The Comfy Cone

Photo: All Four Paws

I'll never forget the day when I came home from school. My dog Casey who would greet us when we would get off the school bus was not there that day. It turned out that he was hit by a car that day. My mom and dad immediately took him to the vet. He was injured so badly, he was lying on his side as if he was playing dead. When he heard our voices he could only lift his head and wag his tail which he would thump against the floor.

For the next two months, Casey had to wear one of those plastic e-collars. He woudl constantly be bumping into walls and doorways because the e-collar would block his peripheral vision. Still, it was worth it so that he wouldn't be able to lick his rear legs and they would be able to heal on their own. After the two month period, Casey was up and walking again and back to his old self. He went on to live for 12 years after that.

Photo: All Four Paws

A New Type Of Collar

Yesterday I learned about the Comfy Cone. When I heard about this product, I was thrilled. It's made to be softer for a dogs head but at the same time, it gives the support and flexibility you don't get with a normal plastic collar. It can be folded back so your dog can eat his food without problems.

What makes it special?

• It's moderately priced. You can find an average size Comfy Cone for about $20USD.
• It's built to last and is flexible by having plastic stays inserted into the fabric
• It's earth-friendly. With the type of materials like nylon fabric which has been laminated onto .5 inch foam which is gentler around a dog's head. It also has elastic loops and various velcro settings to make it have a customized fit to the dog's neck.
• The softer material makes less noise. You won't hear bumps in the night as loudly. It's also suitable for cats as well.
• It's recommended by veterinarians which always is a good thing.

While we never want to see our pets have to wear a collar like this, it's a relief to know that if they ever need one, there's a more comfortable alternative out there. You can find these at pet boutiques or online at places like Amazon.

Let's Discuss!

What have your experiences been like when your pet had to wear an e-collar?

A Fine Mess In Monroe County Michigan

Photo: Facebook

In April of this year, a young 15-year-old girl was attacked by one of Timothy Iocoangeli's boxers. She was bitten over 100 times because she was standing outside in the backyard. Most would feel that the dog who bit her deserved to die. Yet there is more to this story.

It turns out that there was a boy who went into the house when the owner was not home. He happened to be a friend of the son of Mr. Iocoangeli. The son and another friend were not at the house, and these two were looking for them by him entering the house.

As a result of this incident, the dog owner has suffered serious consequences. He has lost his job, his four dogs were confiscated by animal control and euthanized, and the puppies which he had in his possession were removed and placed in an animal shelter for adoption. Worse yet, Tim Iocangeli will be prosecuted for four felony charges of owning a dangerous dog.

While I feel for the girl, I think the government is punishing the wrong person. The owner's dogs were safely secure in their house until this young man entered and let them out accidentally. Why didn't the kid ring the doorbell instead of going inside? Sadly, the boy responsible for opening the door is not around to address this issue. He died in a car accident after this debacle happened.

It seems that instead of getting to the bottom of this, the Monroe County

Photo: Monroe News

government wanted to use these boxer dogs as an example to enforce their weakly written dangerous dogs law. Yes, the girl will have a rough road of healing in the days ahead. What happened to her is truly tragic. If she's ever able to be around another dog, it will be a miracle. However, punishing the owner for something that wasn't his fault isn't going to change what happened.

The dogs were safe and secure in the house. It's not like they busted through a window to attack the teenager. They were released by a person who wasn't a member of their family. If that door was not opened, the dogs would have stayed in the house.

When a mother has a litter of puppies, they will tend to be protective of their litter. That may have played into part of the reason this happened as well. It's obvious that the dog owner had these dogs for protection. It's also a shame that you can't live in a world where your door is unlocked and people will respect the fact that you're not at home. The lawmakers are basically saying we now live in a world where having locked doors is the norm and opening an unlocked door is a person's right even if they don't live there.

To blame the owner of the dogs for this travesty isn't right. These dogs were doing their job which was protecting their territory. What's worse is that all this happened with no temperament testing. They didn't even give the owner the decency of saying goodbye to his dogs. It's easy to blame the dogs, but the fact remains that this case is too one-sided to be fair. It reflects poorly on the government of Monroe County and perpetuates fear and ignorance instead of finding the right solution.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this story?

It's All Related!

Remembering Lennox When BSL Laws Fail

3 Christmas Dog Movies Worth Seeing

Christmas is a special time of year. As hectic as Christmas shopping can be, there's nothing like having a quiet night at home catching up on holiday movies. Include dogs, and you're golden. Holiday movies have a sentimentality that makes you believe and forget about the harsh realities our everyday life can bring.
As I've become older, I've really enjoyed the movies I've seen on tv as well as some of the holiday movies they have on DVD to rent or buy. The following four movies are entertaining movies that most families can watch together during the holidays.

• A Dog Named Christmas
  This is a classic movie from the Hallmark Hall Of Fame. It's a movie where a young family fosters a dog and the two boys hope to be able to adopt the dog. The father is opposed to having a dog in the house because of past incidents. I had seen this movie a couple of years ago and it was very entertaining and heartwarming.

• The 12 Dogs Of Christmas
  This is a story when a 12-year-old girl finds herself in a battle with the mayor and dogcatcher of a small town where dogs aren't allowed. There were over 101 dogs used in the filming of this movie. It's on my list of those to see.

• 12 Christmas Wishes For My Dog After losing her dog to an unfair landlord, Laura (played by Elisa Donovan who was previously seen in Clueless) sees a
  
  life coach to get her life in order and hopefully get her dog back. This is a warm family movie that looks to be a very pleasant viewing option for the holidays.

You can find most of these at Amazon or on Ebay.

Let's Discuss!

What is your favorite family movie to watch?

Comfort Dogs Aiding The Victims Of Newtown

Photo: BusinessInsider.com

It first started in 2008. During the aftermath surrounding the Northern Illinois University shootings, a small group from Lutheran Church Charities provided Golden Retrievers to help comfort the students through that difficult time. Sure enough, these dogs were so popular, Northern Illinois invited them back to help.

Fast forward to present day, where ten dogs came to aid children and adults alike from the Newtown Massacre. A total of ten dogs have been sent from Chicago alone. There are over 60 dogs in six different states. They have been specially trained to sit and be quiet. Many children will pet them and start smiling again. Others who have been more severely affected, will just sit there and pet them for a longer period of time. They remind children of a more innocent and whimsical time. They may brighten their holiday season as well.

Dogs can sense when a person needs some comfort and few do it better than these therapy dogs. The group plans on staying as long as they are needed. If you would like to learn more about this group, visit their Facebook page

Yep, They Drive Cars In New Zealand

Hi Friends, I know it's been awhile since I've last posted. Since everyone is busy, I'm not going to use that as an excuse. However, being in the midst of finals and working crazy hours has been how I've been spending my days. I came across this video where these New Zealand dogs can drive a car. When you watch it, the trainer really gets into the specifics of how they taught these fantastic creatures on how to drive. I just had to share it with you. Enjoy! :)