Bark n Wag 15 Minute Vet Talk Polly ReQua

Leaving your beloved companion home while you’re at work or travelling is hard enough; finding a trustworthy pet sitter shouldn’t be. Faced with hectic schedules and long commutes—or even a pet who’s dealing with separation anxiety—more people are hiring professional sitters to ensure their animals’ health and happiness. But there’s a lot to consider when choosing a sitter.
Not only are they caring for valued family members, they’re coming into your home. They should be trustworthy, professional, knowledgeable and able to handle emergencies. And your pet should feel comfortable around them.
Here are some tips to help find that perfect sitter!


Start online The internet (including neighborhood and community websites) is a great place to start. Professional pet-sitting associations such as the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and Pet Sitters International list members on their websites. Reading online reviews and even checking out candidates’ Facebook pages can help narrow down your search.
Seek firsthand recommendations Check the bulletin boards at local stores or your veterinarian’s office for ads, then reach out to potential sitters for their references. You can also ask friends, relatives and neighbors for referrals. Or connect with your veterinarian and local humane societies, which may have employees who are part-time pet sitters. Just keep in mind that people with full-time jobs may not have the availability you need.




Prepare for the interview Take some time to think through what you want to ask candidates before interviewing them via phone or video chat. Don’t be afraid to have a long conversation; you can get a good sense of someone’s personality and character that way. Here are some topics to consider:
THE BASICS Find out how long they’ve been in business, what their level of experience is with your pets’ species and what their backup plan is if something prevents them from coming to your house.
FEES There’s no point in moving forward if you can’t afford their services. At the same time, don’t just go with the cheapest rate; you want a qualified professional.
SERVICES Ask what specific services they offer—are they comfortable administering medications? Do they have special training or certifications? Are they bonded and insured (which could protect you in certain situations, such as if your dog bites another person while on a walk with the sitter)?
It can also be helpful to pose one or two emergency scenarios to see how candidates respond: What would they do if the air conditioning breaks on a hot day or your pet starts vomiting?




Get ready for the meet-and-greet Before you book a pet-sitting date, you and your pets should meet the candidate. This will allow you to get to know the person better, flesh out special instructions and observe how they interact with your animal. You may even want to ask a candidate to do a trial walk to see how they handle your dog.
Don’t forget to ask for credentials such as references and copies of their bonding and license. You might also want to get a criminal background check.
Accept that it might not work out The best screening in the world may not prevent you from hiring the wrong person. But you can take some simple steps to help determine whether the person is doing their job.
For example:
Ask your sitter to leave notes about each visit or share photos with you via text or email. If you have a doorbell camera, check whether your sitter comes at the agreed-upon times. Get a GPS for your dog’s collar to ensure they’re being walked every day. Still not sure whether your sitter is up to snuff? Here are some potential red flags to look for:
Pee puddles, feces or vomit in the house. Untouched treats or toys you’ve left for the sitter to give to your pet during a visit. Failure to provide detailed reports of your pet’s behavior. While it’s good to be cautious when sta

Founded in 2020 by a group of animal advocates in Lincoln, Nebraska, Brave Animal Rescue is a nonprofit 501(C)(3) volunteer-based animal welfare organization dedicated to rescuing homeless kittens, cats, dogs, and puppies. By working with a network of volunteer advocates, foster caregivers, local veterinarians, and shelters, Brave Animal Rescue is able to help hundreds of animals every year by pulling animals from high-kill shelters, by working hands-on rescuing orphaned kittens, by aiding in local Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) efforts, and by helping those who are no longer able to care for their pets. We provide these animals with care and temporary homes until we are able to place them in permanent homes. Brave also aims to serve as a resource to our community by providing information about pet ownership, spaying and neutering, veterinary care, and TNR.
The founders of Brave Animal Rescue are life-long animal advocates who have several years of experience working with other nonprofit animal groups throughout the Midwest. Through these experiences on the forefront of rescue, the founders quickly began to recognize a need in the community for a neonatal-focused rescue.  The vast majority of animals that are surrendered to animal shelters are under the age of 18 months old. According to The Humane Society of the United States, 80% of kittens are born outside. Without intervention, these kittens go on to procreate, get killed (by disease, vehicles, predators, etc.), or end up in shelters.  Unfortunately, kittens and puppies under 8 weeks old are the population most at-risk for being euthanized in shelters due to a lack of resources and foster homes. With a passion for newborn kittens and puppies, and drive to help the community, the founders of Brave Animal Rescue aim to end the cycle of unwanted companion animals through education, rescue, and spaying and neutering.
CONTACT
Brave Animal Rescue
PO Box 21864
Lincoln, NE 68542






EMAIL
BraveAnimalRescue@gmail.com

WORK WITH ME




 
Cindy Myers Ambassador to Animals, Humans and Spirit
 
Welcome to YourEnergyHealer.com, your sanctuary for spiritual growth and healing. I’m Cindy Myers, a dedicated energy healer, intuitive guide, and passionate advocate for holistic wellness for you and your pets. Through my journey, I’ve been blessed to discover my calling in life—to assist others in navigating their own paths to healing and self-discovery.
 
