About Us
We've been dog breeders and rescuers for more than 25 years. In that time we've seen many dogs with disabilities. We always seem to have one or more in our family. It all started with Homer....
Degenerative Myeopathy came on our first guy, Homer, fairly quick (or maybe I just didn’t realize what was happening) – I had no idea what was going on but if you could help him up he could walk so we’d stand him up and point him in the right direction and he’d wander the yard until he sort of sat down. If he flopped in a shady spot, I’d just let him hang out there awhile. If he sat down in the sun, we’d go out and help him up again. Riggs was a puppy then, and he would sit and talk to “Grandpa" for hours – very unusual for a puppy – it was like he was getting wisdom from the elder dog. To keep Homer safe in the house from the other dogs he had a comfy bed in an x-pen. This went on for about 8 or 9 months when Homer must have just decided he didn’t want to get up anymore. He gave up. Home care consisted of rubber backed rugs that absorbed the accidents and gave him traction. He enjoyed the last year of his life wandering the yard and hanging out with the grandkids (Riggs was his fav). Knowing what I know now, I know we might have hung in there longer with a better system of coping with the pee and poop and mobility.. He made it to almost 12.
Shadow was a handful. He had aggression problems early on so we weren't sure how he would handle being handled as a disabled dog. Most of his life he was hell-on-wheels so I was really surprised when, as the DM got worse, he actually let us help him. The aggression subsided which was very unexpected, and his separation anxiety got worse. The DM started with him peeing down the hallway as he walked. Not a big problem as we don’t have carpet .I just kept bleach water and a mop ready. Eventually it progressed to problems standing and eventually the typical paralyzed rear end, but he was ok as long as he could be near us. I made my office in the living room and he had the vestibule with a baby fence around him. Riggs befriended him and they’d sit and “talk" for hours just like with Grandpa Homer. The other dogs would visit and he’d yell at them for fun. He did well on the rubber backed rugs. The biggest problem is he needed to keep his mind busy – he was a VERY intelligent dog and sitting still and doing nothing was difficult for him. At the time I didn’t know dog mobility resources even existed. Most of the summer he spend on the front lawn under a huge beach umbrella – he loved this because he could keep an eye on the neighborhood and a dog who was pooping on our lawn (I think he liked being the “tough guy"). He made it to 14 when the average malamute lifespan is 12. So much for handicapped dogs not living very long!
Hoover was a pro at being disabled. This site was originally created in his honor. Hoovie even went on vacation with us up north with 5 other dogs. He “ran" in the sand dunes with the help of a sling and enjoyed the beautiful scenery in a grassy spot while the other dogs got walked nearby. I took a bunch of towels and rugs and we made a Laundromat stop halfway through the trip. I brought plastic to put on the hotel room carpet and he was the darling of the hotel staff. (He was incontinent too). I think that trip was the best time of his life – he enjoyed it so much and so did we. While he had a wheelchair, he preferred the dog sling. Eventually he even lost use of his front legs, but was a happy guy right to the end. He also took up residence in the “doggie nursing home" in the vestibule of our home and would talk to the other dogs, play with his squeakie toys and be nearby. He was a joy because he was so patient and accepting of his disability. By then we had it pretty down pat – the incontinence and poop wasn’t even a problem.
Then we had Riggs – probably wouldn’t have even noticed the signs except for the other guys. Slight toeing under, unsteadiness when he turns – and the hoarse “woo" pointed to degenerative myeopathy again. After the tests at MSU he was having a rough time standing for a day or so because it stressed him out so much, but has bounced back pretty good. Kidney problems became more of an issue. He just had to go out more often. The kidney problems will probably got him before the DM did…He always had the respect of the others and kept his spot as “alpha" till the end Even the young upstarts didn't challenge his authority. It was funny to hear his “straighten up your act – boy" voice in that high-pitched woo, directed to the upstart. He enjoyed watching TV (medical shows – always has liked them) even if we had to help him up on the bed to see better, so his routine stayed the same as much as possible,
We also had Chevy, a dog with severe epilepsy. His needs weren't mobility, but more about finding the right balance between medications and safety. In an active seizure he would jerk around and bang his head, urinate and deficate. As his overall health deteriorated, he needed a safe space to retreat and rest.
