Here’s a holiday gift idea for terrier lovers everywhere. Read: Yes, Iara, there is a Santa Claus – The Sun Chronicle : Local News about a Silky Terrier who benefited from a giving spirit.
If you can ‘t adopt a terrier in need, consider the good a gift to your local shelter or breed rescue group could do–this holiday season and throughout the year.
Parkour dog. This astonishing Staffordshire Terrier makes most terriers look comatose. Watch this RIVETING video (follows a short commercial not of my doing–sorry–it’s worth the wait).
This boy understands Terrier Logic # 12: Live with Passion. You’ll never look at a standard agility course the same way. And you’ll probably join me in never whining about your high-energy terrier ever again.
We should all Live With the Spirit of Parkour.
Credits: Found on http://bitemecharlie.wordpress.com/
Hunting is a terrier’s real purpose. “Hunt until you drop.” That’s Terrier Logic # 2. Before we ‘own’ a terrier we read all about these cute, non-shedding dogs and how independent, persistent and plucky they are. How endearing, we think. So feisty. We think we ‘get it’. But I don’t think we really do. Then some of us struggle mightily against these personality traits.
Dughall, the Cairn Terrier, parades his stuffed rat reward after succeeding at an Intro to Quarry Earthdog Test. (Photo courtesy of C. Mair.)
Many terrier owners are doing Earthdog Trials with their dogs this time of year. You could be doing hunt-ups in long grasses, searching for hidden rats among the brush then WAITING as your dogs go to ground. That’s on top of all the standing around you`ll be doing at the test site.
Somewhere along the way, a lyme-infected tick could hitch a ride–on you or your dog. So be on the lookout for ticks. Recent reports say that 10% of black-legged ticks carry the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that`s responsible for Lyme Disease.
Lyme is officially on the rise in Canada, yet disease incidence numbers are probably grossly under-estimated. While most dogs don’t get Lyme when they`re bitten by a tick, you`re much more like to become infected. Be vigilant. Not all bites have a classic bullseye rash.
The Lyme Disease bacteria is formidable. It’s tougher, smarter and way more tenacious than any Earthdog you`ll ever meet. Learn more and stay informed if you`re going to be out working with your Earthdog. Visit www.canlyme.com
Recent News on Lyme: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1215210–ticks-that-can-carry-lyme-disease-agent-spreading
Burrs happen. Suffering is (usually) optional.
I’ve had lots of practice with burrs. I get into a lot of things. Bossy and Bark find them all the time and my mare grazed a paddock laden with burrs a few summers ago. Every day, until I trudged out with a wheel barrow and the will to tear every last of those dang plants out, she came in with a unicorn horn and a dreadlocked tail. It took ages to get them out. Never to be cut out. Like a terrier’s beard.
Day after day. What to do?
Do the opposite of what comes naturally. Don’t hold the hair and pull the burrs out. Hold the burrs and pull the hair out. It’s counter-intuitive. Yet it works for beards and manes and tails. And life.
When you’re on the hunt, burrs–and other sticky or prickly things–come with the terrain. Take hold of the problem and tease the good stuff out.
Just tease the good stuff out.
Get them off me. P.L.E.A.S.E.
This is ridiculous.
Is Lyme Disease an occupational hazard for Terriers?
Terriers might be at higher risk of getting tick bites and Lyme than other breeds. Unlike many domestic dogs, they’re out “working” in tick country.
The Lyme infection (“bug”) can get the better of the most tenacious of us. While dogs are much less likely than people to contract Lyme if they’re bitten by a tick, they can still get it. And the infection can make them very sick. So don’t take risks for either of you.
Be on the look out for Lyme. Inspect your dog and yourself. Learn how to remove a tick safely. If you suspect you’ve been bitten or find a bullseye rash, see your doctor as fast as you can. Insist on a test and treat assuming you have Lyme. Human tests aren’t as sensitive as those for our dogs so many infections are missed and later misdiagnosed after the easy treatment window has closed. A moderately short course of antibiotics very early in the infection could save you years of debilitating disease.
If you live in a community with a high incidence of Lyme, consider having your dog vaccinated. If you don’t, test for Lyme every year when you test for heartworm. Ask your vet about the “4-way snap test”. And, of course, invest in good tick and flee protection.
Lyme is not an over-hyped risk. This blogger’s life was nearly destroyed by it.
Learn more about Lyme here: http://canlyme.com
Terrier Logic 