PawsGo Exploring Washington, D.C.'s Cherry Blossoms

 

PawsGo Exploring the Cherry Blossoms

 Cherry blossoms.  Two words that fill those of us that live and work in the Washington D.C. area with both delight and dread.

The flowering trees that surround the Tidal Basin and frame so many of our national monuments are beautiful.  You can see the puffs of light pink as you drive across the 14^th Street Bridge from Virginia, or past the museums that line the National Mall.  Yes, they are delightful.  But we dread them because arrival of the cherry blossoms means one thing we really hate – TRAFFIC.

 

Living and working in D.C., you welcome tourists.  D.C. is a great city – the majority of museums are free, there are endless things to see and do, so we expect month after month of school groups and vacationers.  But cherry blossom season takes tourists and traffic to an annual high, to the point that it has been at least five years since I made the effort to take Boomer for a walk around the Tidal Basin and see the trees.

My friend Mandy and I were each already planning on taking the day off.  So we made our plan to head out fairly early in the morning, arriving at the Haines Point parking area just before 8:00 a.m.  Lattes in hand, and our dogs Ella and Boomer by our side, we started the 2.3 mile walk around the Tidal Basin. 

 

Cherry blossoms are not indigenous to Washington, D.C.  They are Japanese.  Bringing cherry trees to Washington, D.C. was the brainchild of a woman (of course) named Eliza Scidmore and it took  20 years to make her idea a reality.

Eliza was a real renaissance woman with a fascinating life.   Born in Iowa, she moved to Washington, D.C. during the early part of the Civil War.  She became a travel writer and a member of the National Geographic Society.  Through her travels she developed a love for Japan and the Japanese spring time ritual of cherry blossom viewing.  Why not bring this delightful ritual to D.C.?, she thought, so she petitioned the parks service to plant the trees.  It wasn’t until First Lady Helen Taft heard her appeal that the project moved forward.  A gift from Japan, the first trees were planted on March 27, 1912.

Evidence of the trees’ history and the Japanese influence can be seen as you walk around the Tidal Basin.  Small monuments and plaques dot the walk way.  Larger, more current and modern monuments physically eclipse the small historic reminders, but all the monuments large and small, old and new fit perfectly and complement each other.

We wander through the FDR memorial – a sprawling tribute complete with water features, meditation areas, and – FALA, Roosevelt’s beloved dog.   

 

We quietly walk past the MLK memorial (no dogs allowed) and gaze at its majestic stature.

Along the way Boomer and Ella make friends with other dogs and get lots of attention from passersby.  It’s still fairly early.  We see numerous photo shoots, both professional and amateur, it’s a beautiful morning and the blossoms are near their peak.   As we approach the Jefferson Memorial, the dogs are literally grabbed by a group of Chinese tourists and our own impromptu photo shoot begins!   We leave with a sneaking suspicion that Boomer and Ella will end up in a Chinese whiskey ad or on a billboard in Beijing!

 

It’s nice to take the morning off, spend some time with your friend and wander through a bit a history and a part of the city that you’d normally curse due to traffic.  The cherry blossoms are indeed delightful!

To learn more about the cherry blossoms and the best time to visit check out the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/cherry or Facebook and Twitter @nationalmallNPS  

To learn more about Eliza Scidmore go to www.greatblooming.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food for Thought -- Allergies in Dogs, A Holistic Look

Food for Thought -- Allergies in Dogs, a Holistic Look

by Dr. Janice Elenbaas

 

 

 An allergy is a sign of an overactive immune system. The body is working overtime to protect us from a perceived threat. There is overproduction of histamine in response to exposure to a foreign protein. The result is swelling and inflammation. This can be seen as:

 -itchy, red moist skin  or 'hot spots'

-increased scratching

-runny eyes

-itchy back or base of tail ( especially in flea allergies)

-ear infections

-paw chewing

-vomiting

-diarrhea

 

Common triggers are:

 

-fleas - the most common cause of allergic response

-pollens - like tree and ragweed pollens

-mold spores

-drugs

-cigarette smoke

-foods

 

The most common cause of allergies is a reaction to fleas followed by inhaled allergies. Only 10% of dog allergies is due to foods.

