Early Morning Walks

Since sometime in June, North Central PA has been experiencing above normal temperatures and staggering humidity. We have endured sustained temperatures in the 90's and even consecutive days with triple digit temps, days with humidity in the 90% range, all of which are highly uncommon for this region of the country.

This makes it terribly difficult for me to be outside, as I have asthma and become short of breath, feeling as if the heat and humidity are sucking the air right out of my lungs. It is equally as hard on Kodiak, since Huskies have a double coat and can be easily overcome by heat.

Making sure "Kodi" gets plenty of exercise can be hard in the Summer time, when it's so hot. He often has to be coaxed just to go outside to do his 'business', as he's burnt his feet on the wooden deck floor and doesn't want to be exposed to the direct sunlight for very long, his black coat heating up quickly.

Evenings can be terribly humid, even more so than the day time, so evening romps through the backyard with a favorite toy are far and few between in the heat of Summer.

I've started setting the alarm for 6 a.m. I get up, go to the bathroom, get dressed, gear up "Kodi" and we try to get outside by 6:30 - 6:45 a.m.

On most days it's still foggy when we leave the house, some days everything is damp and dewy with the sun having just come up over the highway. Sometimes it's actually cool enough for me to need a jacket. "Kodi" is comfortable, I'm comfortable and there are very few people out so early in the morning that we seldom encounter anyone, we don't have to worry about little kids at all and there aren't many people walking their dogs at that time of day either. Traffic is at a minimum, so crossing streets is a lot easier than waiting until late morning or the evening.

It's been especially nice because we get to see a lot of nature's creatures and we can take the time to stop and 'literally' smell the flowers.

There have been mornings when "Kodi" has enjoyed the fluttering of butterflies around his head; tried to pounce grasshoppers who've hopped in front of him; stood on the dike and taken long sniffs of the breeze carrying the scent of a Loon and her babies to his nose; heard and watched a flock of Canada Geese fly overhead. We've followed the whistles of Cardinals in an effort to photograph them and watched as objects appeared through the fog, as it has lifted and burnt off. We've admired the soft pinks and purples of the sky as a backdrop to the lighted lampposts along the street and enjoyed the 'cooing' of morning doves perched above us on the power lines.

This morning, though the sun was already out, it was chilly. I put on a thermal zip jacket before leaving home and everything was covered with dew. It truly smelled and felt like Autumn, a time both "Kodi" and I are keenly looking forward to, when we can walk without care for the temperature, can enjoy the squirrels playing among fallen leaves and admire the beautiful colors of Fall. The onset of "Husky Weather", as we refer to Autumn and Winter.

Protector

Since Kodiak was a young puppy, he's demonstrated an ability to sense whether someone is a 'threat' or not. If he doesn't trust someone, he barks, won't get close to them, won't let them get close to me. He makes quite a production until the individual is out of the house.

I've seen him do this in the past with three individuals. The first was a 'technician' for the provider who was to service my power chair. The man couldn't come into the house without Kodiak just losing his mind, barking, snapping at the man, being keen to stay between the man and I. He even barked and howled when the man touched my power chair. He simply didn't trust him.

The second individual was the owner of the business that was to be servicing my power chair. He had come into our home several times and made threatening statements, issued ultimatums and was really very verbally abusive. Kodiak really had no tolerance for this man whatsoever.

My niece's husband is another individual that Kodiak does not react well to. He tries to nip him and in fact, did bite the back of his jeans (though he didn't get a hold of any skin), as he chases him when he's walking away from Kodiak.

Kodiak seems to be able to sense when people aren't being genuine.

Tuesday night, an old friend of ours came to visit for a little bit. Kodiak greeted him as he does all strangers, barking and howling, snorting and trying to scare him. We told him to come in and sit down and ignore Kodiak, that he would stop making noise in short order, as soon as he no longer detected a 'threat'.

Our friend sat down, we all had some pizza. Our friend offered Kodiak some pizza, which he hesitantly accepted. He seemed to be more comfortable, the longer he was in the house sitting on the couch.

When our friend stood and approached me, to show me something on his laptop, Kodiak got up and hurried to get between us. He stood between us until our friend took a step back, at which time Kodiak lay down on and between my feet. He stayed in that position until I handed the laptop to my husband and our friend was again sitting on the couch.

He behaved himself, staying ever alert, but quiet, until our friend got up to leave, then he walked him to the door.

My husband said he was comforted to know that when he's not here, Kodiak would protect me, get between me and an intruder or someone untrustworthy.

I'm learning to follow his lead and trust his instincts more and more. His judgments about different people's character have been justified.

