Mystic Toad Press Blog

I have this friend of mine who has been my best friend going on 2 years now. Anyhow, I’ve been noticing that he’s constantly yawning all day long. Like he’s really bored or he’s just bored when he’s around me.

I should mention my friend, my best friend, is my dog Cuervo. He’s a husky/wolf mix. An absolutely beautiful dog who’ll be celebrating his 2nd birthday in mid-April. We’ve had him since he was a 6 week old puppy and he’s been a blast as an addition to our family, my girlfriend Christine & myself. He’s smart, obedient, playful, everything anyone would love in a big dog.
But I’ve noticed lately that he yawns all the time. And I mean constantly. Whats up with that?

He’ll be moseying around the backyard yawning. He’ll yawn when I call him. He yawns just to yawn I think sometimes. I once counted and he yawned 7 times in one minute. Thats 420 times in one hour if he maintains that pace! Assuming he might sleep 10 hours and not yawn while he’s sleeping, that leaves 14 hours of yawning at 420 times an hour and the total is off the charts. He might yawn 5,880 times over the course of one 24 hour day. How can that be? Wouldn’t his jaw hurt? If I ask him what the deal is with all the yawning, he’ll just bark at me like the chatterbox he is like I’m going to understand what he’s telling me. I can ask him anything in the form of a question and he’ll answer back with a bark. So I’m still clueless.

I decided to look up some info to see if my yawning dog might have some kind of medical condition after all. Maybe he is really trying to tell me something in between his yawns when I ask him why he yawns all the time.

The info I could dig up on why a dog yawns all the time was rather generic from a number of different sources online. They say its a form of body language to avoid conflict. What conflict I wondered? My dog has it made in the shade. A dog will yawn as a calming signal to reduce stress and to console itself. Reduce stress? Our dog lives the life of royalty. He has free roam of our big backyard backed up to a large empty field, he has tons of toys, he even has his own couch he jumps on when he comes into the house. How can he be stressed? I don’t think thats it.

One author even claims we should use these calming signals ourselves when communicating with our pets. How can I compete with a thousand yawns a day? Why would I want to? Then he might get a complex that he’s boring me with all my yawning and I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings. So I’ll try not to take it to seriously about me boring him everytime he yawns. I’m bored to, but at least I don’t constantly yawn in front of him.

Just as I finished writing this up, its like he knew. He jumped off his couch he was sleeping on, stretched and yawned twice, and then jabbed his nose into my arm and growled at me as if to tell me to quit telling everyone about his thousand yawns a day habit. C’mon Dad, I think he’s saying between yawns, enough is enough.

Article written by Glenn J. Clawson from Eaton Rapids, Michigan.
This is his first article he’s submitted.
Glenn has also built a website about his dog Cuervo that he frequently updates and it can be seen at http://www.CuervoRocks.com

We bought our daughter Julie a St. Bernard five years ago. Each evening “Mackie” climbed up on my lap to take a nap (even after she was full grown)! A couple years later Mackie died of a kidney disease. We buried her under her favorite tree, made a marker, and thanked God for the wonderful gift of Mackie. But each of us experienced grief and pain over the loss of our beloved dog. This article will give you several guidelines to help you experience good grief as you suffer the loss of your pet.

As I share the following guidelines to help you grieve the loss of your pet, please keep in mind that each person’s grief process is as unique as the relationship between that pet and its owner. However, pet grief can be good grief.

1. Just as in the loss of a spouse, parent, child, or other significant person, you must ACKNOWLEDGE THE LOSS of your beloved dog or pet. I know that sounds obvious, but denial is a powerful emotion during times of significant loss. In fact, pretending that you are not hurting during times of significant loss can actually be detrimental to your physical and emotional health. There really is such a thing as “Good Grief.” Grief is a healthy emotional process. Admit that your cherished dog or pet is gone. Don’t let others trivialize the importance of that dog in your life. A couple quotes will show you that we recognized many years ago how important dogs and other pets are to us. For example, Roger Caras once said, “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” Josh Billings noted, “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” And Will Rogers once quipped, “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”

2. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO GRIEVE. The fact is that people often invest as much love and affection in a pet as they do in many personal relationships. (Don’t laugh: dogs miss you when you’re gone, dogs never complain about your cooking, dogs don’t criticize your friends, dogs don’t shop, dogs mean it when they kiss you, dogs think you sing great, and a dog’s parents never visit). Other people might scoff, be confused, or misunderstand, especially those who have not experienced a loss of this kind. Don’t worry about what others think or feel; this is a time to be true to yourself. Allow yourself the time and freedom to be sad, to cry, and to miss your friend and companion. Tell yourself it’s OK - because it is. Pet grief can be good grief.

