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Ever wish your dog could talk? Turns out, dogs talk all the time! They use body language to communicate how they feel, what they think and even what they plan to do next. It’s up to us to interpret that body language and decide the best way to respond. Ready to “speak Dog”? Here are four common ways that dogs communicate:  EYES Eyes are the window to the soul — and your dog’s emotions! A dog’s eyes can tell you when she is feeling anxious, uncomfortable or tense. This is especially important if you’re meeting a new dog, or if your dog is in an unfamiliar situation. If the eyes are large and round, with dilated pupils, it might be best to give that dog space or a quiet area to decompress.  MOUTH Yawning doesn’t necessarily mean that your dog is sleepy. It could mean that they’re stressed or feel unsafe! If your dog yawns or licks their lips, they might need to take a break in a quiet or secure area. This reminder is especially important for kids, who may what to grab their furbuddy and cuddle up for a nap.  TAIL Tails say lots of things, but they’re only one part of the story! Don’t make assumptions on how your dog is feeling just based on their tail. It would be like approaching a person based solely on how they’re holding their arms.  GREETINGS
It’s tempting to let your dog kiss a brand-new friend, but it’s not a safe idea. Follow natural dog etiquette and let them do polite sniffing (well, polite to dogs, anyway!) or walk side-by-side. Dogs get a better idea of each other this way, and it helps everyone avoid awkward or potentially dangerous face-to-face scuffles. If you watch close, you can see that your dog is communicating all the time. Knowing how to “speak Dog” will help you form a close, healthy and safe relationship with your pets throughout their lifetimes.
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There's a reason why every TLP dog is microchipped before adoption: Microchipping is one of the best ways to ensure your pet returns to you if they get loose or lost. Painless and inexpensive, a microchip is a cornerstone of responsible pet ownership, and crucial for helping shelters and other animal care facilities reunite pets with owners.  It happens to the most responsible pet owners. Dogs can find a way out of the most secure backyard or watchful eye. Even worse, collars can slip or break off. When that happens, it's crucial that your dog has an up-to-date microchip. Almost every veterinary office, shelter or animal facility is able to scan for a microchip. Make sure to keep your information up-to-date and renew your membership with the microchip company (if applicable).  Your furry friend isn't worth the gamble and deserves every chance to find their way home. Shelters and veterinary offices offer easy, low-cost chipping services.  One chip, the size of one grain of rice, can prevent heartache and save you from losing your dog to an overburdened shelter system. Microchipping your dog is quick, painless and low-cost. The microchip will not cause your dog any irritation. They won't notice it!  Yearning to make a bigger difference for shelter dogs in need? Check out thelovepit.org/volunteer to join our cause! #SavethePitBull #MicrochipsSaveLives #ResponsibleDogOwnersSaveLives #TLPFacts
April is Heartworm Awareness Month! Heartworms can cause devastating damage to your dog, but they're one of the easiest things to prevent. No matter where you are or what time of year it is, one of the best decisions you can make is getting your dog on heartworm prevention.  Heartworm meds can only be effective if you remember to administer them! Set a reminder on your phone to give your dog their meds. And while you're at it, text your friends to remind them too!  Heartworms are transmitted by MOSQUITOS. An infected dog CANNOT pass worms to another dog -- not through blood, feces or anything else. Heart worms are real worms that grow inside your dog. It's painful and potentially deadly, and treament can cost thousands of dollars. Here's the GOOD news: You can prevent heart worms with a low-cost monthly prevention. Talk to your vet if you haven't already!  Heartworms can do lasting and eventually fatal damage to vital organs Dogs are surrendered to shelters DAILY by heartbroken families who can't afford treatment.  Some folks only give preventatives when the weather is warm, but the truth is that mosquitos carry this disease year-round. Please don’t gamble on your pet’s health!
When it comes to your pet's health, many factors are out of your control. Heartworm disease isn't one of them! Take a simple step to prevent major heartache in the future. Talk to your vet about heartworm prevention today! One of the many challenges of pit bull rescue is finding homes that allow our beloved breed. Many potential adopters say, “I can just register the dog as an ESA — my landlord has to allow them.” That’s just one of the myths around ESAs, or Emotional Support Animals. The Love Pit believes that animals should only be considered ESAs if there is a genuine need and the dog fits the criteria. TLP does not support labeling a dog an ESA to get around breed restrictions. Here are a few more #TLPFacts about ESAs that we wish everyone knew. This knowledge will help you make an informed decision and keep you, your family and your pet safe.  IF you truly are in need of an ESA, PLEASE do your research. Your mental health provider must deem it necessary, your ESA MUST be well behaved, potty trained, and must NOT be considered a danger to residents in your home/apartment complex/ neighborhood.  ESAs of any age who are a nuisance, a danger, or not potty trained can be evicted, resulting in owner surrenders at the shelter. As we all know, owner surrenders = higher risk of euthanasia for shelter dogs.  ESAs provide companionship & sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities, as service animals do. Misrepresenting your pet as an ESA OR service dog is WRONG. Don’t put the public at risk, and don’t set your own pet up for failure. Every dog deserves to be well trained and truthfully represented by their humans.  Many loving animals do not have what it takes to complete professional service dog training, and are better suited to be “professional” couch potatoes! Please don’t anticipate using service dog status as a loophole for breed restrictions, air travel, or access to public spaces.