"Molly" Moved

"Molly", the Giant Schnauzer/English Springer Spaniel mix who lived adjacent to Kodi's backyard for the past year has moved away.

He spent a lot of time running up and down the length of the fence that separated them, playing with her. She was the sole canine socialization Kodi got to experience regularly, as he felt comfortable with her, seeing as how she was on the other side of the fence, he didn't have to fear being attacked and she was a puppy, so she was always in the mood to 'play'.

"Molly" broke our hearts whenever we were in the backyard with Kodi. She would watch us playing with him, clapping our hands and calling out to him, chasing him around the yard, as she spent all day, nearly every day, in her backyard without so much as a toy to amuse herself.

We often wondered if she were able to speak to us, if she would ask why her human family didn't play with her, why they provided her with no toys, why they left her outside all day and most of the evening until late at night in the bitter cold of Winter and the horrendous heat and humidity of Summer, while Kodi was always accompanied by his humans, provided with no less than 13 toys to keep him busy, enjoyed interaction multiple times a day on a daily basis.

Many of "Molly's" neighbors talked about reporting her family for neglect, as they provided no dog house or adequate shelter for her or the older female Beagle who lives with Molly. They allowed her to get into the trash and chew on tin cans and plastic soda bottles, often her only toys and source of amusement. Neighbors talked about reporting, but didn't want to cause upset in the neighborhood, didn't want to fight with the neighbor or have to fear some sort of retaliation.

Now, we understand "Molly" will be living with her family in a 'country' setting. We don't know if she will have a fenced in yard, if she will have a dog house or a place to escape the cold and heat. We don't know if she'll have toys to play with or fresh water to drink.

Being in the position of disagreeing with the way she was cared for, but having to live next door to her family was difficult, but the neighbors who discussed reporting her family for neglect should have done so, as now she will be living in a more remote setting where others may not be aware of how little is provided for her.

Kodi isn't sure what to think about why "Molly" isn't outside, why when he calls to her she doesn't bound down off the back stairs like she used to and meet him at the fence. He looks for her, calls to her and sits patiently waiting to see her again. It will be a hard adjustment to make, reaching the understanding that she's not there anymore. It will be hard for all of us to adjust.

Winter Reminder

With the onset of winter it's worth remembering that we need to provide extra care for our canine and feline companions.

Whether your dog or cat lives outdoors or goes out to exercise and toilet we must be aware that dropping temperatures pose a risk to our furry family members. Just because they wear fur coats doesn't mean they are immune to the effects of cold weather.

Dogs and cats can experience hypothermia and frost bite. The most susceptible parts of the body are the tips of the ears, the tail and the pads on their feet.

Small breeds and breeds with short hair can be quickly overcome, as can very young or aged dogs, by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.

The best way to prevent injury or death as a result of cold weather is to keep your pets indoors whenever possible. If you're unable to have your pets indoors, providing a dog house or sheltered area with some sort of bedding where they are protected from the elements is necessary for the health and well-being of your pet.

Signs to look for include shivering, ice on body or limbs, stiffness, bright red color of effected tissues, followed by a pale color, and finally black discoloration and sloughing off of skin. Foot care is vital during the winter, as ice accumulated between the toes can cause irritation and various ice melt products can cause blisters on the pads of the feet.

Please remember that our furry companions depend on us to provide adequate care and a safe environment.

A good rule of thumb is, if it's too cold for us to be outside for a prolonged period of time then it's too cold for our pets to be outside. When we bring a pet into our home they become a part of the family and should be treated as such.

Skills Are Locked In

I determined previously that Kodi had become comfortable with learning certain skills in a specific environment and had some trouble translating those skills to new environments. An example being that we learned 'pick it up' in the house, without his vest or lead on and he had trouble performing the same skill outdoors.

Recently he's begun to respond to those same cues outdoors and at times performing those skills without a command. Just the other day he went into the yard and picked up the outdoor spigot cover from the grass and handed it to me.

Kodi has been helping me get ready for bed for many months now, probably a year. When I come into the bedroom at night and approach my side of the bed he gets down on the floor beside me, waiting for me to get undressed. When I sit on the edge of the bed, he takes my socks off and hands them to me, if I kick my shoes off he'll pick them up and hand them to me. He waits for me to get my legs into bed, then comes up and lays down beside me.

He would only get up on the bed, on my side of the bed and would only wait on my side for me.

We changed our furniture around in the bedroom yesterday which put my side of the bed on the other side of the room, near the dresser, creating a narrow pathway for me to navigate. I was concerned as to whether he would be uncomfortable completing his tasks in that small tight space.