3. THANK GOD FOR THE GIFT OF YOUR PET. God created the animals that become our cherished pets. Good grief comes when we begin to recognize that God is the giver of all good gifts, and dogs are definitely good gifts. Do something symbolic to give thanks and show respect for this wonderful gift from God. Cheri and I buried Mackie and made a makeshift concrete headstone in the ground over her grave. Just the other day my son went out and found the marker in the woods, cleaned it off, and spent a moment remembering Mackie fondly. Pets matter! You can give a donation to an animal shelter in honor of your pet. Other meaningful acts people have shared with me include writing a special poem or story, commissioning a painting of their pet from a photograph, or framing an enlarged photo to hang on the wall. A fairly new phenomenon is the Pet Cemetery, where you can actually bury your pet, place a marker, and bring flowers. The bottom line is this; it was your pet, and it is your pet grief - do something that is meaningful for you. It will make you feel good about yourself and your pet, and it will assist you in bringing good grief to your grief process.

4. SHARE YOUR PAIN. Pet grief hurts. Talk to someone you trust about what you are feeling. Grief is a painful process; don’t go through it alone. Most of us know someone who has experienced the pain of pet loss. Talk to them. There is a healing process (Good Grief) that occurs when we hear ourselves talking about our pain, our grief, our loss. And there is empathy when two people can share similar experiences. It helps to hear someone else say “I know how you feel, I’ve been there too.” It helps to know you are not alone in your feelings. If there is no one you can talk to in your immediate family or circle of friends, consider talking to your pastor, or joining a pet loss support group in your community. Check the internet, and you may be able to find a pet loss “blog” group to join.

5. CELEBRATE YOUR MEMORIES. Pet grief can be good grief. When you think about the relationship you had with your pet, what is it that brings a smile to your face? Think on those things. Get out the pictures of your child and pet dressed alike for Halloween. Or the one of you and your pet covered in soap suds and soaking wet during bath time. Franklin P. Jones says “Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.” Or remember all the “tricks” your pet used to do just to please you. Recall those winter evenings relaxing together by the fire, or the summer days romping in the park. I remember opening the front door one day and finding my St. Bernard sitting right there, looking up at me, with a huge “bubble” poking out both sides of her mouth - looking like she chewing bubble gum! It’s a scene I will never forget. That’s Good Grief! “We give dog’s time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It’s the best deal man has ever made” - M. Facklam.

6. BE A VOLUNTEER. Pet grief can consume you if you let it. This is a great opportunity to volunteer some time and energy to help someone else. You can volunteer some time at your local animal shelter. You could help feed the homeless at the local soup kitchen. Be a volunteer at your local church. And the list goes on. Volunteering is a healthy way to give something back to your church or community. Helping your fellow man is a good thing, and it makes you feel good about who you are. It takes your mind off your pet loss and the emptiness you feel, and helps the process of good grief.

7. RELY ON YOUR PERSONAL FAITH. Pet grief is just as real as losing a person. Lean on your spiritual belief system. The scriptures tell us that God loves us and wants to comfort us during times of grief and loss. Does God care about animals? Is God concerned with my pet dying? You bet He is! Does God really care about my pet grief? Absolutely! The Bible says God knows when a sparrow falls out of the sky. And it says every hair on your head is numbered, so He cares about you very much! During this time of grief and loss, reconnect or recommit to your personal faith. Spend some extra time in devotion, worship, meditation, and prayer. God’s comfort and help during this time will help you experience good grief.

8. DON’T REPLACE YOUR PET UNTIL YOU ARE READY. Statistics show that after the loss of a spouse, many people remarry too soon, because of the fear of loneliness. Pet grief can cause the same mistakes. Don’t be too anxious to fill the void left by your precious pet. Remember that every relationship is unique, just as every person and dog are unique. Pet grief can be immense for some, and can take significant time. How soon should you get a new pet? Experts disagree, but estimates range from a few weeks to a year. They do agree, however, that you should be sure you are emotionally ready to explore a totally new relationship before you get a new pet. They also agree that the vast majority of people can and do benefit from getting another pet, as long as they cherish each new pet relationship as unique and special. Do not expect your next pet to be like your last, but love the next one just as much. Each one is a fantastic, life-changing experience. And a part of the process of good grief is to replace that love relationship you had with that dog, with another dog or pet.

