Pets and Fire…Do you have a Plan?

Pets and Fire…Do you Have a Plan?

House on Fire

What happens to your pet dog if……?

We had a catastrophic fire on Presidents Day, February 18, 2013 which required an evacuation from the flaming home… without a moments hesitation!

Our house is on fire

The pets were rounded up gotten out of and away from the burning building… AND I MEAN JUST IN TIME!!

Fireman carrying pet

Hours later, after everyone was trying to settle down in our home… (You see the burning house was next door to our home and was being rented from us by our single- mother -daughter- Carole Jane…C J !  So… since C J had only the uniform she wore to work left and since… Austin, our grandson had only the clothes he wore left… we took them in!)… As they were trying to get a good night’s sleep, I just sat there in the dark thinking and thanking God for His protective Hands.

Giving thanks to God

Then, I suddenly thought about getting  J C’s two pet dogs out and away from those swift moving flames, hot gases and that acidic, blinding smoke… So I am writing this blog to pass on some very hard learned lessons that this catastrophic fire taught us, and maybe help you prevent suffering the loss of a beloved pet… or even a loved one!  So here I go with our lessons learned so far:

Have a fire escape plan

HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN… AND PRACTICE IT!

Our fire started out with a lot of blinding, hot smoke… you couldn’t see where you were at or where you were going! Be sure your plans include not only the fastest way out, but also drop and crawl fast… the aim being to get out fast. Be sure every member of your family knows where the DOG LEASH is kept… believe me; you won’t have time to look for it!

Ditty bag with dog Supplies

Keep a small ditty bag next to your exit site…

it should contain a few of these items: bottled water, a non-breakable jar of dog treats, small bag/can of dog food, another dog leash (in case you need to tie Rover up to prevent him from getting in the way) and be sure to pack a “stress” toy for later use) and ask your Vet for his advise on what medications might be needed.

Written agreement for your pet

Written permission/ agreement for treatment

Ask a friend if they would be willing to dog sit in case you are not there or something happens to you.  Be sure and give this friend a written and signed permission slip to treat your pet as their own!  Just in case something would happen while Rover is in their care and you can’t be reached.

   I know you can not prepare for every single event in your life, but you can be prepared to act quickly when the need arises, simply because you have given fore thought to you and your pet’s safety!

All of us at Doggy Dog Coats hope these ideas will help you and your pet feel safer… Will help you put together a plan that answers the question…. What will happen to your pet if….?

Our Little Boston Terrier – “Princess”

OK, I have arrived…my name is Princes … this is my story!

Hello…my name is Princess. I am a Boston terrier. For the past four years, I have been living with my new wonderful family. Wow…how time flies!  Now, you are probably wondering where I came from.  It’s a long story and would love to tell you about it.  But first a little bit of history.

A Brief History about my Breed – The Boston Terrier

My family history began around 1865 when a group of coachmen from Beacon Hill wanted to create a unique new breed. (Let me repeat that again…they wanted to create a unique new breed…hey that’s me they are talking about.  I am a unique breed!) So they started by crossing an Old English Toy Bulldog with a white English Terrier.  They also added a bit of French bulldog. (Sounds like they are mixing a delicious dish from a recipe rather than creating a new breed. Bark- LOL.)

After inbreeding, mutations, and some accidents, the Boston Terrier was shaped into the breed known today as the Boston Terrier. (…Swoosh).  The English Toy Bulldog was small and considered to have no useful purpose. What the coachmen really wanted to develop was a larger dog and a new type of fighting dog.  To their disappointment, my family (the Boston Terriers) did not gain popularity as a fighting dog, instead we became known as a pet for women!

Since it was common practice to prefix a dog’s personal name with the owner’s last name,  the first Boston terrier was named Hooper’s Judge named after Mr. Robert C Hooper of Boston.   In the 1860’s  Mr. Hooper purchased Judge from Mr. William O’Brien who had imported the dog from Europe…(That’s how we got here in American). Judge was a dark brindle with a white stripe through his face.  He weighed about 32 pounds (14.5 kg)   Judge was bred to a white female named Gype or Kate.  She weighted around 20 pounds and was well built with a three-quarter tail. More inbreeding was continued over several years with other imported bloodlines including a 6 pound Scottish Perry with a straight three-quarter tail and then O’Brien’s Ben. Again more inbreeding continue until Well’s Eph and Tobin’s Kate came with a screw tail.  At first this tail was regarded as a deformity but then it was found the females with the screw tail  produced the best highly regarded of springs…thus, my beautiful screwed tail was accepted.  With more breeding the new cross of dogs became known as Round-headed Bull and Terrier, Bullethead, and American Bull Terrier.

