What if we could get your cat to write a dog food review? What would that be like?

First, we have some obvious problems, cats don't write. So, we will need your help.

Second, why would a cat write a dog food review in the first place?

But, just in case you have a cat who would like to help Boston Terrier Network by writing a dog food review for us, we have provided some suggestions. Yes, we are serious!

Just email your cat's dog food review to info@bostonterriernetwork.com and we will publish them.

For an incentive to help make up for this unusual request the first five cats who send in canned dog food reviews, a cat treat as a reward to your cat for bothering to take the time to help us. We will need you to let us know if your cat wants to take us up on this offer.

Of course, all food reviewing is inherently subjective, but that doesn't mean your cat should only comment on what he liked and didn't like.

To start out this series of reviews we are interested in: Canned Dog food:

1. What was in a sauce?

2. Is the canned dog food better tasting room temperature or refrigerated?

3. Would your cat do the taste test?

4. Was the canned food grain free? Did it have potatoes, apples or peas in it?

5. Could your cat identify certain high-profile foods (meats, expensive cheeses, etc.)?

6. Has your cat refused to let you volunteer him ever to try canned dog food again?

7. Would your cat prefer to let you do the tasting next time?

Don't forget to email to Boston Terrier Network your cat's dog food review on canned dog food.

Please consider volunteering your cat for the next dog food review. We will be looking at Kibble, raw dog food, and dog food treats, in the next couple months! How exciting is that!!!!

Edited by: Julie Bradford, Jan Mitchell   

The photo of that innocent face... Only a couple days or weeks old.

Your heart is breaking. You cannot believe anyone would harm that gorgeous little bundle of new joy!  A rescue is trying, pleading for your help anyone's help, to raise money to save this puppy. They only need a small amount, under a thousand dollars to save the puppy. They are going undercover to buy it from the mean old breeder. There are some medical needs or it is a litter of pups. How on earth can you resist, as you wipe the tears out of your eyes and reach for your credit card.... 

WAIT!  Before you donate, please, please consider this. Who is that rescue? Have you ever heard of them before? Do any of your friends know who this is?  How do you know it is not an actual scammer making this plea?

WHAT!  No one would do that!

You try to convenience yourself, they must be real, and they have a Facebook page.  They even have a web page. They are doing a fundraiser on a popular online fundraising website.  REALLY? 

Let me assure you this kind of heart breaking misuse of your love of dogs, especially Bostons, is going on right now. This misguided use of your emotional state is being used with greater numbers almost daily...  OH, YES, we are watching one "rescue" right now that is doing exactly what this article is about.  BUT, because I am not sure it is even illegal, and it is in another state, all I can do right now is alert you to be careful.

Here is how this scheme works....

1. You might be presenting yourself as a despite private rescue, friendly breeder, helpless neighbor next door, or maybe you have saved a stray mom who just dropped a litter of sweet BTs or another breed. But then again this might be an old photo of a puppy(s) from several years back being used.

2. You have sort of established yourself as a "rescue", maybe you even worked with a true, well known rescue in the past. 

3. You decide you want to make a little extra money, you know, to pay for the expense of having a litter or just some pocket money to buy that new TV or game console, etc. you have been eyeing.

4. You set up a fundraiser, dedicated to appeal to all those tender-hearted folks, who are trying to "save" the poor puppies from the "puppy mills or amateur breeders."  Your appeal might sound something like this, "As you all may know, some may not, we rescued some very scared Bostons from a breeder this year... (or "a very pregnant, scared stray covered with fleas, just had five puppies under our front steps!"). None of them knew any kind of a human touch, or what love was. Well, this breeder is back at it. To insure these babies never have to end up the same way, we are trying to save them from this fate. Help us make sure they get nothing but the best homes possible, where they know love. Help us save them from the horrible fate of being breeder moms, or left outside for years, in a kennel, and fed like wild animals!  Help us help them!" or you might plea for help with that thousand-dollar medical treatment this abandoned special-needs dog must have. There are many ways to get an emotional reaction from the public which results in "donated" money to save these dogs. 

5. You set the "amount needed to save the puppies" fairly low, under a thousand dollars. You can always set up another fundraiser on the site, or a different one later, if you need more money.

6. You sit back and when the money comes in you pay off your vet if you really are having a litter.

7. In the meantime, you put your "puppies" up for sale on breeder "for sale" sites, because you know that rescue folks do not pay attention to "for sale" sites, because they are too busy trying to save the poor dogs in need of rescue, from shelters and owner releases, Craigslist, etc.  ...

8. With the vet bills paid for, you sell the pups at about 8 to 10 weeks, unsprayed and not neutered...  for, oh I don't know, let us say, about $300 a piece. They are papered and full blooded dogs. This litter had 4 to 6.... not bad, all bills paid for and mostly profit...

9. Just in case someone is paying attention, the puppy you show that you're trying to save, well that is a photo from the last litter... When you post your "for sale soon" photos, no one will notice that you're 'fundraising for rescue' and the photos you post "for sale" by breeder are photos from the same litter.