 Having said all that, allergies are still a sign that the immune system is overworked and turned against itself. It has over-responded to a naturally occurring protein. Symptoms in and of themselves should never be covered up or ignored. It would be like ignoring your oil light indicator in your car. Eventually, something more serious can happen.

 Traditional western medicine uses steroids, antihistamines and topical creams to block the immune response. This might work for a time, but if the cause is not eliminated, there will be a revolving door of symptoms and drug treatment.

 The holistic approach is to balance the immune system and a large portion of the immune system is in the gut. A healthy GI tract means a healthy body.

 Most commercial dog foods contain artificial colorings, flavors and preservatives. Traditionally, dog foods are made up of ingredients unfit for human consumption. It is common for them to contain moldy grains, spent grains, mycotoxins, poor quality proteins and artificial supplements. Kibble is processed at high temperatures, denaturing proteins, making them hard to digest and destroying naturally occurring vitamins and minerals.

This all places tremendous strain on the immune system to identify and eliminate these foreign substances.  No wonder the immune system is on overdrive. Toxic response is shown in skin lesions and other allergic responses listed above.

 So what can we do?

 We want to allow the body to work as efficiently and easily as possible:

 -reduce fleas

-improve the quality of food

-feed high quality, whole foods without artificial ingredients

-try nutritional supplements like essential fatty acids

-use natural anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements

-feed probiotics

-reduce environmental pollens - use an air filter - certainly do not smoke around your dog

 Seek advice from a holistic vet.

Please remember that allergies are a sign that something is wrong inside. Take a multi prong approach and consider acupuncture, chiropractic and herbal treatment. Be patient. True healing takes time and patient persistence!

With four years of nutritional training and twenty years as a Doctor of Chiropractic for both humans and animals Dr. Janice Elenbaas is the founder and owner of Lucky Dog Cuisine, and a guest blogger for PawsGo

www.luckydogcuisine.com 

 

Two Girls and Two Dogs Take a Walk Through Historic Alexandria, Virginia

 

This weekend we finally got a break from winter and took advantage of it.  Boomer and I joined our friend Jean and her dog Daisy for a 6 mile urban hike from our Del Ray neighborhood through Old Town and back home.

Jean and I are friends, neighbors, and our career paths have a number of similarities.  In addition to exercise and time with the dogs – I was excited for time with my friend.

Fitbits full charged and humans fully caffeinated, we took off on our trek that would take us through a variety of Alexandria neighborhoods, to the Potomac River, through historic Old Town and back to Del Ray.

The morning was ours for exercise, dog time and some much needed girl time – perfect for solving the world’s problems, a walk of this nature provides many “snoop-worthy” stops and google moments.

Our Del Ray neighborhood was built around a rail yard in the late 1800s.  Crossing those historic (and currently used) train tracks was the beginning of our hike.

Along the way we ran into dogs (and their owners) and one of Jean’s colleagues and his dog. 

Boomer and Daisy did well on the walk, and about 40 minutes into our excursion, they got a well-deserved play break at Old Town’s Founder's Park in the heart of Old Town and on the Potomac River.  Old Town Alexandria, Virginia is a town with a rich history, and played a featured role in the Revolutionary War, the formation of Washington, D.C., and the Civil War.  Today, it’s the backdrop of the PBS series Mercy Street.  It’s also a great place to window shop, grab a bite to eat and wander streets that look close to the way they did 200 years ago.

A much needed romp in Founder's Park

 

We leave Founder’s Park we work our way past the Torpedo Factory.  The Torpedo Factory actively produced torpedoes until the end of World War II. 

 

 

 

 It was used for storage by the federal government until the mid-1970s when it was turned into an arts center.  Today it houses nearly 100 art galleries and studios.

 

From the Torpedo Factory we turned up one of our favorite streets – Cameron Street.  We passed the backside of the familiar Carlyle House, which was once part of the Mansion House Hotel. 

