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Final Victory Animal Rescue

One of the most amazing places to get involved with in Columbia, SC if you are an animal lover is Final Victory Animal Rescue. This is exactly where my dog Dusky came from.

This animal shelter has numerous opportunities to get involved with. My sorority partnered with this animal shelter to provide volunteer hours. To get involved you can volunteer, participate in doggy day out, foster, or adopt. For doggy day out it is specifically tailored to those looking to foster or adopt. In this program you get to take a dog out of the shelter for an entire day and take him on adventures in the area, and then return them at the end of the night. This is a great opportunity for college students who need to destress with a furry friend.

Another new program this shelter offers is a class through the University of South Carolina called canine fitness connection. In this class you go to the rescue shelter and have the opportunity to volunteer within the shelter and take dogs for a walk around the area. It is a great benefit to one's emotional health while also getting physical activity.

It is truly amazing the benefits and contributions this animal shelter has provided in the community. I would encourage everyone to get involved and help out and I promise you won't regret it!

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Outdoor Adventures in Columbia

Fortunately Columbia, SC has many dog-friendly activities and locations to partake in. I am going to highlight a couple of my favorite through this blog post.

One of the easiest locations to bring your pup to are the numerous dog parks available. Many of the apartment complexes or local parks in the community have dog parks. Dog parks are not my favorite due to safety reasons for your pup.

If you're looking for a fun night out with drinks with your pup one of my favorite places is Jake's on Devine. This is a dog friendly bar with specific hours where dogs are able to run free on the turf outside with drink deals. My pup absolutely loves to go here!

Another great walking trail to go to is the Riverwalk. There are many different entry points and parking to go on this trail. This is not an off leash trail and can be extremely busy during certain times of the day. It is a great place to get some fresh air and take in the beautiful locations of Columbia!

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Service Dogs

In regards to my last post, it is important to consider the major differences between an emotional support animal and a service animal. Service animals must undergo extensive training to assist people with various disabilities, and are specifically trained in tasks to assist these individuals.

Service dogs are not just pets but they are working animals that provide vital assistance and help to enhance the handler's ability and quality of life.

An example of a service dog I have seen first hand is a diabetic alert dog. These dogs are trained to sense high and low blood sugars of their owners and alert them. Other tasks these animals can be taught includes bringing life saving medication during an event, or even bringing juice or a sugar to help low blood sugar.

It is important to know the different between these animals. Service dogs require extensive training and can be very expensive. When deciding between the two it is important to take into account financials as-well as if comfort is needed more or an actual task to enable one's quality of life.

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Emotional Support Dogs

One of the biggest benefits of dogs that has been widely seen today is the benefit of emotional support animals. Emotional support animals can provide an individual suffering from mental health challenges with comfort and reassurance, leading to alleviation of symptoms related to anxiety, depression, PTSD, and so much more.

An important aspect to consider before acquiring an emotional support animal is the time and effort that is also required. Emotional support dogs are able to provide companionship, a sense of security, and unconditional love. On the other hand they are still a dog at heart and need the basic needs of any other dog.

When looking to acquire an emotional support animal it is important to note a mental health professional must provide a recommendation for their certification. You must also consider the breed and temperament of the animal as-well as the living conditions and economic abilities you have. Overall, I do think there is a lot us as humans can learn from dogs as-well as the benefit to one's mental health they can provide.

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The Mysterious Dog Illness of 2023

The mysterious dog illness of 2023 sent any dog owners into a panic. The symptoms and transmission could be related very similarly to kennel cough for dogs. The main symptom a pup would get is a cough that would last for multiple weeks and not respond to normal medications.

When it comes to prevention of this illness the number one recommendation is to keep your dog up to date on his vaccinations. Although this vaccinations won't specifically target the mystery illness it will help to decrease your dogs risk of contracting another illness on top of the mystery illness.

Some other recommendations for prevention include limiting the number of other dogs your animal comes into contact with by avoiding dog parks altogether. Another prevention idea includes cleaning their feet upon coming in from outside. And finally it has also been recommended to wash your dogs toys consistenetly.

Overall, there is no specific preventative action to be taken to avoid this mysterious illness. But there are small things to do to take care of your pooch and hopefully reduce your pups risk.

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Digestive Health for Dogs

Dusky has always struggled when it comes to his digestive system, specifically struggling from vomiting or diarrhea. Here are some tips and tricks I have used to help mitigate this issue.

For starters the most important factor is the type of food you are feeding your pup. When Dusky was on low-end food he suffered from extremely smelly diarrhea. The solution for him was to switch him to Purina Pro Plan Sport, which has almost completely fixed the issues at hand.