10. The other deviation to this is, you "save" puppies from owner releases, shelters, etc. and let it out in your rescue circles that you "rescued some pups" and need help to pay for the vetting, etc.  Once again the vet bills for the puppies from your litter are paid for, then on your "for sale" sites you push the pups for sale....So nice of those folks to help cover your vet costs..

YES,THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING, in fact, we are watching a "rescue" right now.  However, what they are doing may not be illegal, just unethical... This rescue has not stated they are a 501 in its current pleas for money.

Lately there have been many pleas from individuals in need of help for medical vet bills that they cannot afford and they are trying to save their precious dogs .. I would be careful about this one also.  One safer way to help those truly in need is to never pay a third party, only pay directly to a vet clinic or hospital for the medical services, and not into the pockets of an unknown person. If they are legit, you should be able to contact the vet for information about what you want to help with.

 Edited by Jan Mitchell

 You may want to read:

 What is a Home visit? Why is one needed?

 Too often home checks are rushed through or not done at all. The reasons can be anything from not enough time or volunteers to do a thorough job to a potential adopter sounding "perfect".  Yet the 20 or 30 minutes it takes to do a walk through can mean the difference between a forever home and a bad placement. It can be daunting to try and find a Boston it's forever home. The responsibility can be overwhelming.  But there are some things we can do to make the best choice possible.

Once the adopter has been interviewed and the references have been verified, it's time for the home visit.  We all want placements to work out, but it can be hard to go through some one's home and find that it just isn't the best fit for the dog.  On rare occasions it can even become  confrontational.  But the most important thing to remember is that this is a life-long decision for the dog. An up front and honest conversation BEFORE the actual visit is imperative.  Let the potential adopter know that no matter what their wants are, nothing matters more than the needs of the dog.

Most people will clean like crazy before a home check.  The truth is that dust on the furniture and hair balls in the corner don't matter.  Safety takes precedent over appearance.

To that end here are some ideas on what has worked in the past.

 

 Outside walk the perimeter of the fence.  Look for any holes, loose spots, missing boards and gates that don't latch all the way. If a fence is not a requirement, see what plans they have for letting the dog out to do his business. If a zip line set up is to be used, look to see what area it covers. Make certain that getting tangled up around a tree or shrub is not an issue. Stress to the adopter that the dog should never be left out unsupervised while on  a line.  It takes less than 5 minutes for a dog to strangle if he gets strung up on his line. The same is true for any lead or line that allows a dog to get up on a porch or set of stairs.  What might be a simple fall to an untethered dog can be disastrous to one who's leashed.  Walk the yard either way and look for hidden dangers.  It could be something as simple as a small pond or as large as a swimming pool.

Check out the garden.  Find out what plants are used in landscaping and ask what type of fertilizer is used.   It's easy to choose a plant based on its beauty and hardiness while not realizing it's poisonous to our beloved Boston Terriers.  Most commercial lawn fertilizers recommend that pets be kept off the grass for a certain period of time.  As it varies from product to product make sure the potential family understands the dangers and is willing to comply with the manufacturer's suggestions.    

 Are there tools leaning against a wall or laying on the ground?  Is there a shed that the pup could get into?  What about access to a garage or carport?
We all know the dangers of anti-freeze, but turpentine, bleach, gas cans and such are commonly stored in places like this.  Make certain that none of these are low enough to the ground for the dog to reach them. And in the event of a cement floor, it's wise to look for stains.
 

And here's a special little tip most folks overlook.  Take a peek into the family car!  That lets you know how people REALLY live.  They might clean the house, but it seems they never think of the car.  Nose smears on the windows are a good thing if they already have a dog.  It means their current little buddy gets the joy of riding in the car.  But if there's a cemetery of fast food wrappers and empty pop cans on the floor, who knows what might be lurking under the seats for fuzzy little faces to snack on.

In the house there are the same concerns about kitchens and bathrooms as there are about garages.  Just mention potential problems and how best to make a Boston proof home. Another sneaky little tip is to check out any family pictures.  Nosy as that is, it will give you a little more insight into the family's lifestyle.  Side note:  an entire wall of Boston photos should be duly praised and enjoyed.
Chat about past pets and future plans with the new dog.  Surprising things can come out in casual conversation that wouldn't be on a carefully thought out application.

During the application process you'll already have asked what they are planning to feed.  If there is already a furry little friend in residence, ask to see what that little one is eating.  As paranoid as it seems, I've been appalled to find out that dogs that I was told would be eating Taste of the Wild end up munching on Ol'Roy.
If there is no furry friend waiting for a new pal go ahead and ask where the new pup's food and water bowl will be.  If they are novice dog owners you might be able to help them with choosing the best place for the bowls.

I always use stainless steel.  It doesn't scratch like plastic and so can't hold bacteria.  It's easy to sterilize and lasts forever.

Never apologize for the intrusion and the endless questions.  Smile and make conversation.  Ask politely about the photos.  Compliment the furnishings and flowers.  Praise the good things and gently correct the bad.  But never downplay the importance of your visit.  This is a life we're looking to place in a stranger's hands.  When the potential family sees the value we place on our charges lives and futures it raises the dog's value in their eyes as well.

When all is said and done, we as the guardians of these wonderful dogs hold the ultimate responsibility for their lives.  When we hold that fact in our hearts we make the best possible choices for their futures.