The back of the Carlyle House, the focal point of Mercy Street

During the Civil War, Alexandria – a Southern town and the hometown of Robert E Lee, was occupied by Union troops.  Any large home or building (hotel) was immediately taken by the Union and turned into a hospital or utilized by the Army.  This is largely the plot of Mercy Street.

Jean, Daisy, Boomer and I have walked about 6,000 steps when we hit Wise’s Tavern – at the corner of Cameron and North Fairfax streets.  On April 16^th 1789, George Washington was first publically addressed as President of the United States at an event at Wise’s Tavern.

Wise's Tavern

 

We stop and say hi to a passerby and her dog.  It turns out she’s the owner of the dog-friendly Sonoma Cellar on King Street.  We plan on visit for their Taco Tuesday and wine tasting.

A few blocks further up Cameron is Gadsby's Tavern – which is where the Colonial elite hung out – including George and Martha Washington.  Their “city” house is within eyesight of the tavern.  Apparently Martha wasn’t much of a cook, so when they were in the city, they had their meals at Gadsby’s.  Like much of Old Town, Gadsby’s is also said to be haunted. 

 

As we hit Washington Street one of the two main thoroughfares in Old Town, we are facing Christ Church, which was the home church to both the Washington and Lee families.

Walking down Washington Street we pass Oronoco Street where the Lee family lived in several homes, including the Lee Fendall House, where Jean had her wedding reception.  At the end of the block at St. Asaph Street is  Old Towne School for Dogs which is packed full of delicious treats, accessories and food for dogs and cats.

We cross Washington Street and walk down Oronoco heading into the Parker Gray neighborhood, which was created during and after the Civil War for freedmen and emancipated slaves.  The neighborhood remained historically significant during the Civil Right era with notable leaders of that movement residing in the neighborhood.

We’ve broken the 10,000 step mark as we turn down Fayette Street – looking at renovated houses, sleeping secret gardens, and courtyards that look eager for spring.

A beautiful garden waiting for Spring

 

Finally, crossing back to our side of the railroad tracks, we’re home.  We’ve made new friends, seen some old ones, solved the world’s problems, made plans for Taco Tuesday and had some quality girl and dog time!

 

Doggie photo op by the Potomac

 

 

Serving Others as a Therapy Dog -- What's Involved?

About a year ago, I started to contemplate something new to do with my 10-year-old lab mix, Juno. She, my husband, and I enjoy our walks as a pack, as well as traveling when we are not all together in our office at “work.” While I continue building my business, I wanted to have something fun and engaging to do on the side, and if I could take my dog with me, all the better!

 My brother was the first to suggest I look into therapy dog training for Juno, as the hospital he works at utilizes therapy dogs for patients and families on a regular basis, and he felt that our cool-as-a-cucumber lab mix would make a great addition to the volunteer staff there.

 Therapy dogs are not service animals, so they can’t go everywhere their handler does as is the case with a seeing-eye dog or a comfort animal. Therapy dogs do, however, serve an important function by being neutral parties who are simply there to support the emotional needs of others in times of stress. Therapy dogs serve in a number of facilities including but not limited to visits in hospitals, funeral homes, nursing facilities, libraries, schools, colleges and universities, libraries and even airports.

Good Dogs! Juno's classmates patiently wait

 I found a training program run through Therapy Dogs International (TDI), and enrolled Juno and I for the 6 week course this past fall. The training was rather similar to our work on the AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate we earned a few months earlier, but it was a bit more intense.

 Over those six weeks, Juno and I learned as a team how to remain calm if things (canes or other items) were dropped next to us; how to navigate around wheelchairs as well as walkers; and how to remain in a “down stay” for a longer period and allow strangers who may not be used to dogs approach and touch her.

 I’m proud to say that Juno made the training look easy. I have to admit that her age might have been a bit of an advantage, as the other dogs in her class were really puppies no more than three years old to her 10. Still, all of the dogs in her class did remarkably well with the challenges set before them.

