Spring-Summer 2009:

Boat People

Harley and Me: 45-year dog trainer Sand "The Dogman" Reed with Harley, an affectionate 11-month-old Rottweiler owned by Linda and C.D. Johnson of StagecoachEnter, the DogmanCommon courtesy for canines    Education is freedom. We teach our children life’s rules and respect for others, and eventually we loosen the reins. But just as a child becoming a teenager can challenge parents, an adolescent dog can really stink. Dogman, a.k.a. Sand Reed, helps make owner-pet relationships more enjoyable for all parties concerned.    "It's a natural process,” Sand says. “You want and expect a well-mannered child, why not your pet?”    Sand, 62, a big, burly cowboy with a thick mustache, has trained cats, horses and even birds by emphasizing two basic principles: common courtesy and the truth. He says a trained dog is one that the neighbors like and friends want to dog-sit. A dog has just two limitations, he sabrys: “It has no thumbs and it belongs to you.” Accordingly, Sand trains pet owners as much as the pet.    “All an animal wants is to knothe rules,” he says. “She learns that the burden of the decision is hers and she chooses discipline over temptation – that is obedience.”    The goal is to set standards for obedience so pets have off-leash freedom and safety. Training should be a pleasure for both owner and animal. “Demand discipline and respect for you – or your wrath,” Sand adds. “But don’t browbeat it into them. You don’t want to break their spirit or make them afraid of you.”     As a young boy caring for hunting camp dogs in Alabama, Sand knehe wanted to be a dog trainer. Later he worked with three master trainers for free, picking up tips and formatting his own training regimen, which he says has only one drawback: “It’s too simple.”     Sand corrects animals with a single word: “No.” He then offers immediate forgiveness. “’No!’ covers all sins,” he says. And one $500 fee covers all obedience training over the pet’s lifetime.    Training for the real world, not the shoring, Sand uses only the sound of his voice to teach the dog the rules. “Our pets are surrounded by death every day,” he says, pointing out his window. “That’s Highway 40. That truck will kill your dog. Nothing we say to our pet is as bad as it getting hit by a car.”    Frequently asked why he doesn’t write a book about his training techniques, Sand cites excessive brevity as his excuse: “It would have one page,” he replies. “If you like it, tell the dog. If you don’t like it, tell the dog. The end.”

Alternative Results - Healing pets with Dr. Paige Lorimer    One big difference between the medicaltreatment of animals and humans isthat animals can't lie. That's why the mostobjective responses come right from theanimal itself.    Dr. Paige Lorimer, co-owner of PetKare Clinic, says she often gets differentstories about an animal's recovery fromits owners. "But from animal feedbackyou can tell whether they feel better justfrom the look of their eyes and skin oreven energy level," she says. "There isno placebo affect with animals. Whathappens, happens."    Dr. Paige and the five other vets at PetKare Clinic look to traditional westernveterinary medicine and the integrativeholistictechniques of traditional ChineseAnimal Aide: Dr.Paige Lorimer has treated four-legged locals for the past 14 years, performing acupuncture as an integrative approach to ailments. Photo by Ken Wright.,medicine like acupuncture and herbs totreat many conditions, including arthritis,degenerative disorders, gastro-intestinaldisturbances, allergies, skin infections andanxiety. "I give every option I think willhelp and then let the client choose," Paigesays. "I want to use what works, whetherit's western or alternative."    Her most profound experience wastreating an injured elk. The bull lay in arancher's field with a raging infection, theresult of being gored in a rutting fightmonths earlier. When the call came, Paigeand Tracy Bye from Born Free WildlifeRehabilitation went out to see if anythingcould be done to save it.    "His eyes were huge and he was tryingto get us with his rack," Paige says. "Wedidn't knowhat to expect. With oneacupuncture needle, it went from snortingto closing its eyes. It lowered its head andalmost went to sleep."    Once the bull relaxed, Paige was ableto lance the abscess, administer antibioticsand get the elk to eat and drink.Unfortunately it was too far gone andeventually died. "At least it felt good for awhile and maybe I helped to give it amore dignified death," Paige says.    In another instance where Paige utilizedChinese techniques, Jenna, a 16-year-oldGerman shepherd and retired service dog,sasignificant improvement. "The lifewas out of her eyes and you could tell shewas done," Paige recalls. Within an hourof her acupuncture treatment, Jenna wasa nedog.    "It was such a profound difference,"says Irv Edelman, Jenna's owner. "I tellPaige she's actually treating two peoplebecause it's a treat for me to just be withmy dog."    The results speak for themselves, evenif the animals can't.A mother's Love - Karen Van Scoyk offers foster home to neglected pets    Take nine cats and three dogs, put themin one house with a couple and theirthree kids, and you get one very specialhome. Even though their children are nowgrown and out of the house, it's never a dullmoment at home for Karen Van Scoyk.    Cat and dog foster mom extraordinaire,Karen, a 54-year-old personal trainer, wasinspired into community service by herhusband, Ward, a lawyer who has alwaysBlind Faith: Karen Van Scoyk cuddles with Abbey, a 4-year-old Javanese mix born blind. Photo by Ken Wright.prided himself on his involvement in thecommunity. She wanted to find somethingshe could provide from home when thekids were young.    "I can't see my life without animals,"Karen says. "Fostering is hoI got a lot ofthese animals. Once I brought a foster catand kittens into my home, I wanted to beselective about where they were placed."    When she began fostering 12 years ago,the shelter had no quarantine room, so diseaseswere spread more easily among theanimals. So she cared for them herself. Shealso hand-raises kittens that have no momand takes in mom cats with litters that wereabandoned or surrendered. Once the kittensare old enough to be adopted she helpsplace them in good homes.    Karen quickly became the go-to fostermom as more mom cats would shoupat the shelter. "As soon as one litter wasadopted, I'd get another the next day,"she says. "It goes on for five or six monthsa year from April through October."    Four years ago Karen fostered 41 catsin one season. Some of her own nine catsare moms that weren't adopted after thelitter was gone, or kittens she hand-raisedwith the help of her daughter and neighbors'kids. Orphaned kittens need to bebottle fed, stimulated to discharge waste,and then cleaned. With so much humancontact from the beginning, these catsusually bond well with their human ownersand Karen gets frequent calls from peoplewanting hand-raised kittens.    "Sometimes there are sick babies, butI've rarely lost a kitten," she says. "I'mvigilant if they're failing to thrive and amgrateful to our Humane Society for providingfunding for vet care when it's needed."    As a child Karen slept with stuffedanimals all around her. Noshe wakes upwith five or six real cats snuggled next toher. "I'm at a point where I don't want totake on any more because eventually I'mgoing to have to say goodbye, and that'sthe hardest part of loving animals," shesays. "I get so much enjoyment out ofthem. I couldn't be a happier person. Mylife is so full."    Full of fun and fur.