet, and no matter how devastated they were by its death, ... they [had been] only entitled to the 'market value' of the animal," said Turner, who is handling the case for no payment. "Now a jury can at least put a sentimental value on an animal that is otherwise worthless in terms of what it could have sold for on the open market."

Perhaps Avery the dog will be known forever as the dog who changed everything. A fitting tribute but no salve for the loss of a family member.

Old Dogs Are The Best Dogs

November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month. Here are the top 10 reasons for adopting a senior dog:

1. Older dogs are housetrained. You won't have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.

2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won't chew your shoes and furniture while growing up.

3. Older dogs can focus well because they've mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.

4. Older dogs have learned what "no" means. If they hadn't learned it, they wouldn't have gotten to be "older" dogs.

5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they've learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.

6. Older dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are grateful for the second chance they've been given.

7. What You See Is What You Get: Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.

8. Older dogs are instant companions -- ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.

9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don't make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.

10. Older dogs let you get a good night's sleep because they're accustomed to human schedules and don't generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.







At the Lewis and Clark Humane Society we have Ollie, an American Shelter Dog (mutt) 7 years old and 45 pounds who gets overlooked because he is older. He's one of the nicest dogs you could ever meet and a great size for a companion dog. He gets along well with other dogs, he loves people. We can easily cat-test if someone with cats were interested in Ollie.

An Interview With Hercules

I thought it would be interesting to interview a few of the dogs that can be adopted from the Lewis and Clark Humane Society. First up is Hercules since he's fostering at my house.

Me: "Hercules, what are a few of the nicknames you've been given?"

Hercules: "Herkie Turkey, Handsome Herc, you know, the usual."

Me: "Why don't you tell people why you aren't in the shelter to be seen there."

Hercules: "I don't care much for other dogs so having all those other dogs around me drove me to pace and jump against the walls constantly. The cleaning products used on my kennel gave me bad skin so bumping against the concrete caused me to have sores on my legs and feet. Then I got depressed as well as anxious and started to lose weight. A lot of us dogs are really sensitive and can't eat or tolerate being in such close quarters with all those strangers. I was really stressed out from my last home and from being in the shelter."

Me: "What do you think is the reason you haven't been adopted? You are one of the longest-term dogs on the rolls at the Lewis and Clark Humane Society.

Hercules: "A lot of people are afraid of pit bulls but speaking for myself as an individual I am just a couch potato/love bug. I'm not as high energy as a lot of the dogs at the shelter so I don't think that's a factor. Maybe people think that "foster" means I have a home but it isn't so. I need my own couch and humans. Fostering means somebody finds a place for a dog to decompress but the dog doesn't really fit into that family. I hope somebody understands and eventually sees how much I want them and begins to want me too.

Me: "Anything else you would like people to know about you? Anything you need to say?"

Hercules: "Just that there are a lot of dogs looking for homes and I hope I will be one of the lucky ones who gets chosen to be part of a family."

Humor

One of the requisites for working or volunteering at an animal shelter is a sense of humor.

Evolution of a Dog's Behavior

This is Gypsy, the darling of the Feisty Fido Crew at Lewis and Clark Humane Society.


The Feisty Fido Crew is a group of experienced volunteers willing to put in extra time at the shelter with dogs that have behavior problems. Each member of the Crew has walked hundreds of hours as a dog-walker and received extra training before being allowed to handle "special" dogs. The Crew is headed by Tom Kandt, a graduate of the now-defunct San Francisco SPCA six-week Academy for Dog Trainers. Tom is certified as a trainer and a behavior counselor by the Council for Certification of Pet Dog Trainers. The CCPDT is one of a very few groups that maintain professional standards for trainers.

So, you can see Gypsy and other dogs that have been Feisty Fido dogs have received some of the best help possible in Montana. Gypsy is now ready to go and be a family dog and there have been and still are people who want to adopt her. Right now a veterinary technician is waiting to move into a home where she and her beagle, Maggie, can take Gypsy home and make her part of their family.

Gypsy started out as a hyper, snappy, unfocused dog that put a couple of dents in Crew-members' skins. It didn't take long to show her that she didn't get what she wanted with those behaviors. Through training and discipline plus play and socialization Gypsy has become a beautiful and sweet dog. She gets along with most dogs now whereas she was unhappy around most dogs before. Here's a video of Gypsy with one of her past playmates at the shelter:




We treasure every success story and Gypsy is one of our most cherished graduates। I hope if the home we have hoped for doesn't pan out that someone will come along who is just perfect for our Gypsy.