 The hardest part for most dogs is the testing phase, during which handlers are not allowed to offer treats to their dog for a job well done. Although Juno is very motivated by food, she is also thankfully very happy for praise or a belly rub, too, so that helped us out in the long run.

 I’m happy to say that Juno passed with flying colors and we are now in the process of getting paperwork completed so we can begin our volunteer time at the hospital. This part takes longer than the training, because of the medical sign-offs and tests that I need to go through (it is a hospital, after all, so I need to be up on my vaccines! Juno’s all ready to go; she’s just waiting for me!

 We will certainly report in again once we begin our visits in earnest. In the meantime, if you and your pup are interested in becoming a certified therapy dog team, you can contact Therapy Dogs International via their website at www.tdi-dog.org.

 

 

 

 

MJ Courchesne is a freelance publishing consultant, writer, and part-time personal trainer with a passion for gardening, walking, wine, and travel. She lives in a restored 1890s Victorian home situated in the heart of Buffalo, NY with her husband and lab mix, Juno. Her new blog can be found at http://nickelcityboomerang.blogspot.com/.

 

3 Girls Animal Rescue -- Adopt Some Love

 

 

 

 

 

Adopt Some Love – Two Women Make it Their Mission to Save Hundreds of Dogs and Cats in Rural Oklahoma



This is Jessi.  At five weeks old, she was left in a pasture to fend for herself.  3 Girls rescued her and transported her to Colorado where she is bringing joy and comfort to her family that recently experienced tremendous loss.

 
The first thing you need to know about 3 Girls Animal Rescue in Poteau, OK– they are all volunteers.

The second thing you need to know about 3 Girls Animal Rescue – they are actually two girls, they say the third girl symbolizes the volunteers.

The third thing you need to know about 3 Girls Animal Rescue – they are the only hope for hundreds of animals in LeFlore County, Oklahoma.

 
Poteau is a small rural town located in the southeastern part of Oklahoma, not far from Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Poteau has a pound – not a shelter.  Animals taken in as strays are held for 5 days.  If animals are not claimed or pulled by 3 Girls Animal Rescue, they are euthanized on the 5^th day.  Owner give ups are destroyed in one day, unless they are saved by 3 Girls. That’s the heartbreaking and shocking reality that Mitzi and Angela work with every day.

3 Girls Animal rescue was founded in 2013 (and incorporated a year later) to give animals in Poteau and Wister, Oklahoma a fighting chance – the tiny organization saved 450 dogs and cats in its first year.  In 2014, they saved 419 animals and for 2015, they are on track to rescue over 600 animals.



Mitzi got a call and went out in a snowstorm to rescue this precious boy.   He was around 8-10 years old, deaf from chronic, untreated ear infections, almost blind, heartworm positive, and absolutely the cutest thing she’d had ever seen!  Mitzi figured he'd spend the rest of his years at her house, but this wonderful couple saw his picture and fell in love!  They drove 2 1/2 hours to adopt him.  Say hello to Bernie and his family!

 

 

Mitzi and Angela work as a strong team, doing everything in their power to save animals in LeFlore County.  One of their greatest successes came in July 2014 when the team worked to change city code to end the gassing of dogs and cats – animals are now taken to local veterinarians to be euthanized. (sadly, there are still municipalities that gas animals)

 

It’s Mitzi that visits the pound every other day to pull the animals.  “It’s a heartbreaking but rewarding life,” she confessed, “but I feel blessed to get to rescue.  We are the only hope these babies have.” She also recruits and works with fosters.  She reminds fosters of the vital role they play in saving animals lives, “If we don’t save them, they won’t have another chance.”  That’s not hyperbole, that’s fact, the pounds do not adopt out animals, if they aren’t pulled by 3 Girls Animal Rescue, the dogs and cats don’t survive.

  

Mitzi and Angela work to ensure that all dogs and cats are fully vetted – up to date on shots, as well as spayed and neutered.  They work with three vet clinics in the area.  It costs 3 Girls a minimum of $120 per dog to get it ready for adoption.  The majority of dogs and cats they save need to be spayed and neutered.  The animals suffer from worms, ear mites and unfortunately – heart worms.  It’s not unusual for vet bills to reach several hundred dollars for a dog with heart worms – but they will do whatever is needed to save that animal and get it adopted.

