Mountain Tails

02/23/2022

Amazing news for dog owners who deal with this horrible disease!

💊🐶 The generic version of the drug known as Vi**ra could be the remedy for dogs with a rare and deadly eating disorder called megaesophagus. Many dogs with the disease die or are humanely euthanized due to poor quality of life within 8 months. Research by veterinarian Dr. Jillian Haines looks to improve that.

Read the story: https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2022/02/21/viagra-promising-as-treatment-for-dogs-with-often-fatal-eating-disorder/

Support the WSU megaesophagus research fund: https://foundation.wsu.edu/give/?fund=f9ea8505-876e-4ae3-8f9e-e61ad390088f&cat=idonate_colleges&area=idonate_veterinary_medicine&utm_source=vet-med&utm_medium=news-story&utm_campaign=cvm-megaesophagus-research-fund

11/26/2019

As an owner of rescued dogs, and also purebred dogs that were purchased from responsible breeders that I show and hunt, I feel that this is a very "balanced" article that I am about to post, and an opinion that I share with the author. I am getting more and more offended and annoyed by the ignorance of the "adopt don't shop" campaign. I'd love it if someone could come up with something more fitting, and something that is less of a slap in the face to those of us who have bought dogs from responsible breeders, and especially those who ARE responsible breeders. This article isn't long, and although I really encourage you to take five minutes to read it, I realize not everyone has the attention span or wants to open their minds. But before you slap someone in the face again with , maybe you might think about reading it and come back to do just that.

https://medium.com//why-the-adopt-dont-shop-mentality-is-detrimental-to-dogs-b35c41e85fba

Rescuers are the most amazing people in the dog world. They spend their nights and weekends transporting pets from dire conditions and…

09/18/2019

I can't tell you how many times I had similar conversations with customers. Please put time and effort into researching what breed or mixed breed you adopt or purchase!

Dog owner tells me: Hi, my dog pulls on the leash and runs into the woods after deer if I let it off leash.

Me: Okay. What's the breed?

Owner: A siberian husky mixed with a c**n hound.

Me: Okay, so you have a musher mixed with a hunting type of dog?

Owner: yes.

Me: ok, what are these breeds bred to do?

Owner: well, half of the dog should be pulling and the other half run into the woods and hunt.

Me: Yes. And your problem was?

Owner: it pulls on the leash and runs after wildlife.

Me: yea, it appears that you have a dog meant for pulling and hunting.

Owner: yes, that's correct. Can you train it out of the dog?

Me: Do you have any interests?

Owner: Eh, yea sure I do. I like to paint and watch movies.

Me: can you consider quitting doing that?

Owner: no, I don't think I can. But what does this have to do with dog training?

Me: would you consider doing something else that gives you the same pleasure you get from painting and watching movies?

Owner: I mean, sure I can do other things but it's not as fun.

Me: ok. And what can you offer a musher that is more fun than pulling and a hunting dog that is more fun than hunting?

The dog owner is silent for a while.
Owner: That's a good question. I don't know.

Me: neither do I.

Owner: perhaps I should had gotten myself a PlayStation?

Me: haha, yea if you dont like hunting or being a lot outdoors training perhaps this dog isn't for you.

Owner: yea, one should perhaps read up more before getting a dog. But it's awfully cute!

Me: yes, I understand that.

Owner : it sheds a lot too. My husband goes crazy of all the fur everywhere.

Me: mmm, that's something you have to deal with.

Owner : yes, it was even hairs in the stew last night.

Me: yea that's not uncommon.

Owner : but you know what? I met a husky when I was 12. It was so beautiful. Ever since I've always wanted one.

Me: too bad you didn't meet a PlayStation instead.

Owner laughs: alright, I think I'm starting to understand that it's not the dog that has problems but me.

Me: haha, not much of a "problem". What you are saying is very common. People with guarding dogs gets angry when their dog growls at strangers. People with sighthounds gets frustrated when their dog comes home with a baby rabbit. People often know too little when they get a dog.

Owner : thanks for the chat. I have learned a lot in 10 minutes.

Me: good luck in the future. There's a lot we can do to help you in your training with the dog. But The dog will always have a need and joy to pull and hunt.

Owner: yes, I can understand that now.

----Author unknown.

03/17/2019

Flashback to Walter, one of my favorite sassy Goldens! Came across this photo from a 2014 session. Gone but never forgotten.

06/24/2018

One of my photography clients (who are now good friends) shared this with me today. I had forgotten what a fun dog Finn was to photograph and all the great images I was able to get in just 45 minutes. He was just a big pup then...❤️ If you are a lover of Golden’s, this blog post is worth a look.

Also....when I read my blog post I noticed we had a drought that year but the rains came in July, and by August it was green and lush. Let’s keep hoping for the rain, Telluride is much too dry!