At first, the Bostons met with opposition from the dog fanciers especially the Bull Terriers and the Bulldog fanciers. And, in the shows were the Boston Terriers were accepted, they were given a separate class.  These shows became very nasty and a press campaign was attempted to portray the Bulldog as savage and unfit for the gently society. The Bulldog fanciers retaliated with claims the Boston Terrier was a mongrel.  And so it went back and forth.   In 1898 around Boston a group was formed called the American Bull Terrier Club.  This group met with a lot of opposition and the American Kennel Club did not want to recognize the Boston Terrier as a breed. So two years later, the group rename the club as the Boston Terrier and became accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1893 as a breed.  By the 1920s, my breed, the Boston terrier was so popular we representative 20 to 30 percent of the dogs being shown at  dog shows. By now we were not just popular in the United States but throughout the world.  (..I feel so special and wanted!)

I am so cute!  Don’t you just love me?

General Characteristics

General Characteristics: Lively, highly intelligent, smooth coat, short-head, compactly built, short-tail,  brindle, seal or black in color with evenly marked “white”  markings, weight usually around 10 – 25  pounds, ears are small, carried erect, skull is square and flat on top; eyes are wide apart, large and round and dark in color, the tail is set on low, short, fine and tapering, straight or screw.

This is the part I love as I am known as the “American Gentleman”.  I may not be a scrapper, but if needed I can protect myself if threatened.  You Bet!  My disposition is gentle and I make an excellent house dog and companion, especially with children as I love to play.  I will even initiate the play and will bring you my toys to play with me. I love my family and am very affectionate to them. I am a very intelligent breed. I am also very alert which makes me an excellent watch dog for the home because I am quick to alert the family if something is not right.  Don’t you just love me!  I do not like ignored…. if you are playing a game and not including me I will raise a fuss.  I would rather play too!!! I am not a barker, so, if I do bark it’s because there is something wrong or I am trying to tell you something. My breed is very affectionate and we make lively, amusing companions. Because of our social nature, fun-loving spirits, and warm soft eyes, we can entice someone to play with us. Just watch me…if my master is on the computer I will just take my ball in my mouth, put my two paws on their leg and look at them with my warm soft eyes and bingo…..they will stop and play with me!  (I have them so well trained.) My lifeline is usually 10 – 13 years of age.

Just a few General Care Tips:

First and foremost I need love…lots of love and attention!! Next, I need to be cool in summer  time and warm in colder weather.  Dog coats are great! I need a car carrier or dog seat belt when traveling and an ample supply of water. Also remember, I get car motion sickness, so be sure and not to mention dog treats of dog food at least several hours before a trip or traveling.  On hot days, please do not leave me in the car for any time at all.

Back to my story – I meet my new brother Buddy

The first day I met my new family, they  brought their 9 year old dog Buddy, a cross between a cocker spaniel and terrier. He had been a rescue dog my new family had gotten when Buddy was just 6 months old. My new family wanted to see if the two of us would get along. I was only a few weeks old…what did they think I would do…Buddy was at least 2 feet tall and weighted around 25 pounds. I was at his mercy.  Just his one paw would take me out!  He sniffed me over real good and looked me straight in the eye as if to say…you can come home with us but remember…I am the Master of this Household!

And so my new life started. Buddy and I became great friends and we loved to play together. We would play tag running back and forth. But my favorite game was tug-a-war.  I would get my pull toy and tease him with it until he would put it in his mouth and then we would be off playing tug a war.  Buddy even taught me how a growl a little as we pulled in opposite directions.

 It is fun to play tug-a-war  with Buddy and see my family laughing as they watch us play.

I have been with my family now for over four years and love it very much.  I think they love me too…but I do have them wrapped around my little paw and well trained!

Thank you for letting me tell you my story.  I am so lucky to find a great family. Do you have special dogs in your family?