My Meridian Star Article: Go Outdoors, Not On My Floors!

Go Outdoors, Not on My Floors!

By: Ashley Owen Hill, guest columnist

THE MERIDIAN STAR

So many new pet owners have experienced the joy of ruined carpets, floors, and furniture due to indoor potty breaks. Not to mention that lovely fragrance… quite similar to potpourri.

Housebreaking can be difficult, and most people are very misguided. Everyone has heard this advice: ‘When you see urine on the floor, stick their nose in it, pop them, and say No!’ Sounds brilliant, right? If brilliant means ineffective, then yes. It’s genius.

Why so? When you scold your dog after the fact, he assumes the punishment is for the mess itself. But he doesn’t understand that making the mess is the issue. Pets can’t make this connection. Your dog just thinks you are a neat freak who doesn’t like messiness. That’s why pups often look guilty when you notice their floor jewelry; they can’t comprehend that the problem is actually how those precious gems got there.

Focus on preventing accidents, not punishment after the fact. If your dog ruins your rug because you didn’t take him outside when he needed to go, it’s not his fault!

The trick is to catch your dog in the act. When you discover your dog eliminating inside, say ‘No!’ and immediately take him outside. Always give praise after your dog goes in the right area.

New dogs and puppies present the most challenges. When bringing a new dog to your home, first introduce him to the yard area that will act as his restroom. Wait for the dog to relieve himself, and give tons of praise when he does so. This will lay the groundwork for future bathroom behavior.

During training, take your dog out frequently. Go outside with him each time and give praise. I know the urge to be lazy is strong, but outdoor trips with your dog will reduce indoor cleanup. They won’t know what pleases you, unless you are there to tell them.

Important note, puppies don’t have bladder and bowel control. They eliminate frequently, and it’s not their fault. If you want a pee-free house, you must accommodate their needs. Set a bathroom schedule and stick to it. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after meals and playtime, and right before bed. Establishing a routine will help your dog understand when and where to go.

Crate training is a great housebreaking method. Most dogs won’t eliminate in their sleeping area, so crates are very effective in reducing cleanup while teaching them not to potty indoors. Always take your dog outside immediately after release from their crate, and give praise.

Puppy pads are very effective for some, but not all. I have a pup that uses the pads to make confetti. With this method, take your dog directly to the puppy pad when you catch them eliminating indoors, and give praise for pad usage.

As with all training, be consistent. It’s not fair to punish your dog if they don’t know what’s expected of them. Instead of spanking your pup for indoor surprises, you should spank yourself for not taking him out.

Ashley Owen Hill is the owner of Lucky Dog Retreat, 8659 Hillview Dr, Meridian. Email her at Ashley@luckydogretreatmeridian.com. Follow her blog at www.luckydogrescueblog.blogspot.com.

In Loving Memory of Sheena Crumbley

Link to Sheena's Fund: Donate In Loving Memory of Sheena Crumbley

Sheena Crumbley was a beautiful person with an incredible love for animals. Sheena loved all animals, but she had a special place in her heart for dogs. Throughout her life, she opened her home to many dogs in need, giving them the love and hope they so desperately needed. She was an incredible human being.

Sheena was diagnosed with a brain tumor 11 years ago. She battled this tumor for nearly half her life, but she always had an incredible spirit. Two years ago, Sheena received the devastating news that she had brain cancer. Over the last 2 months, her cancer became aggressive…

And today, Sheena Crumbley lost her battle at 27 years old.

Before she died, the last thing Sheena did was sit in the field with her dogs and enjoy the sunshine...

Sheena's dying wish was to make a difference for dogs in need. Instead of sending her family food that won't be eaten or flowers that will die, she asked everyone donate to the dogs of Lucky Dog Rescue to honor her memory. Sheena wants the dogs who so desperately need help to have a chance at the happy lives they deserve.

These dogs did not ask for the pain they've endured, just as Sheena didn't ask for her pain. Sheena knew she couldn’t be saved, but she wants the dogs to live on in her memory.

Please, help make Sheena’s dying wish come true by saving many more lives in her name. In life and in death, this is what Sheena wanted.

Sheena Crumbley ~ March 31, 1983 - March 14, 2011

Click here to donate in Sheena's memory

Let's Go Home

As I look around at the many foster dogs who love and depend on me, I anxiously anticipate the bittersweet moment when they'll move on to the next phase of their lives... going HOME to their forever family.