Finner is back!!!!! Finn was one of my favorite photo sessions last year, he had a summer session AND a fall session. Finn is 2.5 years old and just a BIG sweet puppy. You can check out Finn's summer session by going to this link… also featuring a photobomb of Picabo as a puppy. :)

http://www.mountaintailsphotography.com/a-golden-moment-in-telluride/

05/29/2018

I always cringe when I see dogs who are shaved for the summer to “keep them cool”. A dog’s coat, when properly groomed, WILL keep them cool. Shaving them does more harm than good, and also puts the dog at risk for sunburn (especially at higher altitudes)!

Here’s a handy chart to explain it.

04/21/2018

Recall Alert! I get emails alerting me to recalls at least once a week. Pathogens are impossible to keep out of OUR food supply, so the same risk applies to our pets. Vets will like to tell you how risky raw feeding is (I've been a raw feeder for 20 years with no issues, so I would be a proponent of giving our pets real food, and not dry processed cereal). The truth is that the vast majority of recalls I get are treats, chews, or dry dog foods. There is risk in ALL of these products - treats, bully sticks, dry food, canned food, raw food. Healthy dogs and cats can actually handle salmonella and other pathogens without much issue: Their digestive system is very different than ours, and my last dog scarfed down a disgusting rabbit leg in the desert with no problems, when I am quite sure any human would have been sick from the rotten meat.

Most recalls are voluntary and found during routine product testing. PLEASE sign up for recall alerts through Dog Food Advisor! These two are fairly serious and if you have a child that feeds a treat, then doesn't wash their hands, they could very well end up in the hospital. It is also a good idea to pick up pet's bowls after feeding (regardless of what kind of food you feed) if you have a baby/toddler in the house.

Botulism was found in OC Raw freeze dried treats, please see info here: https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/oc-raw-dog-recalls-treats-april-2018/

Listeria was found in OC Raw Frozen Food, please see info here: https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/oc-raw-dog-food-recall-listeria/

03/29/2018

It's that time of year again, when the snow melts and all the dog p**p ends up in the river, or mixed in with the soil on the bottom of our shoes. Telluride dog owners need to realize how lucky and unusual it is to have our nearly non-existent leash laws, with free p**p stations practically at every corner. However, we still have owners who don't pick up.

There was talk a year ago about a leash law on the river trail (gasp!), under the misguided thought that it would force people to pick up their dog's p**p. Let me inform those who think it will: I have lived in places with nothing but leash laws, and there is still p**p on the sidewalks, on front laws, and on beach walkways. Leash laws in Telluride won't fix the problem.

That said, for those who enjoy Telluride and it's friendly, well-socialized dogs, who are some of the luckiest dogs on earth for the simple reason that they are allowed to behave like dogs -- not restrained, not just allowed by tense owners to quickly sniff at the end of a taut lead and walk on, not forced to stay in a backyard all day or walk only on pavement -- that you PLEASE pick up your p**p, and maybe be nice enough to pick up a random p**p while you are at it. Just because your dog is running and playing doesn't mean you shouldn't be watching it (for many reasons)!

Leaving your dog's f***s on the sidewalk or river trail has ramifications few have thought about - even me - read this article and enlighten yourselves. And yeah - that goes for the folks in Carlsbad, Santa Barbara, Phoenix, and everywhere else where leash laws rule the world.

Pet waste has become a major pollutant, both outdoors and at home

03/23/2018

Happy National Puppy Day! Some local pups (both young and old) to brighten your day...

03/08/2018

This is a fairly widespread recall of a brand carried in groceries stores to pet boutiques. Please forward to friends if you know they feed Redbarn treats, and sign up for recall alerts!

Complete details of the March 2018 Redbarn Pet Products expanded dog chews recall as reported by the editors of the Dog Food Advisor

02/16/2018

Giardia is more prevalent in Telluride during the warmer spring months, so this is a timely article. Most people think giardia causes extreme diarrhea. In actuality, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, from very mild to extreme. One of my dogs that had a stomach of steel never showed any symptoms other than intermittent, slightly mushy p**p. I've had many customers tell me their dog couldn't have giardia because they don't allow them in the river, but your dog can get giardia regardless of if they have been swimming or drinking our of any body of water, so don't count it out if you can't think of any other reason for iffy symptoms (food switch, eating food out of the trash, etc)!

If your pet shows signs of chronic gastrointestinal disease, make sure it's not due to giardia infection that thrives in wildlife and even some human populations.

01/11/2018

I think most people that have met me, or my dogs, know that I own purebred dogs. One has been a rescue (of the same breed). The rest I paid cold hard cash for. I show them, I hunt them, I train them for other activities. I purchased them from breeders that have five generation pedigrees of dogs that have been health tested (results for these are normally online). OFA clearances, CERF clearances, Cardiac clearances, EIC clearances, etc and so on...the needed tests depend on the breed, since certain diseases are more prevalent in some.

