Look Who's Walking at The Market Common

12/07/2023

This is huge! Especially if you have an anxious dog in your household..

Copied:
The impact of “smart” devices on a dog.

Post by Lori Church
Smart plugs or smart outlets allow you to turn on your electronics with an app or with Alexa. We use ours to turn all our lamps on and off at the same time. The app we used was a paid one called AudioTool that my husband already had for his music. There are free ones like Sound Analyzer that will run the same type of test.

PSA: We adopted our dog, Rowdy, from the shelter 5 years ago. He was already an adult dog, so we estimate he is about 11 or 12 years old at this point. I love this dog. He is the sweetest soul and my BFF. For the past week or so he hasn’t been acting like himself. He licked a raw spot on his foot. He was panting constantly. He was pacing. Sunday morning, the pacing and panting got so bad, and I was REALLY nervous that there was something seriously wrong with him. For 45 minutes, he panted like crazy and constantly paced back and forth. He was keeping his tail tucked down all the time. His ears were pinned back. He would not settle down and he wouldn’t eat. We tried everything. I ended up giving him a trazadone that he takes sometimes when he goes to the groomer. It seemed to take a little bit of the edge off, but not much. He still wouldn’t eat and still wouldn’t settle. I took off work on Monday so I could take him to the vet. We did bloodwork and x-rays. Knowing he is a senior dog, I was trying to prepare myself for the worst case scenario. I was glad to see his bloodwork was great except for some elevated liver enzymes. The x-rays showed he was a little backed up but no major issues. He got an anti-nausea injection and some Gabapentin to help with some tenderness in his back and to hopefully help keep him calm. When we got home, he was ok for a little bit, but eventually started pacing and panting again. We walked around the neighborhood for a long time and he used the bathroom a lot. He seemed pretty happy about that and was in good spirits until we got home and he refused to come back in the house. Every time I took him out that evening, he would hunker down like he didn’t want to come back in the house. When my vet called and I gave her the update, she suggested there may be some new electronic device in the house that was emitting a high frequency noise that is hurting his ears. We had just put new smart plugs in the house about a week ago. His pacing and panting were worse when the lamps were on, so I unplugged all the smart outlets. He stopped panting, stopped pacing, and ate his food. His tail was even up and wagging again. When I plugged the smart plugs all back in and asked Alexa to turn on the lamps, he immediately started panting and pacing again. My husband used an app to test the frequency of the smart plugs. It was off the charts. We've left the outlets unplugged for two days and have confirmed that it is definitely the smart outlets that are causing his stress and discomfort. He's back to being a totally normal dog now. I really thought this was the end for Rowdy based on the way he was acting. I am so thankful for Dr. Newell at BoonesCreek AnimalHospital for figuring out this simple solution. If your pets are exhibiting similar symptoms, you may want to consider checking your electronics first. I cannot express how relieved I am that he is ok now. 😭♥️🐶

07/17/2023

Honored to be a recipient of the Pet Insight 2023 Vanguard Award, one that recognizes industry leaders in product innovation, dependability and quality. Through acting on customer feedback and committing to quality manufacturing, Carna4 provides communities across the globe with the best pet food next to nature. Thank you for coming along on our journey – and cheers to another thirteen years! 🥂

03/21/2023

09/18/2022

🚧 Is your dog comfortable in a muzzle ? 🚧
Meet Cricket the Shiba 👋🏼 Doesn’t he look insanely handsome in his muzzle?!😍 I believe that almost all dogs should be comfortable and confident in a muzzle. Yes, even “good dogs”.

Part of my puppy raising protocol is muzzle conditioning. It’s also a regular topic/exercise between me and my behavioural clients.

Muzzle conditioning, when done correctly, is no different than trick training. It actually starts the same way…. Boop muzzle = treat!

Here are just a few of the many reasons I believe dogs should be comfortable in a muzzle 👋🏼

☀️ Accidents happen. I hike with a muzzle in my pack. Why? Because even if your dog is the most well tempered dog, pain can still cause even the best dogs to bite. Need to remove 100 cactus from your dog? Need to carry your dog with a broken leg down a mountain? A muzzle helps your dog and you feel safe even in maximum pain.

☀️ Helps prevents blockages. I hike with some friends whose dogs love to gobble down bones, sticks, dead animals etc. No one loves dealing with emergency vet blockage surgery or cleaning up puke all night. Dogs that love to gulp down treasures on trails are a great candidate for muzzle conditioning.

☀️ Vet care. No matter how much cooperative care training you do - there may come a point in time that you decide a muzzle is the appropriate tool at the vet office. It lowers the nervous energy/nerves of some vet techs and your dog. Calmer energy never hurts. Trust me - vet teams appreciate this!

☀️ Grooming. As dogs age and their bodies get older and more painful- maintenance grooming can begin to hurt. Pain may cause your dog to snap or nip. Your groomer may feel more comfortable with handling part of the groom with your dog muzzled. Muzzle conditioning helps your dog feel comfortable too.

☀️ New dog introductions & interactions. Sometimes some dogs need a little extra help with dog on dog interactions. A muzzle helps keep their pointy end under control and may help keep the emotions of the handlers under control too.

☀️ Evacuations. Here in Kelowna the odds of being evacuated due to forest fires are a reality. If you aren’t home and a team is sent in for your pets they may be crated and or muzzled.

☀️ Household dynamics. Muzzles may play a part in managing house hold dynamics in play or day to day life. Working alongside of a trainer to help integrate muzzles into your day to day home interactions is advised.

☀️ When required due to breed-specific legislation. Unfortunately, some states or provinces have breed specific legislation (BSL), which requires certain so-called “dangerous breeds” to wear a muzzle when not on private property.

So the next time you see a dog in a muzzle - train your brain to realize that the dog is a good dog with an owner who values the confidence and safety of their dog and others around them. Provide space but don’t assume the dog is a “bad dog” or having a “hard time”.

There are many types of muzzles - so if you have questions about which muzzle is our favourite or best for your dogs please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thanks!!!

Sarah

04/06/2022

ATTENTION Pet Parents!

A chemical used in Milk-Bones, Ol’Roy, Kibbles’n Bits, Hill’s Pet Food and other pet foods should no longer be considered safe for consumption due to concerns about its ability to damage DNA according to a new animal-model study.

According to the Environmental Working Group: “A scientific panel created by the European Food Safety Authority found that titanium dioxide “can no longer be considered as safe when used as a food additive.” The panel, citing concerns about titanium dioxide’s genotoxicity, or its ability to damage DNA, based its conclusion on a review of hundreds of scientific studies. EWG called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to quickly consider whether to ban titanium dioxide from use in food."

A chemical that may damage our pet's DNA should not be fed to pets.

Titanium dioxide is on The Forever Dog’s Dirty Dozen list of additives you need to avoid in your pet food. www.ForeverDog.com/about

12/14/2021

We need this in Myrtle beach! How cool!

WILMINGTON — In just over a year, Sam Steger has turned Mess Hall into one of Wilmington’s most popular burger joints. Located in a quonset hut in The Cargo District, the restaurant operates with…

10/27/2021

08/17/2021

Letting your dog spend some quality time with their other furry friends is good for mental stimulation. 🐶