Next it is important to have supplements for when needed. When a dog is suffering from digestive issues it is important to keep canned pumpkin on hand to combat diarrhea. Another supplement we started adding to his food is dehydrated carrots which he receives daily to help with his stools.

Another supplement all dogs should be taking are probiotics to help their gut. He takes the veterinary formula Purina probiotics once a day which also help to support a healthy digestive system.

Overall, utilizing the appropriate food and supplements are vital to a dogs digestive health.

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Traveling with Dogs: Tips and Ideas

In today's world we see a lot more dog-friendly places and adventures available. One of the hardest and stressful things on both you and your dog can be traveling.

When Dusky was smaller he had the opportunity to fly with me on the airplane. It was important to prepare accordingly. To do this it was important to purchase an approved dog carrier by TSA for him to travel in. Ahead of travel I also researched the airport maps to be able to utilize the doggie bathroom areas in the airport. It was also important to ensure I had the right equipment such as harness, leash, bathroom bags, and treats if needed.

Overall, traveling with dogs is much easier in the car but can be just as dangerous. One important safety measure to account for is providing a seatbelt incase of car accident. The best way to do this is by purchasing an appropriate fitting harness to go along with a dog seatbelt or carseat. By doing this we can ensure if an accident were to occur that he would be less likely to be ejected from a car.

Overall, ensuring safety while traveling is an important aspect to consider. Taking steps just like you would with one's child can be overlooked but should not be.

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Canine Communication: Interpreting Body Language

Unlike people communicating with dogs can be quite challenging. It is important as a dog owner to learn how to interpret your specific dog's language to understand what they are trying to communicate.

Specifically Dusky uses his tail as a way of communicating happiness for the most part. One thing we have noticed is he is almost always wagging his tail, the only time he does not is when he is unsure or scared.

Another major body communication he utilizes is only barking when needing to go outside to the bathroom. He has also learned to utilize pawing at one's leg to signify that he needs to go outside. This took awhile to fully understand because many dogs bark for attention versus a true need.

By observing the cues in many different situations is can help a pet owner to truly understand their dog. By learning to decipher his clues is has overall strengthening the bond in our relationship.

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Dusky's Beginnings

Dusky had a very rough beginning to his story. I have been a volunteer for Final Victory Animal Rescue in Columbia, SC for multiple years looking to help foster puppies. Dusky and his four other siblings were unfortunately found in a dumpster by a community member and brought to the shelter. This is how Dusky and his sister Mako found their way into my home shortly after.

The beginning was extremely rough. He was covered in fleas, malnourished, and had never been in a house before. We were starting from the very beginning. In the beginning Dusky suffered from many illnesses which led to many vet trips.

Unfortunately there was very little interest in Dusky when it came to finding a forever home. Luckily, I had the opportunity to meet with adopters for his sister and care for her until she was able to make the trip to Maryland. Ultimately, after her leaving I decided I could not part ways with my cute little fur-baby named Dusky.

Now, Dusky is surrounded by many friends and family who spoil him and love him. Dusky has created happiness for me and my boyfriend who have raised him together who we explore spots in Columbia with. Getting a dog in college is very daunting but has been so rewarding for everyone who knows and loves him.

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The Benefits of Doggie Daycare and Play

There are many benefits to engaging your pup in social activity and play. It can be extremely nerve-racking for first time dog owners to trust a complete stranger to take care of their pup during the day or even for an overnight stay. I have found great success in allowing my pup Dusky to attend Camp Bow Wow in Columbia, SC.

One of the biggest struggles he has faced being raised in college with a demanding schedule was limited mental stimulation and social play. By sending him to doggie daycare he has been able to receive this. He suffered specifically from separation anxiety due to the issue of raising him since the age of just five weeks old. Allowing him to attend daycare has given him the opportunity to engage in socialization and play leading to less destructive behaviors when being left home alone.

Some other important benefits of utilizing this care has been allowing him to receive appropriate physical exercise and mental stimulation, leading to a better relationship between us especially after coming home from a long day of work or school. Another great benefit was the structure of routine for him which he previously did not have. Doing this has created a happier, less destructive, and overall impacted his health and well-being in a positive way.

Overall, I think doggie daycare does hold a negative stigmatism surrounding it as almost a way of taking away the responsibility of caring for a dog. I think it is important to realize the positive benefits and success one can have by utilizing the safe interactions and positive results utilizing doggie daycare can have. My pup has changed so much and I can't thank doggie daycare enough.