Since I own hunting dogs, and in fact hunt them, the breeders also need to show that there are working titles in their pedigrees. Unlike what most people believe (and brag about), a CH in front of a dog's name is meaningless in regards to ending up with a dog who is healthy, has an appropriate temperament for the breed, or has any working ability. The costs of these tests, and the cost of breeding is not cheap, and unlike what people would like to believe, "hobby" breeders (those that breed to improve the breed), do not make money by breeding. And they spend an enormous amount of their time stressing over whelping pups, sleepless nights the first few weeks, the heartbreak of losing puppies, spending time socializing pups to scary and new sounds and smells and other enrichment activities. Letting them have indoor time alone without their littermates, but at least 8 weeks with their littermates to learn proper social skills. Time in water if they are a swimming breed, even if it is just a baby pool. Exposure to kids that will play with them before they go off to their new homes. Bottom line, having a litter is a full time job and expensive. Good breeders usually breed once a year, and sometimes less. If you find a good breeder, you may find yourself on a waitlist for a year, if not more.

I support rescue, and many of my favorite dogs are mutts. But I love the history of dogs, the reason behind the development of certain breeds, and watching dogs do what they are bred to do is more fun than I can even explain - livestock guardian dogs, lure coursing, hunting, herding, whatever it may be. They know their purpose, it is hardwired in their brain....IF they were bred properly. But if you are going to pay the big bucks for a dog, do your homework, and don't buy from a backyard breeder! If you don't know what a backyard breeder is, read on. Hopefully you won't forget this story the next time you start to write a check for a puppy.

Natasha and I lost our Bruno yesterday. He was a big beautiful goofball with an anxiety disorder that our animal behaviourist said was the result of irresponsible breeding and likely compounded by meeting all the wrong people for most of the first year of his life. I don't think I can adequately exp...

12/20/2017

What's your vaccination plan for your pet? Do you just blindly trust your vet to vaccinate at the right time, for the right diseases? Check out the AAHA's new vaccination guidelines which include a change to core vaccinations, and for the first time ever, an acknowledgment that titering your dog is a valid option for determining your dog's immunity. Titering is something I have been doing for over ten years, yet many vets never bring it up as an option!

Please forward to anyone getting a new pet this holiday season, and always be an advocate for your pet - this change in guidelines is a step forward, but generally, but there will be vets that are unwilling to follow it.

(Please note that while this article is on Dr. Mercola's website, the author is Dr. Karen Becker, one of the most well-respected veterinarians in the country)

A rare new set of canine vaccine guidelines was just released, and they contain a stunning departure from their orthodox way of thinking - something holistic vets have advocated for years.

12/13/2017

I've had photography clients get annoyed when I tell them I do not sell my digital files. Call me a control freak, but when I spend hours editing your session, I want the results printed at my pro lab as accurately as possible, not at Costco, or even a retail photography store. Why would I want my hard work thrown down the drain (and why would you)?

Check out these comparisons, the difference is dramatic!

Compare and contrast. It is not only a part of our daily lives but also a part of our photography as well. When we compare two images, it’s easier to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each one individually. An example of this is when I cull a client’s images. I am always comparing at

11/21/2017

YES! Your dog's attitude matters, adjust your training method or your dog trainer accordingly! Not all dog trainers have your dog's best interest in mind.

Bottom line....don't be afraid to fire your dog trainer if you don't like what you see happening. I was told once by a customer that a local trainer "stole his dog's soul" after boarding the Lab with the trainer for a week....and I fully agree because I have seen it happen. The dog was obedient out of fear, not out of a desire to please, all the joy was gone. I've seen it firsthand. Be an advocate for your dog, don't be afraid to stand up and say no to methods that don't sit well with you!

Several months ago, I had a conversation with a client during a behavior consultation that stuck with me. I wanted to address it here today, because I think it’s a secret worry for lots of dog own…

10/30/2017

Blue Buffalo/Blue Wilderness....
One of the most requested dog food brands, but one that I always refused to carry. I can only assume people wanted it due to their superb marketing? Because I sure wouldn't think it was because of their history of recalls and lawsuits.

Here's the newest - Bottom line, please do your research. There is a website called dog food advisor that has done most of it for you. It can at least start you in the right direction. I have no idea how Blue Buffalo is still in business, but it must just be gullible customers falling for their awesome packaging and commercial appeal. Which is meaningless when it comes to what goes in MY dog's body.

A class action lawsuit filed against Blue Buffalo alleges that the dog food maker knowingly sells dog food contaminated with significant levels of lead.

09/29/2017

Just a public announcement for folks dishing out thousands for "silver" Labs from supposedly reputable breeders. Please realize you are being lied to. If you have what was sold to you as a silver Lab and love it, that is all that matters at this point. That said, I am posting this in hopes of stopping anyone else from thinking that they are getting a rare Lab, or that a silver Lab is worth more (in what world is this okay except for a breeder who is attempting to scam you?). Here is the best post I have found explaining the coloration of Labradors (hint: they come in yellow, chocolate, and black). Keep in mind that any breeders claiming that silver Labradors DO exist usually have "silver Lab" puppies for sale!

Woodhaven Labradors is a breeder of All-Purpose Labrador Retrievers, located in Mid-Michigan. Member of the LRC, Inc and founding member of Huron River LRC

09/17/2017

A shot of one of the easiest Goldens to photograph ever....Max! And while I have plenty of gorgeous photos of him, I like the goofy side also. 😜