 It’s not plausible that the hundreds of animals Mitzi pulls from the pound will be adopted in LeFlore County or even across the river in Fort Smith – and that’s where Angela comes in.  Angela is the master networker and logistics maven.  She works with rescue organizations in Colorado, Illinois and Connecticut to take the vetted animals and provide them homes.  She also schedules all the transportation for the animals.  So once or twice a month Mitzi, Angela, and a volunteer will drive a van load of healthy animals to their first stop to a forever home.  With no money for over-night stays, those animal transports are often one day turn arounds, and each season brings weather challenges. 



When Mitzi's dear friend Sonna asked for a companion, Mitzi put Diamond in the car and drove 3 hours. 
It was love at first sight!

Mitzi and Angela work part time to help keep the rescue afloat.  Running a rescue is financially and emotionally draining.  Mitzi says the team's spouses are incredibly supportive and will step in when they sense a member of the duo needs a break.  They also could not do it without the support of volunteers and fosters.

Long term the team wants to continue to rescue animals and would like to start a low-cost spay neuter facility in LeFlore County.  “Our number one challenge is over population,” Mitzi says.  She said 3 Girls recently initiated a policy, “we won’t take an owner’s puppies unless they promise to spay the mother.  We had to, we kept getting litter after litter from the same dog.”


Here’s Mitzi with Stevie.  Stevie was in very bad shape when Mitzi pulled him from the pound. He only had use of 3 legs due to a permanent injury to one leg, had serious skin infections and was totally deaf. 
He's now happy in his forever home!

 

So what’s on 3 Girls wish list for 2016 and how can you help?

1)      Donate.  It costs 3 Girls a minimum of $120 to save a dog and $89 per cat http://form.jotformpro.com/form/42637003824955  and while they have great relationships with their partner rescues in Colorado, Illinois and Connecticut, those organizations don’t reimburse for or share vetting or transportation costs.

 

2)      Network.  Do you know a rescue group that accepts healthy animals from out of state, maybe one that shares costs and fees? Do you know of organizations that can help bring low-cost spay and neuter to services to Poteau?  Do you have friends and family in Oklahoma or Arkansas that can foster or volunteer?

3)      Educate.  Share the story of 3 Girls Animal Rescue with your friends and network.  Do you have a contact or expertise that can help 3 Girls expand?  Share it!   Currently 3 Girls is funded through private donations, but they’d love to apply for grants – ideas are welcome!

4)      Shop.  PawsGo is honored to support 3 Girls with these market bags.  We created and produced them for 3 Girls, to help support their rescue efforts.  Bags are $20 each and you can find them through PawsGo (www.pawsgo.com) or 3 Girls Animal Rescue https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.923421431044402.1073741879.448255361894347&type=3  

        3 Girls is also  registered on Igive.com.
 

We rescue because these animals have so much love to give. We rescue because when we look into the eyes of the dogs and cats in those pens at the pound, we see souls. We see fear, where there should be joy, and we HAVE to help them –
                                                       3 Girls Animal Rescue…..

 

3 Girls Animal Rescue

P.O. Box 1001

Shady Point, Oklahoma  74956

 

Annaliese was part of a litter of pups the girls saved and drove to Colorado for adoption.  Here she is with Angela celebrating arrival and hope for a forever home.

 

 

Canine Education -- Good for Dogs and Humans

Why You Should Go to School With Your Dog

By Jean Card

Like many dog lovers, I once believed that love conquers all – that simply caring for my dog would lead us through any behavioral challenges.

 Then I got a dog.

 I was fortunate enough, at the time, to have a neighbor and friend who was a veterinarian and dog behavior guru – the owner of three champion Laikas with enough ribbons and trophies to fill a wall of bookshelves in her house!

