Send an impromptu “thank you for your kindness” gift to your vet, rescue organization, or workers at a shelter. Food prepared by you would probably be welcomed by people you know. For others, you may want to include a gift certificate for a local restaurant for lunch or have bagels and cream cheese brought in for breakfast.

A box or two of treats for the veterinary clinic or an item from the shelter or rescue wish list is always welcome!

Your dog seems to be choking, snorts loudly, inhales rapidly through the nose. She stiffens and extends her neck. She’s at the mercy of these spasms. It’s startling. It can be alarming and upsetting.

Thankfully I was at a Corgi Picnic when I witnessed Dash’s first reverse sneeze. They told me it was “just a reverse sneeze” and advised me matter-of-factly to cover his nostrils…and it stopped.

In thirty years of living with dogs, I hadn’t witnessed reverse sneezing, so I did a little research. Of course, please ask your veterinarian if you have further questions.

Reverse sneezing is not a sneeze at all, but a spasm. An episode can last anywhere from a few seconds to two minutes.

Why do dogs have reverse sneezes? Some possible sources are:

• Irritants (like dust, pollens, household chemicals)
• Excitement or stress
• Eating or drinking
• Running
• Pulling against the leash
• Sinusitis or upper respiratory disorders

Smaller dogs may be more susceptible to reverse sneezing.

How to stop the attack:

• Gently pinch the dog’s nostrils shut, or cover them with your hand
• Gently massage the throat area
• Gently lift the dog with your arm under his belly

The good news…although it’s alarming:

• It’s generally not harmful
• Your dog will stop reverse sneezing without your help
• Your dog will return to normal once it stops

Please notify your veterinarian if:

• Reverse sneezing suddenly begins in a senior dog
• Episodes become more frequent or severe
• Your dog develops a cough or has nasal discharge

Keep training treats in containers in the rooms where you spend the most time with your dog. (Clickertales suggests you invite your dog into the bathroom for a quick training session!) You will train more often if treats are handy. If you use a clicker, don’t forget to put one in each container.

• Choose small treats. Small treats are quickly consumed, so you can go on to the next response and treat. Your dog will consume many treats in a session, and unless you’re planning on feeding his meals this way, you don’t want him to fill up on treats.

• Make sure the containers are food-safe, and ideally, non-breakable. Plastic food containers come in all sizes and are inexpensive. If you want to use glass, a wide-mouthed salsa jar is perfect. If you prefer a decorative glass container, know that not all decorative glass pieces are food safe. Stick with a brand name like Anchor Hocking or Libby to be sure. Alternatively, you could decorate a plain glass jar yourself.

• Keep your treat jars out of reach. I have an favorite biscuit tin that was emptied by a resourceful Siberian. The evidence? A sleepy dog, and an empty tin with two neat fang marks on the lid!

Fall was in the air, and it was back-to-school for Dash. The dog bag was carefully packed, and inside, the longline was neatly hanked and tied. Even so, when I pulled it out in class, it tangled.

Sandy, our favorite clicker-friendly instructor, reminded me that I could both avoid a tangled longline and shorten my line for storage with one repetitive “weaving” motion. The instructions are below, for those who need a refresher (as I did) and for those who haven’t learned this handy trick. (The instructions are written for the right hand; please reverse if you’re a leftie.)

1. Put your left hand through the handle of the longline, while holding the longline with your right hand. Grasp the line a little below the handle with your left hand and pull your left hand back through the handle. You’ll need to use your right hand to pull the handle over your left hand. Keep hold of the line with your right hand while you…
2. Reach through the new loop you just created with your left hand, grasp the line a little below the loop, and pull your left hand back through the loop, again using your right hand to pull the handle over your left hand. Your right hand will continue to hold the loop it pulled over your left hand, until your left hand reaches for a new section of line.

That’s it! Repeat this step until you get to the end of the longline.

Note: As you “weave” your longline, it will naturally make quarter-turns away from you.

To release the longline, just pull the last loop, and the line will easily unwind.

After you get the hang of the technique, you can make the “weave” tighter by just reaching through the handle with your left thumb and forefinger (rather than your entire hand). Grasp the longline closer to the loop and pull through enough to make a loop just big enough to reach through with your thumb and forefinger. You’ll use your right hand to help pull the loop over your left hand, as before.

If you want to make the final length even shorter, you can double your longline before you begin weaving it. Clip the leash onto the loop. You will “weave” your leash as above, but you’ll pull two thicknesses of longline through each loop. My 30 foot longline done this way becomes only 30 inches!