National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

I was surfing the internet for inspiration when I found out that the first full week in November is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

A shelter is a haven, a place for second chances, a place for the friendless and abandoned. There are other types of animal holding and welfare organizations and this week is a good time to go over the differences.

Types of animal holding organizations:

Animal Control Facilities - Government-run agencies where stray and unwanted animals are collected in a central facility, held for a specified amount of time, then euthanized/destroyed. A dog pound is an example of this type of organization.

Rescue Organizations - Rescues may or may not have a central area for the animals they are holding. Many rescue organizations are run collectively by a group with foster homes for the animals. Most of their animals are obtained from animal control agencies. Breed-specific rescues only accept one breed and some of its high-content mixes. Rescues are non-profit, if documented, and usually operate on donations.

Sanctuaries - These accept animals that they intend to care for for the rest of the animal's life. Many of the animals they take in are unadoptable by the definitions used by other animal welfare organizations. They may or may not adopt any animals out at the discretion of the organization.

Open Door Shelters - An animal welfare organization that accepts any strays and owner turn-ins. There may or may not be a set holding period for the animal. There may or may not be a euthanization policy.

No-Kill Shelters - An organization that doesn't accept any and all animals because they intend to keep animals until they are adopted. In order to keep from killing any animals they limit their admissions to animals without any behavioral problems that require long-term rehabilitation or have health issues.

Lewis and Clark Humane Society is an open door shelter. Strays are brought in by the animal control officers and the Humane Society contracts with and receives money from the city and county. Owner turn-ins are accepted for a donation, regardless of what reason the owner may give. There is no set time frame for an animal to be held and we evaluate every animal that comes in for a good temperament and whether he/she needs behavioral rehabilitation.

We are asked all the time why the Lewis and Clark Humane society isn't a no-kill shelter. First of all, we believe that no-kill is a shell game whereby less adoptable animals are refused admission. All animals are welcome to our facility, and if we can work to make them adoptable then we keep them and work with them to get them ready to go into a home. Our adoption rate has been as high as 94%.

We are proud to be an animal shelter where all the homeless and unwanted animals can find a temporary resting place and a second chance. Please don't call us "The Pound" because we work hard to separate ourselves from the image of a "Pound".

Black is Beautiful

Who wouldn't think that this dog is cute? And what does she have in common with Andrea, Chrome, Cody, Ranger, Lady, Fluffy/Scruffy, and Oliver, Lucky, Shadow, Amelia and Oliver? All of them are dogs that have been overlooked by many of the potential adopters passing through our kennels. The above dog, Gypsy, is our longest term dog and has been with us for over a year. What do Gypsy, Andrea, Chrome, Cody, Ranger, Lady, Fluffy/Scruffy, and Oliver, Lucky, Shadow, and Oliver have in common? Either black or dark coats. Black dogs are the most over-looked of the millions of dogs in shelters. It is such a problem that it has its own name: Black Dog Syndrome.

People may consider them too “plain”, think they are menacing, or simply don’t notice them because their dark color makes them disappear in their kennels. It is harder to get good photos of black dogs, even with good backgrounds, so they are the leasy likely to be noted on shelter's websites. People are looking for a face to fall in love with and the black dogs don't stand out.

Since black dogs are the least likely to be adopted and therefore the most likely to be euthanized, they die in large numbers in most shelters. What happens at our shelter is we have a high number of black dogs since we don't have a set time-period for holding dogs. Two of three of our longest-term dogs are black. Only two of the ten longest-term dogs are light-colored: Giselle and Hercules.

People discriminate against black dogs without even realizing it. Please take a second look at the beautiful black dogs and take them outside into the sunshine. Interact with these dogs before you decide which dog is right for you. Choosing a dog by its personality and not through an unconscious preference for color is the smart thing to do. We think black is beautiful and if you take a closer look you will too.

Eta: Somebody decided that black looks good in their life! I just heard that Andrea has left the shelter!!!!!!! One less black dog to worry over for us worriers.

The green grass will soon be gone but these dogs are still with us.


Andrea, our black sweet girl, is the third longest term dog at the shelter. Petey got into trouble with the landlord and had to come stay with us until a new owner arrives. He was having a great time playing at this play group on a Sunday afternoon.








Andrea was still enjoying the ice a month ago when we had this play group. None of the dogs wants ice now that it is falling from the sky.