At the heart of my practice, I am an experienced energy healer specializing in the ability to work with both humans and animals. I’m certified in the Emotion Code and Reiki, I earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from the prestigious Pacifica Graduate Institute. It was during this time of advanced study that I developed one of my passions of interpreting dreams and obtained invaluable mentoring and skills coaching individuals. I have a long history of people naturally drawn to me sharing their fears and life challenges. Many are amazed that I transformed from an engineer working for the Navy before transitioning to a life on an alpaca farm and working as an intuitive energy healer and animal communicator. But it was because of those huge life transitions throughout my life that provide the real life experience to guide you in your own personal growth. My intuitive abilities enable me to connect deeply with individuals, see beyond their fears and provide supportive guidance as they explore their inner worlds and unlock their full potential. My approach is rooted in compassion, empathy, and a profound belief in the interconnectedness of all beings.
 
My mission at YourEnergyHealer.com is to offer a comprehensive range of personalized healing services designed to nurture the mind, body, and spirit of not only individuals but also their beloved pets and animals. Recognizing the deep bond between humans and animals, I am committed to extending healing and balance to your furry and feathered companions. Whether you’re seeking relief from physical ailments, emotional distress, or spiritual blockages for yourself or your animal friends, my goal is to facilitate a transformative experience that leads to profound and lasting change for all beings involved. By incorporating pets and animals into our healing journey, we honor the interconnectedness of all life and work towards holistic wellness for our entire family.
 
It wasn’t until into my adulthood that I discovered I was an empath also known as a highly sensitive person or sensate intuitive. I struggled through my teens and young adulthood with terrible anxiety and depression. It was hard to get through day-to-day activities, especially through high school. I often think of those years as my “dark years.” I was in deep pain that I didn’t understand and didn’t have the language to describe. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I realized that not only was I suffering with my own anxiety and depression, but as an empath, I was picking up and absorbing all that teenaged angst of my classmates. I dreaded facing school each day. I somewhat grew out of this intense anxiety as I entered the workforce, I still battled anxiety. I knew something wasn’t right but I had no idea where to begin figuring it out. Finally, I found my own mentor and guide. I learned to meditate and spirit guides began appearing. I began to understand my intuition and what it meant to be an empath. Instead of fearing it, I thought it would be incredible if I could use this “gift” to benefit others. Working with clients as part of my Master’s Degree Curriculum honed my listening skills. It was discovering alpacas that trained me to become an animal communicator. I’ve since incorporated using alpacas to teach animal communication classes.
 
Because of those hard emotional times, it has become another mission of my life and practice to help others dealing with anxiety and depression.

How to Manage a Dog Lunging on Leash
By Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, CPDT Updated: Sep 22, 2021 | 5 Minutes




How to Manage a Dog Lunging on Leash – American Kennel Club









  Do you dread taking your dog for a walk because they lunge at other dogs, other people, or objects like cars or skateboards? Maybe they bark or growl too. Walking an out-of-control dog is both physically and emotionally exhausting. It’s tempting to avoid walks altogether, but then your dog isn’t getting the mental stimulation and physical exercise they need. So, what do you do? Read on for tips to manage and improve your dog’s lunging behavior.
Understand Why Dogs Lunge Dog experts often label dogs who lunge and bark during walks as “leash reactive.” A reactive dog is one who becomes overly aroused by normal situations, and a leash reactive dog is one who behaves that way on leash. But what causes this behavior? There are three possible motivations for lunging. The least likely is aggression. Although rare, some dogs truly want to do harm. Fear is a far more common motivator. Using the “I’ll get it before it gets me” strategy, dogs lunge to try to make the feared person, dog, or other object go away. Finally, your dog might be excited to approach the person, dog, or object, but because the leash is preventing that, they become frustrated and lose emotional control.
You need to take all these motivations seriously, but it’s important to understand which one is driving your dog. For example, if your dog is frustrated, lessons in emotional self-control come in handy. If your dog is fearful, building self-confidence is key. However, regardless of the reason for the lunging, some of the basic management tools and treatments are the same.
Manage Your Dog’s Behavior It’s important to prevent your dog from lunging because every time they do, they’re practicing the behavior and developing a self-reinforcing habit. And the firmer the habit, the harder it will be to change. But how do you prevent lunging? First, never punish your dog for this behavior. You will only exacerbate the problem. Your dog will associate the punishment with the other person, dog, or object which will strengthen their fear or jack up their frustration.
Second, use the correct equipment for walking. A buckle collar can put a lot of pressure on your dog’s throat when they lunge. A front-clip harness is a better choice. It will put the pressure on your dog’s chest and help turn them back toward you when they spring forward. A head halter (also called a head harness) is another option for a leash-reactive dog. It loops around your dog’s nose and allows you to control their head like the reins of a horse. However, many dogs need help adjusting to a halter and they can damage their necks if they hit the end of the leash with too much force. To prevent that, you can clip one leash to their buckle collar and another to their halter, so the collar leash takes the force during lunges and the halter leash gently turns your dog’s head.
Finally, be proactive. Plan your walks for times when your dog is unlikely to encounter any triggers (the people, dogs, or objects that cause the lunging to occur). That might be late at night or with the sunrise. Also choose the quietest route. And always be on the lookout for triggers so you can keep your dog far enough away that they don’t react. That might mean taking evasive action like crossing the street or making a 180-degree turn. If you can distract your dog before they notice the trigger, even better. Constantly monitor the environment and your dog’s body language so you can predict lunging before it occurs and act accordingly.