We now have two geriatric sisters that are deaf and have dementia.. One is further along than the other and we basically use hand signals and gestures to direct them what to do. One is a little more intimidated by hearing loss than the other so she gets extra support. One has an interesting syndrome having to do with sunlight and the dementia - called Sundowners. Deafcanines.com is an excellent resource for owners of deaf dogs, and Blindcanines.com has good information for blind dog owners.
And last of all, our Daughter has Cheesecake....who recently came down with something neurological - we still don't exactly know what it is but she's now in a wheelchair and doing fine otherwise. This just shows that every dog with disabilities is very different and the solutions that will make them comfortable and happy are not always the same. Whereas one dog may just love a wheelchair, another may prefer a dog sling - another will want none of it.. It's very individual.
So we've had a lot of disabled and elderly dogs over the years and like to think we've learned something from being loved by them. Dogs with disabiilties are special and well worth the time and trouble to deal with their handicaps and limitations. This site is dedicated to all those dogs that made our life unique and gifted us with their wonderful love.
Contact info:
info (at sign) dogswithdisabilities.com
(the @ sign was removed to thwart spammers)
Privacy Policy
This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their 'Personally Identifiable Information' (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website.
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What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog, website or app?
We do not collect information from visitors of our site.
or other details to help you with your experience.
When do we collect information?
We collect information from you when you place an order, respond to a survey or enter information on our site.
How do we use your information?
We may use the information we collect from you when you register, make a purchase, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:
• To improve our website in order to better serve you.
• To allow us to better service you in responding to your customer service requests.
• To quickly process your transactions.
How do we protect your information?
Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible.
We do not use Malware Scanning.
We do not use an SSL certificate
• We only provide articles and information. We never ask for personal or private information like names, email addresses, or credit card numbers.
Do we use 'cookies'?
Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer's hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the site's or service provider's systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. For instance, we use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart. They are also used to help us understand your preferences based on previous or current site activity, which enables us to provide you with improved services. We also use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.
We use cookies to:
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• Compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interactions in order to offer better site experiences and tools in the future. We may also use trusted third-party services that track this information on our behalf.
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If you turn cookies off, Some of the features that make your site experience more efficient may not function properly.It won't affect the user's experience that make your site experience more efficient and may not function properly.
Third-party disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information.
Third-party links
Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third-party products or services on our website. These third-party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.
Google's advertising requirements can be summed up by Google's Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users. https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/1316548?hl=en
We use Google AdSense Advertising on our website.
Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to our users based on previous visits to our site and other sites on the Internet. Users may opt-out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google Ad and Content Network privacy policy.
We have implemented the following:
• Remarketing with Google AdSense
• Google Display Network Impression Reporting
• Demographics and Interests Reporting
• DoubleClick Platform Integration
We, along with third-party vendors such as Google use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookies) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) or other third-party identifiers together to compile data regarding user interactions with ad impressions and other ad service functions as they relate to our website.
Opting out:
Users can set preferences for how Google advertises to you using the Google Ad Settings page. Alternatively, you can opt out by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative Opt Out page or by using the Google Analytics Opt Out Browser add on.
California Online Privacy Protection Act
CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law's reach stretches well beyond California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting Personally Identifiable Information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared. - See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf
According to CalOPPA, we agree to the following:
Users can visit our site anonymously.
Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page or as a minimum, on the first significant page after entering our website.
Our Privacy Policy link includes the word 'Privacy' and can easily be found on the page specified above.
You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes:
• On our Privacy Policy Page
Can change your personal information:
• By emailing us
How does our site handle Do Not Track signals?
We don't honor Do Not Track signals and Do Not Track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place. We don't honor them because:
Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?
It's also important to note that we allow third-party behavioral tracking
COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)
When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 years old, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, United States' consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children's privacy and safety online.
We do not specifically market to children under the age of 13 years old.
Fair Information Practices
The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.
In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:
We will notify the users via in-site notification
• Within 7 business days
We also agree to the Individual Redress Principle which requires that individuals have the right to legally pursue enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or government agencies to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.
