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Columbia-Greene Humane Society
125 Humane-Society Road
Soft Paws By Aaron Clause The “Placemats” Method What is it, you might ask? The “Placemats” method is a set of reminders for all dog owners – current or potential. It’s an acronym that contains the most important things to keep in mind throughout the time that your pup is in your household: - Provide - License - Annual Vet Visit - Collar with ID - Exercise - Monthly Grooming - Awareness and Understanding - Teach - Spay and Neuter “Provide” means just that – your pet can’t do it for itself. You must be the one to provide food, water, and shelter. And folks, I don’t mean just “adequate,” whatever the law says. It should be done well and with love in your hearts. Give your pet good food whenever possible – make sure he or she has water ALL the time. Don’t tie him or her out for hours on end. And above all, don’t forget to provide the attention that your pup needs to be happy! “License” your pet – don’t break the law. Not only are there fines, but face it – if something happened to you or your property by a neighbor’s dog, wouldn’t you also like to know where to turn? What if your dog was lost – wouldn’t you like to be able to trace it? What if you found a dog? That’s why it’s in the rulebooks! “Annual vet visit” is NOT an option! There are many vaccines (rabies is required by law for dogs AND cats!) that are essential for your pet to stay healthy each year, as well as the parasite preventatives (heartworm, fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, etc.). Don’t be a firefighter – be a fire-preventer! “Collar with ID” means that if you care about your dog, you’d want him or her back if they decided to take a run on you. Murphy’s Law goes hand-in-hand with dog ownership – if it can happen, then it will. Don’t take the risk on never finding your pet again – get an ID attached to a comfortable permanent collar. “Exercise” your dog based on their individual breed’s necessities. Some breeds need high amounts of exercise, such as Dobermans. Others can lie around the house comfortably for greater deals of time. Research the needs of your pooch and stretch his or her legs accordingly! “Monthly grooming” is more important than you think. It keeps your pup’s coat healthy, and gives you the chance to look out for fleas, ticks, skin conditions, and even growths that you can catch and fix before they become hazardous or problematic. For longer-haired breeds, monthly grooming (or even more frequently!) is essential to lessen shedding problems and the ingestion of stomach-upsetting fur. Most of you will find that your dog welcomes “grooming time” – many of them love it! “Awareness and understanding” refers to you knowing what your dog needs on every level – feeding and diet, grooming, exercise, mental stimulation, attention, and the list goes on. Breed research is essential to this – each breed has special needs in addition to the “basics.” Find out what they are, and you may find that you can see why your dog is whining, or why he is running, or why he’s performing this behavior or that behavior, and you can take the steps needed to solve your simple headaches! “Teach” everyone you see by being a model dog owner. Many people, whether they have dogs or not, don’t know everything they should about dog ownership. Fill them in – tell them to start reading my column! (Just kidding!) But really – your example will show others the importance of the relationship between humans and canines, and the more you show them the “correct” way, the better chance ALL these dogs have in the long run! “Spay or neuter” your pet – not only to keep them from having unwanted puppies, but many unbecoming behaviors can be avoided (such as running away, peeing on the floor, unwanted human leg-fetishes, and different degrees of aggression) by altering your pet. Maybe your solution is as easy as a simple, routine surgery! The cost for this surgery is usually reasonable, and help can be provided by some organizations. Think about “Placemats” every day if you own a dog – you will see dramatic changes in your dog’s life and yours if you do. Feel free to call me with any questions about “Placemats” at (518) 828-6044.
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