We all know that dogs and other pets are not human, but they certainly do bring a great deal of joy and happiness to our lives. (Andy Rooney says “The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”) The loss of a beloved pet should not be taken lightly or dismissed as unimportant. If you have lost a cherished dog or pet; if you are experiencing Pet Grief; use the suggestions we’ve outlined here to experience good grief, cherish the memories, and prepare yourself for your next awesome pet/owner relationship. Then go out and find that amazing dog or pet that can benefit from the love and affection only you can give.

Danny Presswood, 2006 All rights Reserved.

Danny Presswood is a retired US Army Combat (Airborne) Chaplain. After traveling 17 countries and 10 islands, he and his wife Cheri settled in the wooded Ozarks hills of SW MO. Presently working on his Doctorate, Danny writes the Feature Articles for K-9 Outfitters, A Division of Damascus Road Enterprises, which offers a plethora of AWESOME discount, luxury, unique, and Handmade in the USA Online Pet Supplies. You’ll find K-9 Outfitters at http://www.Damascus-Road-Enterprises.com

Feed him a balanced diet.

Additional tips from owners include:

Give an occasional yogurt treat
- Ask your vet about giving Boxers calcium tablets as they could have some problems later on in life!

- Keep him comfortable so his immune system can remain strong.

- Boxers are shorthaired and sensitive to extreme elements of the weather and thus must be kept a housedog. His shortened muzzle also makes hot and humid weather uncomfortable for him.

- Give Boxers lots of exercise and regularly.

- Remember that he is a big and strong breed and requires physical outlets for his boundless energy and high play/prey drive.

- Walk them three times a day or have play sessions. Provide plenty of space for them to bounce around. You want to keep their spirit up and not break it or they won’t be the dogs you fall in love with in the first place. Healthy and happy Boxers are a joy to live with.

- Make a breeder your friend.

- Keep in touch with the breeder who sold you the Boxer. The breeder can advise you about care and health matters that are unique to the breed. Any Boxer breeder, for that matter, can be an invaluable ally to you throughout your Boxer’s life.

- Guard your Boxer from fleas.

- Your Boxer has fleas if you find black specks in the fur or fleabite marks on the skin. A tip given by an owner is to give your Boxer garlic daily to prevent fleas.

- Boxers catch fleas from other animals. It is an every day problem that, at some time or another, you can expect to encounter in your Boxer.

- The fleas only go to the Boxer to feed on its blood.

- Fleas mostly live and multiply in your home. The comfortable living - central heating, double-glazing and, best of all, the fitted carpet - we create for ourselves and our Boxers also work best for the fleas.

- De-worm your puppy every month and your adult Boxer, every six months.

Worms is another everyday problem in Boxers but the puppy is more likely to get sick from worms than the grown up Boxer.

The sick one would lose weight and become weak, suffer from upset stomach, poor growth, listlessness or even lung trouble.

They may impede your puppy’s growth and cause him to have a potbelly or be thin and have a shoddy-looking coat.
Your grown Boxer may not be showing any sign of worms but he could spread them more than the sick puppy, through large amount of larvae or eggs passed out in the feces.

If your Boxer has tapeworms, he has fleas too because part of the tapeworm life cycle occurs in flea as the host. As such, treatments against flea and tapeworm are normally prescribed together.

Some, like the roundworm, that infect dogs can also get passed on to children.

In more serious cases, your dog will catch cough, pneumonia and develop lung problems.

There are different types of worms that infect dogs such as tapeworm, roundworm, ringworm and heartworm. De-worm your Boxer puppy every month and your grown Boxer, every 6 months.
Puppies get sick from worms, more so than dogs.

But your infected grown Boxers help spread the worms more through their droppings that would contain large number of larvae and/or eggs.

Released into the surrounding, these larvae and eggs could infect other animals and even children.

The tapeworms have a flat, segmented body.
You see them as single segments or chains that resemble segments of rice in the droppings of infected canine.
Part of the tapeworm’s life cycle occurs in the flea as the host.

Therefore, if your Boxer has tapeworms, it has fleas too and the treatments for both are usually prescribed together by the vet.
The roundworms (toxocara) live and produce hundreds of eggs in the intestine.

They cause digestive upset in puppies, poor growth, and thin or out-of-conditioned coat.
The infected puppies may become listless, have a potbelly or tucked in appearance.