I'll never be able to explain in words the immense joy --and overwhelming heartbreak-- of that moment. It’s like my heart, while so full of happiness, is being ripped from my chest. When they go, I honestly lose a piece of myself... a piece that will never return to me.

On that day, this precious dog... who's been nothing less than my own child... is leaving me forever. Most of them, I'll never see again. They can’t call me. They can’t send a letter. I can’t see them, touch them, or hold them anymore. When I let them go... I know that it's the last time our paths will ever cross in this lifetime.

For a short while, this foster dog is my entire world. I pulled this dog from death... right into my heart. I nursed them back to health. I taught them to trust, to play, to share. I showed them compassion for the first time in their life, and I promised to love them always...

That love, lives forever, inside my soul.

All the while, I know... that one day soon, they will leave me.

I know that each hug, each kiss, each smile, is precious… as this won't last forever.

I know that in days or weeks, I will cry myself to sleep, because I miss this baby so much.

I know that, when I leave them with their new family, they will not understand.

I know that they will try to leave with me.

I know that I will sob as I say, “No, baby. Stay here. This is your home now.”

I know that I will hear them cry for me as I drive away.

I know that for a couple of days, they will wait by the door for me to return.

I know that I won’t return.                                                                      

And I know that I will spend the rest of my life loving someone that I can never see again.

But here’s what else I know:

I know that this dog will now have the life they deserve, with a family who will treasure them.

I know that they will soon realize that this new home is where they belong.

I know that they will understand why I did what I did for them, and why I had to leave.

I know that they will thank me for what I did, every day, forever.

I know that their lives now mean something to someone other than myself.

I know that the joy experienced during our time together will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I know that my pain resulted in a lifetime of their joy.

I know that my saving them really saved me.

I know that I can now save another life in their place, and in their honor.

And I know that, for one more dog, the world is exactly as it should be.

What a gift to give… Life. Love. Happiness. The holes in my heart are repaired by the joy of a family that is now complete. A family that will forever be special to me, because they made my child, their child.

Yes, I take them in... knowing that they will leave me, but the pain of their leaving doesn’t outweigh the joy of the time I have with them. And my gift to them is happiness, every single day, for the rest of their lives.

The moment will come when each of my children will leave me for another family. I look at my rescue babies, and despite the pain, my heart longs for that moment. They deserve that moment. They deserve a family that will love them forever. A place to call home. They deserve the life that they almost never had… the life that others tried to steal from them. But I fought to give that life back to them. And as we part, I give them 2 things: their life and my heart.

And now, another dog deserves the chance to be rescued by me in their place. As one dog waits by the door for me to return, another waits on death row for me to arrive. And the dog awaiting my return already has a family… the other doesn’t even know what a family is. So my heart can handle the pain, because another’s despair depends on my strength.

And when I arrive, I'll say, “Hey little one. I'm your new mom, and everything's okay now. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here… I had to let my other baby go... so I could take you as my child. One day soon, you'll leave me too, and that will be the second-best day of your life. Today is the best. Let’s go home.”

CLICK TO DONATE TO LUCKY DOG RESCUE!

My Story

Since so many new friends are visiting my blog thanks to care2's post featuring Lucky Dog Rescue as "Rescue of the Week," I thought it was a good time to re-share my very first blog post... so that all of you can get to know me a little more. "My Story" was written directly from my heart, and if you want to know exactly who I am, this post says it all.

Thank you, all of you, for reaching out to me about Annie's story. I've never in my life been more touched.


My Story
My name is Ashley, and I'm an animal rescuer.
I was born an animal rescuer.
It's truly the reason I was put on this Earth.
As a little girl, I'd bring home every stray dog and cat in sight. Nurture them. Find them homes.
Back then, I remember how heartbroken I was the first time I realized that not everyone was like me.
As I get older, I realize just how few people actually are like me.


It’s difficult to explain the way I feel to someone who doesn’t share my passion. Most people will admit that it is painful for them to witness a case of animal cruelty. However... most people are able to see a dog in need, resolve to themselves that they cannot help the dog, and go about their lives as if they never saw the dog in the first place.


I am incapable of doing this.


The image of that dog will slowly eat away at my soul. I have nightmares about the dogs I cannot reach. I'm not the kind of person who can just look away. When others turn their heads... I look harder... and take action. I see the world for what it is, and I fight against it. I don’t live in a bubble... where I think everything is okay. I know that things aren't okay, but I do everything in my power to change that.