He was very helpful while we were moving furniture. He picked the 'moving men' up off the floor and brought them to me, picked up anything that fell while I was going through things and tossing things out. He was such an incredible help throughout the whole process.

Last night he came to my side of the room, sat on the floor and waited for me to get myself ready for bed. He took my socks off and handed them to me, he picked up my sneakers and handed them to me. He waited, as he always does, for me to get into bed and jumped up on my side of the bed, just like always.

He wasn't phased by the change, he was able to complete his skills regardless of the surrounding layout. He wasn't distracted by the tight space. He made the adjustment to the changes. I couldn't have been more proud of him.

He's been listening so well lately that I've been able to take him out on the deck and down the ramp without a lead on. He goes into the yard to potty and comes right back. He responds when I tell him to 'wait', if he has gotten ahead of me. He stops, turns and waits for me to reach him before starting toward the yard. At the end of the ramp he stops and sits, waiting for me to reach him.

What a great feeling to know that we have made so much progress, that some of our skills are locked in. Now I can feel comfortable about adding some new skills to his repertoire.

A Healthy Environment

I am a bit obsessed with Kodiak's environment being safe, clean and healthy. Whether it be indoors or out, I try to make sure that there's nothing within reach that could cause him harm. I was meticulous about 'puppy proofing' the house before bringing him home as a puppy and I made sure there was nothing in the yard that could pose a threat to his health.

I'm fanatical about keeping the solid waste out of the yard. I am on my fifth 'pooper scooper' as a result of how often I use them, I've worn them out, their hinges have broken or they've simply fallen apart.

When I walk Kodiak in the community, when we go out to run errands and I use my chair, I have a 'pooper scooper' strapped to my chair so I can clean up after him.

I was cleaning up in the yard, a while back, when a neighbor yelled, "if I 'went' in your yard would you pick mine up too?" I was appalled! He often made fun of the way I immediately took up the 'pooper scooper' and went into the yard once Kodiak had finished toileting.

I don't see the entertainment value in being a responsible pet owner and caring about the health of my dog, perhaps I'm missing something?

I know I'm very protective of Kodiak, as I never tie him out and leave him alone in the yard. When he's outside, I'm outside with him, interacting, throwing a toy, watching him, praising him for 'taking care of business', as he was nearly stolen once when he was less than a year old, while I was outside with him.

I realize other pet owners aren't as vigilant as I am, they are of the mind that their pet is 'street smart', 'can fend for themselves', etc.

I've had occasion lately, to observe Kodiak's friend "Molly", the puppy who lives next door on the other side of the fence. While she lives in a large fenced in yard and does go inside, she's often left outside for hours, sometimes all day and evening, without a water bowl, with no supervision or interaction. The only toy she has in the yard is the one Kodiak gave her.

Her yard is littered with piles and piles of waste, as she shares the home with another dog, as well as a kitty who goes out into the yard. We hear her crying and whining for hours on end, wanting to go inside, but has been relegated to the outdoors because the family isn't home to work on housebreaking.

Lately, she's discovered the garbage can, emptying it into the yard, where she plays with plastic milk jugs, tin cans, bottles, etc.

She spends hours chewing on tin cans, trying to dig out from under the fence, tossing garbage around the yard, chewing on fallen limbs and sticks. I'm terribly concerned that she'll injure her teeth, gums or tongue, especially since she's a puppy and losing her teeth.

I may be overly protective, but I think having a dog (or any pet) is a serious commitment, a serious responsibility that we shouldn't undertake if we're not prepared to do what needs to be done to care for our pets.

My elderly neighbor called me to complain that she's been threatened with a fine by the city for the dog feces in her yard. The water meter reader complained about the mess. The problem is, she doesn't have a dog, her son who lives next door does and the waste in her yard is his dog's. The meter reader counted 56 piles of mess in the small area between the two houses.

People don't realize that waste that isn't removed from the yard can cause infections and disease in your own dog. It draws insects to the yard which can become a serious problem for the home owner and the smell of waste attracts stray dogs, cats and wild animals to your yard where they deposit their own waste which can contain disease and parasites.

It goes without saying that people who don't practice waste control in their own yards also don't pick up after their dogs when walking in the neighborhood. Sometimes our walks are more like navigating a mine field.

Some food for thought, while you can take off your shoes, if you 'step in something', when you go inside, I can't exactly take off the wheels of my power chair, so whatever I roll through, ends up in the house, so cleanliness and waste control is of great importance to me.

A healthy environment is important to all of us. Keeping Kodiak healthy and happy is key to my own health and happiness.