ESA and service dog are titles reserved for truly qualified working dogs. They should never be used to work around breed restrictions or score unnecessary special accommodations. When bringing a new pet home, always be honest with yourself. It’s the best way to set you and your new friend up for a long, healthy and safe life! February is Spay & Neuter Awareness Month. Why is it important to spay or neuter your animals? Altering your pet can positively affect their health and behavior, their lifespan, and the overall population of homeless animals in the United States! The Love Pit encourages good humans everywhere to alter pets and help avoid the onslaught of puppies and kittens that overwhelm our shelters, especially in the warmer months.  It may seem annoying to pay to spay or neuter your pet, but the price of cancer treatments is much higher. When families can’t afford medical treatments, they often resort to surrendering their pet to a shelter in hopes that an adopted or rescue will help their pet. And as we saw earlier, the odds of a positive outcome for an animal in a shelter are not good.  When you consider the facts surrounding spay and neuter procedures, it’s tough to imagine why any pet owner would choose not to alter their furry family member!  We like to keep it positive around here, but facts are facts. When unaltered pets roam, they’re more likely to be stolen, hit by a car, attacked by a wild animal or involved in a dog fight. When faced with circumstances like these, many humans lack the resources to help their pet, resulting in the death of a beloved pet, or yet another animal surrendered to a shelter. Please think ahead and do not put your pet at risk. Spay and neuter your four-legged family member and keep them safe for years to come!
 January is Train Your Dog Month! We’re celebrating with some tips to help you build a happy and trusting relationship with your dog. Dogs are family members. Unlike human family members, though, your furry pal can’t speak to you. Luckily, with a commitment to consistent training, you can build the connection with your pup that you’ve always wanted. Build Trust Obedience training is a crucial part of responsible dog ownership. Studies show that obedience training with positive reinforcement helps your dog respect you, trust you, and strengthens your overall relationship. Establish Boundaries Dogs need boundaries to feel secure. When you’re inconsistent, your dog may feel stressed by a lack of predictable routines. Ultimately, setting boundaries at home will help instill confidence in your pup, allowing you to enjoy one another a lot more. Show You Care Research indicates that physical contact lowers stress levels in dogs. Training provides an excellent opportunity to love on your furry pal as you reward them for good behavior. Whether you’re showering your pup with praise for performing a new skill or just reviewing the basics, you’ll have tons of opportunity for physical touch and eye contact. Cure Boredom Dogs need mental and physical stimulation. Without it, they’re likely to get bored and misbehave. Training is a great outlet for dogs to work their brains and expend some energy. If they’re entertained and worn out from training sessions, they’re going to be happier and better behaved even when training time is done. If you want to be closer to your dog and ensure they’re confident, safe, and happy, training is the way to do it. Just stick with it and stay patient. You’ll be glad you did. Mandy Lee is a dog mom, avid volunteer veterinarian and co-author of Saved By The Bark blog. She enjoys sharing tips and tricks for volunteers and animal lovers through thoughtfully researched blog posts. Or any other four-legged loved one…
If you’re anything like me, I have a tendency of losing my keys often and trying to find my phone while I am actually talking on it. I often find myself quietly praying to Apple to step up their game and create my very own “Meet the Jetson’s” handmaid Rosie just to put my laundry away. While keys can be replaced and a new phone purchased, replacing a furry love bug is not. TLP’s annual CuPit Casino Night was again a HUGE success! The event was held at The Foundation Room at the House of Blues and was a night of glitz, glam and fun, VEGAS style! During this event we handed out our 2018-2019 Rescue Awards.
Before handing out the awards, our President and Founder, Aften, spoke a few words on meeting & rescuing Sweet Pea and the events thereafter that quickly thrust her into rescue work and the start of TLP. It is that time of year again; our 2nd Annual Cupit Casino Night!
Last year’s event was a huge success! To see the recap and some pictures from last year’s shenanigans, click HERE. This year’s event will be a black tie gala VEGAS STYLE held at The Foundation Room at the House of Blues in Dallas on 2/15/2019. Proceeds from this event will go towards helping us raise funds to open our new training facility this summer, severe medical dogs and senior dog care! |
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