Change Your Dog’s Emotional Response Management will prevent your dog from practicing lunging, but it won’t improve their behavior or ease their emotional state. For that, try desensitization and countercond

Mission K9 Rescue primarily has Contract Working Dogs (CWDs) available for placement. These incredible canines perform the same vital tasks as Military Working Dogs (MWDs) but are not owned by the Government.
We also occasionally place MWDs and retired police dogs for adoption, but it’s unpredictable when they may become available. We rescue these dedicated canines as we become aware of them and work diligently to find suitable placements afterward. 
We’ve opted not to post photos of available dogs to avoid mismatches and save everyone valuable time. Instead, we review your application thoroughly and send you pictures of dogs that suit your situation, if any. This process helps us ensure our dogs find their forever homes with the right families and that the adoption process runs smoothly. 


Learn About Our Mission

Whether you're potty training a new pup or struggling with positive reinforcement, you might want to consult a qualified dog trainer and/or enroll your pooch in a class.
“A lot of people say ‘I know how to teach a dog to sit. Why would I go to a class?’ And it's so much more than that,” says Lindsay Hamrick, director of shelter outreach and engagement at the Humane Society of the United States and a certified professional dog trainer herself. She advises dog owners to “reach out for help anytime they don't know what to do.” 
Animal behavior websites can vary greatly in quality, Hamrick adds, but dog trainers can too—so here are some tips to get you started! 


Starting the search Start your search for a dog trainer at the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, which makes locating a qualified dog trainer near you as simple as plugging in your zip code. You might also try searching "canine behaviorist" and "dog behavior consultant."
Making a match Contact potential dog trainers to see if they’d be a good fit. Trainers’ websites typically describe their expertise, allow you to submit a form explaining the concerns you have about your dog’s behaviors and give you an idea of the cost. It’s also important to determine if they have the bandwidth to work with you.
Good dog trainers “know what they can and can't handle,” Hamrick says. Some don't work with aggression cases, for example, and focus solely on obedience training or non-aggression behavioral challenges.




 




Setting realistic expectations Remember that dog trainers aren’t miracle workers, and behavior change takes time. “If you are talking to a trainer and they think they can fix your issue in a 30-minute television show … you should find somebody else,” Hamrick says.
However, while a single session may not solve the challenges completely, we know that access to behavioral support can be pricey unless you have a low-cost option in your community. One consultation can still be helpful in identifying the root causes of your dog’s behavior and some initial ways to help them choose new behaviors.
And just like when you were in school, homework matters.
“If you only practice during those training sessions, it's not going to stick,” says Jessica Simpson, a senior companion animals public policy specialist for the HSUS. A consistent approach is necessary to help dogs generalize the new behavior from the classroom to the home.  
Virtual training Online dog training options have exploded in COVID’s wake. It's possible for dog trainers to size up a dog’s issues through virtual chats with the owner and videos of the dog’s behavior. After an initial video consultation, trainers can give the owners homework and then watch videos tracking the dog’s progress. GoodPup is a great online program for those looking for this approach.  
Red flags Ideally, you’ll find an affordable, certified dog trainer who’s knowledgeable about your dog’s issues, practices humane techniques and is available either in person or online. But if the training sparks concern, you can simply leave.  
“If you don't feel good, then remove your dog,” Hamrick says. “If you go to a local obedience class, and the trainer is yanking on leashes or making your dog scared, if your dog is not excited to go to class, then you absolutely have the right to cancel and remove them. You will do more damage by trying to be nice and stay.” BY JAMES HETTINGER