Dash and I were headed out for a walk yesterday, when I realized that I had no pockets for my key or even belt loops for a treat bag. My dog looked expectantly from me to the door, as I stood wondering where to put the potty bags, cell phone, key, etc.

So, I switched to an extendable leash and tied a plastic bag to the handle to hold the things we needed on our walk.

Later that night, I packed a small fanny pack for future walks. I included:

• Pick up bags
• Clicker
• Treats
• Spare house key

For the cooler weather, I’ll probably add:

• A few kleenex
• Lipbalm
• Fleece ear-warmer headband

All I have to do is add my cell phone and I’m ready to go. I’ll have to replenish the pick up bags and treats as they are used, but it’s nice to be ready for a walk at a moment’s notice, no matter what I’m wearing!

Try packing your own dog walk bag. Besides a fanny pack, you could use a drawstring dog treat bag or a rock climber’s chalk bag. Both would clip onto your clothing or dog’s leash. Minimalists could use a jogger’s wristband or bag that attaches to your shoe laces. If you’re the creative type, you could make your own custom dog walk bag!

The Gaitway Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club put this thoughtful little kit in the exhibitor bags at a recent specialty. Everything fit easily in a snack-sized zip lock bag that was small enough to slip in your pocket, but comprehensive enough to solve many ringside woes.

It contained:

• Pain reliever (sample pack)
• Breath mints
• Safety pins
• Wet wipes
• Bandaids
• Cotton swabs

What a great idea!

The Fourth Annual AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day is September 16, 2006. Fun and educational events will be held across the country during the month of September. Do you have a mixed breed dog? This event welcomes all dogs, not just AKC-registrable dogs.

Visit the AKC’s website for events near your home. If there aren’t any events in your area this year, why not help plan one for next year?

(Added 092206) Take a peek at the festivities at AKC’s headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina and those in New York. Scroll down for loads of photos and video clips (NC only). It looks like it was a lot of fun!

In the spirit of this event, the AKC encourages everyone to sign the Pet Promise (below).

Many people would add one more item to the Pet Promise. If you are a pet owner, please save lives by spaying or neutering your dogs and cats. So many animals are euthanized each year because there aren’t enough homes. Please be part of the solution, and not the problem.

RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER PET PROMISE

As a dog owner, I do solemnly swear:

• I will never overlook my responsibilities for this living being and recognize that my dog’s welfare is totally dependent on me.
• I will always provide fresh water and quality food for my dog.
• I will socialize my dog via exposure to new people, places and other dogs.
• I will take pride in my dog’s appearance with regular grooming.
• I will recognize the necessity of basic training by teaching my dog to reliably sit, stay and come when called.
• I will take my dog to the vet regularly and keep all vaccinations current.
• I will pick-up and properly dispose of my dog’s waste.
• I will make sure my dog is regarded as an AKC Canine Good Citizen® by being aware of my responsibilities to my neighbors and to the community.
• I will ensure that the proper amount of exercise and mental stimulation appropriate for my dog’s age, breed and energy level is provided.
• I will ensure that my dog has some form of identification (which may include collar tags, tattoo or microchip ID.)
• I will adhere to local leash laws.

Click here for a version of the above suited to printing and signing.

Dogs do so much for us, it is an honor to make this promise for them.

In pools across the country, end-of-season dog swims are being held to benefit shelters, humane societies, dog parks, and pro-animal legislation.

In St. Louis, dogs and their owners attended pool parties that began in early August and continued through Labor Day. St. Louis’ U City pool party celebrated it’s fourth year and welcomed more then 300 dogs and their owners into the water. (See the “Snouts in Your Town” video in Windows Media Format or Quick Time.)

In Pittsburgh, 300 dogs swam in Sandcastle Water Park’s wave pool, kiddie pool, and beach area. These lucky dogs were served snowcones with a choice of beef or chicken broth.

A pool party in Salt Lake City included an adoption fair, a vaccination event, and even a long jump contest.

A sense of humor abounded in the names…Bloomington Indiana’s Bryant Park pool christened the event “Drool in the Pool”. Many pools had contests and games for the dogs.

Most pools provided fresh water and some provided shade for the dogs. Veterinarians and humane society officials were on hand in some locations. Lifeguards were present when the owners were allowed to swim with their dogs.

The average cost of a day at the pool was a bargain at $5-$10.

In general, the rules were:

• No aggressive dogs
• No dogs that are in heat
• Dogs must wear ID and rabies tags
• Dogs must be leashed while not swimming.
• Owners must clean up after their dogs.

Check your local paper and mark your calendar for next summer’s swims!