Once the roundworms migrated from the gut to the lungs, your Boxer can suffer lung damage, cough and pneumonia.

The roundworm eggs in the dog droppings get passed out and about.
These are very hardy eggs, resistant to heat and cold, and can survive up to 7 years in the soil. The eggs can pass on to children through ingestion and cause them to fall sick as well.
As precautions, you can toilet train your Boxer puppy to use a place where you can easily clean up and dispose of the droppings into the sewer. Have your children wash their hands every time after they handle the puppies and discourage your puppies from licking people hands or faces.

About the Author

For more information about keeping your dog healthy visit: http://www.dog-owner.net

Large breed dogs pose special grooming dilemmas. The Great Pyrenees and other Bernard family members have cornered the market on that special combination of girth and hair. Without a regimented grooming routine the Pyrenees’ flowing white locks can easily morph, soon resembling an electrocuted Komondor on steroid.

One obstacle to keeping large breeds in the peek of beauty is the difficulty in locating nail clippers, brushes and dental supplies suited to their substantial size. Substitution will have to be made. Still, with a little ingenuity grooming is a snap.

Body Brushing
Combing out the Great Pyrenees is a challenge. The high-stung nature of the breed makes them tend to wiggle around during grooming. In fact, these stealth dogs are apt to sprint off if not restrained, sometimes moving up to three centimeters in a single afternoon.

Your best bet for body brushing or raking is to work on your pet while he is asleep. Avoid active times such as 6:00 to 6:03 a.m. and the 30 minutes after sunset Pyrenees’ devote solely to barking. This breed is known to sleep with its eyes open. When stalking them with grooming tools be cautious. Once you are with in 65 feet of your dog, listen for a train. This verifies your dog is snoring.

Work efficiently once you begin grooming a Great Pyrenees. You may only have 13 hours before he wakes up. When grooming 140 lbs. of fur bonded together by drool and the occasional tree branch, you must not dally. A weed eater is an efficient option for quickly working your way through the shrubs to the actual hair prior to brushing.

Nail Clipping
Clipping your Pyrenees’s claws should be a regular part of your grooming routine. Before beginning this procedure head for the hardware store. Pick up a large metal rasp and bolt cutters. Once claws have been neatly trimmed call in HAZMAT to remove the clippings from your home. Don’t forget the dewclaws.

Great Pyrenees’ have a multitude of extra toes just kinda “hangin’ out” on their lower legs. Hiding amongst them are a total of six massive curly toenails. Each is so large it makes a valosaraptor claw look like a minute droplet of Chihuahua snot. Don’t let the dewclaws go unattended more than a few weeks. Negligence will yield a clipping big enough to be used as a spiral staircase.

Dental Care
Dog owners often overlook the importants of good oral hygiene. Fortunately, in the Bernard breeds, their mouths offer plenty of room to work in. Take advantage of this trait. You can create ample access to the mouth by simply pulling their massive floppy lips up from both sides of the face. Then, use three clothespins to secure them to one another across the bridge of the nose. You may also secure a single lip to the opposing ear in a similar fashion.

Once the teeth are exposed insert a shop vac tube under your dogs tongue. This technique is identical to that of the ’spit sucker’ used in a dental offices. A fifteen-gallon vac should suffice. Once the shop vac is fired up the Great Pyrenees will start to awaken. You will have about two hours to completely remove large pieces of sod stored along the gum line before your dog hits full cognitive thought. At this point he’ll eat the vacuum prior to falling back asleep.

As a final touch, clean you canine’s feet. Shinny up between the pads with a flashlight, some pliers and a bottle of WD 40. Remove stones, dried bats, milk carton children and anything else not belonging up there. Once this task is done your grooming regiment is complete. Wake your dog by simple uttering the word “cookie.’ By the time you get to “coo” every Great Pyrenees in a six mile radius will be in your kitchen.

With a little work and a few trips to Home Depot, your Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernard or Newfoundland will glow with beauty. When you combine all this glamour with their high intelligence and magnetic personalities, your dog will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Zoologist turned satirist Nola L. Kelsey is the author of the scathingly wicked satire Bitch Unleashed: The Harsh Realities of Goin’ Country (September 05). She is also the owner of Samuel the Great Pyrenees, who plays primary character in her book and in her life.

Excerpts from Bitch Unleashed and subscriptions to Kelsey’s newsletter are available on her web site, www.NolaKelsey.com