EBHS Unleashed
Staff and volunteers of the Elmbrook Humane Society will be blogging about what's going on at the society, as well as other observations about life in Wisconsin.
The mission of the Elmbrook Humane Society is to promote the human-animal bond through adoption and education, to provide shelter to homeless animals, and to prevent animal cruelty and neglect. EBHS services the city of Brookfield, the villages of Butler, Chenequa, Elm Grove and Nashotah, and the towns of Brookfield and Delafield. EBHS shelters unwanted pets and strays, and rescues injured domestic animals and wildlife, provides resources for individuals with companion animals and provides Humane Education to schools and civic groups.
Visit our web site at www.EBHS.org.
WHO NEEDS TRAINING?
I have a guest blogger today, who has given me permission to post an article she wrote for her Italian Greyhound Rescue. Take it away, Carol!
One of the questions on our adoption application is “Will you be taking your dog to obedience classes?” The answer often surprises me as most potential adopters answer the question with a confident "only if the dog needs it". As someone who has adopted several dogs and fostered hundreds, I can tell you that most dogs “don't need it” at all because they are VERY good at being dogs! They dig, bark, jump on people, potty in the house and do all the other “doggie" behaviors that sometimes drive us crazy and they do it all without training! However, most IGs we see in rescue are here because they outsmarted their last owner, didn't listen, jumped on people, barked, came IN the house to potty vs. freezing outside like a silly big dog, etc. In other words, they were masters at doing what they do best, being a DOG!! They need no class or training. It comes naturally! Dogs will be dogs and are quite happy doing so, however it's we humans that have a problem with some of their so “inappropriate behavior”. (Don't even get me started on poop eating, rolling in worms, humping and many other dogs behaviors we humans find intolerable)! So does your dog “NEED an obedience class?” Mostly likely if he could talk he would say "NO Way" but most humans I know do! Because it is we humans who want the dog to not only live in our world, but to behave the way WE think they should in our world, so it's up to us to train them how! We, the humans, need an obedience class to teach them these things!
The 12 Beds of Christmas
The 12 Beds of Christmas bed drive for our dogs has officially begun! We have found these beds to be the longest lasting and most comfortable of the beds available for use in the kennels here at the shelter. These beds stand up to teething puppies, chewing adults, and all the other abuses beds can suffer while in a shelter environment. Surprisingly, every single dog will use these beds! Even our puppy mill dogs who have never seen a bed before!
Breed Rescue 101
I get calls at the shelter every single day from people looking for a certain breed of dog. Statistically speaking, 1 out of 4 dogs in a shelter is a purebred. But, we do not always have St. Bernards, Corgis, Bernese Mountain Dogs, English Bulldogs and other popular breeds. Fortunately for people with their hearts set on a certain breed, there is usually a breed rescue ready and waiting for them to call and apply for a waiting animal.
I am surprised that more people have not heard of breed rescues! These groups are all volunteer based, and instead of a shelter, these dogs get to live in foster homes. They get to work on their manners and housebreaking if they need it, and the foster families get a good idea of what living with the dog will be like, and in turn, find out what the best family would be for that dog.
Breeder, breeder on the wall...who is the best one of them all?
Today, we are going to continue our discussion about where to find an animal companion. Aside from shelters, or breed rescue, we have "breeders". Now, there is a lot of contention as to what a breeder is, or who may call themselves or consider themselves a breeder. I am going to write about each kind, and I will reserve my own judgment, allowing you to decide the best one for you.
Bark Humbug
Our 24 hotline received a call before we opened today from a woman who said that she had found a stray, black, pit/lab mix, a senior, who needed medical attention about 6 hours away up north. She got our number from a dog rescue where she first tried to give the dog. She lived in Milwaukee and wanted to know what to do with the dog. The staff suggested to this woman that she contact the local sheriff in that area, and see if anyone reported a missing dog, and to find out if there was a shelter in that area. Since they lived in Milwaukee, they were told to call the Milwaukee animal control facility, if they were unable to find the owners.
Then, this morning a couple showed up with the exact dog that was described on the phone this morning, a senior pit/lab covered in cancerous tumors. They said that they found the dog at Brookfield Square this morning. The man bringing the dog here would not give us his ID, and he kept saying that he hoped he was not going to get "bit in the a**" over this.
