I love animals. I have always believed that they enrich my life. In doing some research I’ve found a subject in particular that I find very intriguing. Not only can pets and animal interaction enrich your life, they can have psychological and physiological benefits as well. In short, having pets and being around animals can actually be good for your health! 

Studies dating back to the 1980’s have shown that animals are a very good human health aid. Incredibly, various studies of pet owners have shown the following:

In general;

• Pet owners have a significantly lower use of general practitioner services.  
• In many cases there is a reduced risk of asthma and pet allergens in children when exposed to pet allergens in the first year of life.
• Pet owners may have, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Pet owners that have suffered from myocardial infarction tend to have a higher survival rate.  

Dogs owners not only receive affection from their pets, which is soothing and relaxing, they are encouraged to exercise daily. Needing to walk your dog, and having a companion for jogging or long walks is a great way to get yourself moving every day.

Animals are used in different forms of pet-facilitated therapy, and have been found to be a huge benefit for patients. Physical and occupational therapists sometimes use trained dogs with a handler during therapy. The dogs, acting on commands, help patients with a variety of exercises for increasing range of motion or strength development or can help them achieve their goals more quickly. 

Dog therapy has also been used in elder care facilities and group home settings. Dogs are brought in for structured visits. Clients have been found to be very responsive to this type of visit, enjoying the social interaction and the affection.

Dogs are not the only animal used in physical therapy. Over the past few decades pets and animals have proven to benefit disabled children or children that are slow to develop motor skills. Horses are utilized in a couple of ways. Horseback riding, for those that are healthy, or children with disabilities helps to normalize muscle tone, increase flexibility improve coordination and increase strength, balance and circulation. Riding also helps to improve psychological and social functioning. 

Dolphin therapy was first attempted in the 1970s by psychologist, David Nathanson. Nathanson speculated that interactions with dolphins would have a variety of benefits. He speculated that dolphin therapy would increase attention span and improve cognitive faculties. Later studies show that, in fact, dolphin therapy helps children with disabilities learn faster and retain information for longer periods than children with the same disabilities taught in only a classroom setting.

Even though new types of therapies have come about, sometimes reverting to something as simple as having a pet is a great idea! 

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!!

MumblesMom

With summer fast on its way you may be  planning hiking excursions, trips to the dog park, or simply taking your dog for a ride in the car to keep you company while running errands. Most people don’t think about securing their pets while they are riding in a car, however, it should be a major concern. Recently this issue was brought to the surface in my life. As you’ve seen, our dog Carley is not very big, weighing only about 50 lbs. Although she is not a very large dog, she can be thrown around in a vehicle, and could injure not only herself, but whoever is in the car with her.

Back in the beginning of February in the wee hours of the morning my step mother was on her way to drop a friend off at her house, Carley was lying very happily in the back seat enjoying the ride as usual without a care in the world. As my step mother began to go down hill she suddenly hit a patch of black ice and lost control of the car. Knowing she was going to crash my step mother braced herself to try to ensure as little damage as possible. Carley, still lying in the back seat, was unaware of anything that was going on and could do nothing by lay there and sense the tension of her mom.. Finally, the car spun around and the passenger side of the car (the same side that Carley was laying on) slammed into a guard rail. Though Carley was shaken and very much confused as to what had just happened, she was not harmed, nor did she get propelled around the car, which could have hurt my step mother or her passenger. 

When my step mother first bought Carley we were driving around doing some shopping and this poor little puppy could not sit still to save her life. From my lap to the lap of my step mother who was driving, and back again, then sometimes she’d plant herself in the back seat and shortly thereafter want to come back up front again. All this moving around was not safe! While we were out we decided to stop at a pet store and find some sort of a restraint for the vehicle for her so that all of us would be safe. We found a dog seat belt and immediately knew it was something that we needed to purchase. Well thank goodness that we did, because if Carley had been loose in the car on that cold day of February who knows where Carley could have been thrown or who she could have hurt while the car was spinning out of control.

Dog seat belts are very simple to use, there are many different sizes so that any size/weight dog can be safely restrained in your back seat. They are very similar to a harness and some of them even have hooks up the top, which would be on the dog’s back, so that you can put them right in or take them right out of the car with their leash and not have to worry about them getting away from you while you try to fumble with their collar. Dog seat belts are not only very easy to use, but they are also a very good idea to ensure the safety of your beloved family member. As long as you’re buckling up in the car, make sure that your pup is also buckled up.

Because of this accident involving Carly, Whales & Friends® felt it was important to offer a safety restraint for pets. We proudly announce The Ruff Rider’s Roadie Canine Vehicle Safety/Training Harness.  We found that this product has an excellent safety rating and have added it to our product line.

Do any of you have stories of an accident that you got into with your pet in the car, and when you got into that accident was the pet safely secured somewhere or were they all over the vehicle not only causing a risk to themselves but to the passengers as well? Share your story with us.