I'm a voice for those who cannot speak... and I'm a voice to be reckoned with. The animals need me. In most cases, I'm their only hope.


As a rescuer, I get angry at the world every single day.
My heart hurts from the things I've witnessed.
I get overwhelmed.
I want to scream.
Sometimes, I just want to quit.
To completely give up.


But... when I think I can’t go on, when I think I just can’t do it any more... I look at the dogs. I look at these precious souls... living a life they never knew possible. I look at their capacity for forgiveness--which far exceeds that of any human. My rescue dogs have experienced the worst the world has to offer. Most of them have been chained, beaten, and starved for much of their lives. Before me, they'd never encountered kindness on any level.
But when I look at them today, I see no trace of anger.
There's no resentment.
No self-pity.
There's only the desire to be loved.
It's truly the most incredible thing I have ever witnessed.


The pain associated with animal rescue doesn’t even come close to the joy it's brought into my life. My heartbreak is healed daily, by the love of those I have saved. They remind me that there's more to the world than my selfish needs. They make me smile, and laugh, and feel ever-so comforted by the unconditional love they give me.
They make me feel alive.
And with each that I save... my faith is strengthened.
My heart is made whole.
My soul is awakened.


Because... what most people don’t understand is this: 
I'm not rescuing them. They are rescuing me.

CLICK TO DONATE TO LUCKY DOG RESCUE!

My Meridian Star Article: Pet Food for Thought

March 8, 2011

Pet Food for Thought

By: Ashley Owen Hill, guest columnist

THE MERIDIAN STAR

See Spot. See Spot run. See Spot stop running, because he is overweight. Or underweight. Or unhealthy from a low-quality dog food. See Spot looking at you like, ‘Come on. Would you eat this stuff?’ See Felix the Cat say, ‘Amen, brother.’

Most pet owners have an understanding that food is a must for their pet. Dogs and cats should be fed an adequate amount each day based on their weight and energy needs. Duh, right? But will any ole food suffice? Believe it or not, your pet food decision determines their health.

Many people choose to buy the cheapest pet food on the shelf, because clearly, a cheap price means higher quality, right? Wrong. The quality of your pet’s food has a direct impact on their health and lifespan. If you spend more money on food now, you’ll likely spend less on medical conditions later.

You might be surprised to hear that the most popular pet food brands are actually made with the poorest quality ingredients, and your pet’s health depends on the ingredients! The first or second ingredient listed should be an animal protein such as beef, lamb, chicken, or turkey. Concentrated sources of protein known as ‘meal’ (such as ‘lamb meal’) are actually preferred over whole meats (‘lamb’). Whole grains, vegetable and fruit fiber, and quality fat sources (vegetable or fish oils) should also be present. Great brands include Blue Buffalo, Wellness, and Nutro. Avoid foods with lots of crazy-long-word ingredients. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient list with some minimum level of intelligence, consider the food unfit for a stuffed animal.

While high-quality brands may cost a little more money, these foods actually provide more bang for your buck. With fewer filler ingredients (non-digestible additives), you’ll be able to feed your pet smaller portions providing more nutrition. Not to mention the reduction in vet expenses down the road!

In addition, many low-quality foods can cause a multitude of skin issues. If your pet has hair loss or skin irritation, they may be experiencing an allergic reaction to their diet. Consult with your veterinarian and consider switching to a higher-quality formula.

Also, never over- or under-feed your pet. Pet obesity can lead to diabetes, joint pain, heart disease, and decreased lifespan. You aren’t doing your pets any favors by treating them like garbage disposals. Underweight pets can experience many painful health problems and low energy. Therefore, base daily feedings on your pet’s weight and energy needs.

One last point, providing water for your pet seems obvious, but so many people forget this necessity. Dogs and cats should always have access to fresh, clean water. If there are unknown organisms throwing a pool party in your pet’s water bowl, then it’s time to wash and refill with fresh water.

Our pets’ health depends on our choices for their diet. The best decision for your pocketbook now may be the worst decision for your pet’s health later. So put the fancy clothes back on the rack, and put your money where your pet’s mouth is.

Ashley Owen Hill is the owner of Lucky Dog Retreat, 8659 Hillview Dr, Meridian. Email her at Ashley@luckydogretreatmeridian.com. Follow her blog at www.luckydogrescueblog.blogspot.com.