My friend was more than willing to share her knowledge of what it really takes to have a great, well-behaved dog (instead of the incessantly barking, jumping, leash-biting, leash-pulling, yowling 10-month-old shelter puppy name Daisy that I had on my hands … without the first clue of what to do other than feed, pet and love her!).

From my veterinarian friend, I learned the basic value of things like crating, daily long walks and always rewarding positive behavior (“always carry treats!” she told me).

 My friend also taught me the importance of enrolling in actual training classes with my dog – something I now recommend to every dog owner I know.

 

Daisy and I have been through basic obedience twice – once at Pet Smart and once at Woofs in Arlington, Virginia – and have recently graduated to more intermediate skills in a Woofs tricks class last fall.

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With each class we take, the bond between us deepens and my ability to lead Daisy into the most desirable behavior is increased exponentially.

Here is just one example of what I’ve learned in class that I would never have known otherwise:

The most basic positive dog behavior – the foundation for all others – is voluntary attention and eye contact from your dog. This simple act of the dog looking at you and holding your gaze is something that should be rewarded with a yummy, tiny treat, over and over and over. Our work on this basic skill means that when we’re out on a dog walk and encounter an exciting situation (like a jumping, barking or lunging dog), I am more likely to be able to engage Daisy’s attention on ME and move past the situation without escalation.

 

Because of what we’ve learned in class (and practiced on walks and at home), Daisy and I are now ready to do even more fun things together – we’ll be taking an agility class soon, and we will continue to work on the skills needed to earn her Canine Good Citizen certification this year, qualifying her to be a therapy dog at local hospitals.

 

Going to school with your dog is the responsible thing to do, but it is also the most fun thing you can do as a dog owner and dog lover. For me, it has meant learning more about my favorite topic (Daisy and dogs!) and deepening my bond with my best canine friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jean Card is a writer and dog lover living in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband Noel Card, their dog Daisy Sue, and their two cats, Ricky and Lucy.

 

A Nepalese Tradition Comes to a Dog-Loving U.S. Neighborhood

A Nepalese Tradition Comes to a Dog-Loving U.S. Neighborhood

By Leslie Duss

When photos of adorable dogs in Nepal decked in marigold garlands appeared in the news earlier this year, we thought it would be great to do something similar in our very dog-friendly neighborhood of Del Ray in Alexandria, VA.   After all, Del Ray is a haven for dogs. We imagined a parade of Del Ray dogs through town.

Earlier this fall, we honored Del Ray dogs in the Nepalese tradition called Kukur Tihar or Kukur Puja, the worship of dogs.

While in the initial planning phase for the event, our friends at doggiewalker.com referred us to neighbor and dog lover Susan Walke. Susan lived in Nepal and participated in Kurkur Tihar so she had first-hand knowledge about how it works and strong ties to the local Nepalese community in our area.

Several Nepalese community leaders celebrated with us and even donated all the marigold garlands that adorned each dog.

We met a small  “Pocket Park”, where the dogs had a chance to meet and sniff each other – and owners could chat.

We set up the marigold garlands according to size.

Mrs. Bandita Sharma Dahal spoke to everyone for a few minutes, telling us about the ritual we were about to perform. She said that dogs are honored as protectors of the home and also the messengers of Lord Yamaraj, the God of Death. Dogs are worshiped each year for Kukur Tihar and offered garlands, tika (the red powder) and special treats.

We decorated the forehead of each dog with colored powder (tika) as we presented them with their own marigold garland.

The group the paraded through our neighborhood.

Stopping for rests and water breaks along the way…

Finally making it to the local dog park

After all that walking and socializing, the dogs were ready for a nap!

Not only was this a fun event for everyone, we raised $540 for Nepal. The funds will be used to purchase a new set of clothing for 40 orphans in a town about an hour from Kathmandu. The Rotary Club will also prepare a special festival meal (for the Nepali festival of Dashain) for the children when they take them the clothes.

This post originally appeared in DIYDelRay.com.  For more information on how you can celebrate your dog and assist the Nepali community, please contact info@diydelray.com or leave a comment for PawsGo.

Here is more information on the festival -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tihar_(festival)