More summer safety tips to come!
MumblesMom

Summer is fast approaching. I’m excited about the long, warm sunny days ahead. Our pets are sure to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine as much as we are. However, with the glorious days of summer also come some very real dangers for the pets we love so much. Heat.

Animal can suffer from sunburn, dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

While it’s wonderful for your pet to enjoy the fresh air, you must be certain to keep track of the temperature outside and the amount of time your pets spend in the heat . Please make sure that if you chain your pet up outside that they have adequate shade to go into when they get hot, and also make sure they have fresh water at all times so they do not dehydrate. Refill water bowls frequently with cool water. Also, remember that a spot that is shady in the morning may not necessarily be shady in the afternoon or early evening! Check on your pet often.

Another real danger in the summer time is leaving a pet unattended in a car. Often people take their dogs with them in the car thinking it will be okay to just “run in” to the grocery store to grab a few items. Without intentionally meaning any harm, an animal can be left to swelter in a car. Perhaps you had the air conditioner running and the car seems cool. Thinking you will only be a few moments, and that your dog may be fine, you head in to the store. What if there is a long line at the checkout or you run into a friend and begin chatting? Within 10 minutes the inside of your car can heat up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit; and if you think that’s hot for you, just think about how much hotter it is for your poor pet who’s got a very thick fur coat. While you are searching for a hard-to-find item or standing in line, or talking to a neighbor, your pet continues to absorb the heat. This can become a very dangerous situation very quickly. If you plan to run errands and you would like to bring your beloved pet with you, ask a friend or family member if they would like to go with you so that someone can sit in the car with them. This way, if the car starts to get too hot someone can either turn the air conditioning on or just simply open the windows to allow for some air flow in the vehicle. If you have to run to the store alone and must bring your pet with you, the best bet is to park in the shade and have the windows down while providing water to your pet in the vehicle; but understand that this is not and ideal situation and your pet could still very easily overheat.

If your pet is showing signs of heat exhaustion; panting excessively, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, or a loss of consciousness, be sure to poor cool water onto their fur coat and work it thoroughly into the fur. If your pet has lost consciousness this is considered a life-threatening situation, a true emergency, and will require immediate veterinary attention.

Leaving an animal unattended in a parked car in the heat, or chained up outside with little to no shade or water is considered animal cruelty. Should you see signs of this or any mistreatment to an animal, please report it to your local animal welfare agency, ASPCA, or the police.

Taking good care of your pets as well as yourself will help ensure a happy summer for you and your family.

MumblesMom

The 2 other very other important animals that have made a huge impact on my life recently is this trouble making pair of siblings, Carley and Smokey. Born in the same litter, these two English Springer Spaniels love to cause a ridiculous amount of trouble in or out of the house. They’re cute and young so they seem to get away with a whole lot around my household. As you can see by the picture above (Carley on the left, and Smokey on the right) these two are the most adorable puppies ever. Carley feels as though she is the princess of the household, while Smokey thinks he runs things, until Carley reminds him that he does not and indeed she does. Almost a year old, they’re both very fast learners, create tons of mischief and want to play outside all the time regardless of weather or temperature. Their favorite outdoor activity is digging up the entire yard, including all the flower bulbs from previous years and the gardens all around the yard.

Both Carley and Smokey attended some puppy training classes and they graduated with flying colors. They have both now surpassed what they learned in their class, though Carley seems to enjoy training with her mommy much more than Smokey. Carley has learned many tricks such as shake, sit pretty, kiss, shake (with both paws), jumping through a hoola hoop, and she is slowly working on learning how to roll over. Smokey on the other hand seems to learn from watching Carley doing all these things, and he only does it because he seems jealous that his sister is getting more attention than he is. Since they recently moved into the same house Smokey has started doing kisses, jumping through the hoola hoop , and learned to shake with both paws all just from watching his sister. I find it really funny how animals can learn things so quickly from just watching and observing one another.

Over time you will see Carley and Smokey, as well as Riley and Jasmine, more and more often in my stories.

What about your pets? Who are they and how do they play a role in your life? I would love to hear from everyone who has a special pet.

Be well,

MumblesMom

Hello!

Welcome to the NEW Whales & Friends blog. Thanks for joining us! ☺ I’m MumblesMom. To fill you all in a little bit on me; I’m a 20 year old college student studying veterinary medicine and I love what I do! As long as I can remember, I have wanted to care for animals, grow up to have a house full of them, and become a vet. My parents tell me this obsession with animals started when I was 5 years old.

I’m thrilled to have this forum to share my passion and I invite everyone to participate. Tell Whales & Friends about your dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, ferrets, snakes or any animal that interests you. Share stories about a recent whale watch, a TV show or documentary on penguins, wolves, lions or tigers. Submit photographs, video clips, a memorial to a lost pet, stories, pet jokes, or just drop in to say “Hi.” Looking forward to hearing from all pet lovers!

Sincerely,
MumblesMom