Amelia, who has blue eyes, got into a bouncing session with Hugh. Amelia is still with us also. She's darling and playful. Sometimes I just wish we could dye or bleach the dogs. We have so many black dogs because people adopt them at lower numbers than the light-colored dogs.


Isn't that weird? But it is scientifically proven.





In the below photo you can see Amelia's beauty even better. She's only 8 months old and a complete charmer. However, she is always looking for The Great Escape!



Brass, Brass, Brass, what a dirty boy you are! But what a sweetie and so good with other dogs. With that squishy face that you want to take and smush between your fingers... Some dog faces were meant for loving fingers to smush.













Loki, Brass' play mate in this photo, is a dog with a sense of fun.


















Briggs, on the left, went to the Carroll College Human-Animal Bond Program. Loki misses him!










Please come see Loki, Brass, Amelia, Andrea, Petey. They are great dogs looking for a home!

Thanks to Debi for the great photos!

Adopt A Shelter Dog Month

I almost missed it since it is already October 25th!!!! People who have been following the news or following us on Facebook know we have been really busy, and will forgive us.

Three of us, two who are staff and a volunteer, attended the annual Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference and Trade Show in San Diego. We had a very interesting time hearing from the Big Hats in dog training like Karen Pryor, Ian Dunbar, Nicole Wilde and Suzanne Clothier. One of our trainers sat next to Victoria Stillwell. And since the conference was in the beautiful and warm city of San Diego we ate lots of Mexican food. All while the staff and volunteers back home were working hard so that we did feel a little guilty.


October is Adopt-A-Dog Month as declared by the American Humane Association, a worthwhile oprganization that is not associated with us. ASPCA, another one not associated with us, calls it Adopt A Shelter Dog Month. We are on board for that one! You can find a four-footed friend and never lack for a happy-to-see-you face when you come home from work.



Six years ago I went to our Lewis and Clark Humane society and looked at dogs during the half-cost month of Adopt A Shelter Dog Month and got one of the best dogs anyone could ever have adopted. Mitzi. She had been there 3 months this time.

This is a photo from our first few months together. She's still pretty perky in spite of being 10 years old this month. That worked out so well I went and adopted Lucas the next year.






Silly boy that he is, Lucas was an adolescent dog and I got him in August so I paid the full adoption fee and he was so worth it! Besides the fact that he is a great dog, the Lewis and Clark Humane Society vaccinates, neuters/spays, micro-chips and provides a certificate for a free vet visit and you take home a bag of starter food. I've had a lot of good times with these four-footed friends and ended up with another one named Slick.



















And last year I began fostering with Hercules.



Yes, Hercules is a pit bull with a large head. And he's just like most dogs we take in at the shelter. Some have issues, some don't. Regardless of breed.


Shelter dogs are the best. I hope you will always be fortunate enough to have such good dogs in your lives, too.

Andrea says it is still too hot to go long without water!



Another summer is drawing to a close. The play groups had to be pushed to late in the day because of the heat. I suspect we will start them earlier and earlier as the weather cools. In the meanwhile, here are some of Debi's great photos from the last play group!


This is why we all like play groups:


































Run Fritz Run!!!















The dogs don't have much longer to enjoy the water. Soon it will be time to put the pools away.








They seem intent on going for the gusto! That includes ice!




It is our hope that all these cuties find their own homes soon. I'm sure Andrea would appreciate your consideration as she has been here longer than any other dog in these pictures:

Beginnings

During our latest parking lot play group we reflected on how it was in the beginning, when three dogs seemed like a risk.




Then we got up to eight, then started closing the gates and letting the whole kennel out.







We have learned that the dogs and people have more fun when we limit the volunteers to highly experienced people and the number of dogs to 12 that like to play the same way or at about the same energy level. Here's some photos by Debi Beardslee of the dogs having fun.














You can see how much fun we had! Gina, our Executive Director, stayed around to enjoy the dogs too. The most fun was had watching these guys:


That's Dakota, Dudditz and Aspen. (Pit Bull, Boxer, Pit Bull.) They played so nicely with each other! This is exactly what we want when we put dogs together for play groups. More on how we do that later.

Hopefully this beginning at blogging will be as successful as our play groups have been. If you want more right now go to our Youtube account, channel name LCHSpets, and see videos of our dogs and our work. You can see us at our webpage, www.mtlchs.org, and our Facebook account, Lewis and Clark Humane Society.

~LCHSpets