Lace is getting excited for the trip to Maui!

Lacey Girl has been getting very excited about the trip to Maui! As soon as we(my parents & I)started pulling out suitcases from the closet in my room,she jumped onto her doggie step and went right on to the bed then sniffed the suitcase and jumped down,sat down(butt to the floor) and gave a very high pitched yelp!This girl can not stay still whenever it is time for a trip!When I was packing her stuff with my stuff she stayed right by my suitcase as if she’s guarding it..Then she saw her favorite stuffed dog was in the suitcase so she sat there by the open suitcase,sniffed it and looked at us(my dad & I) as if to say…”Well…What’s my favorite dog doing in the suitcase???”as if she’s questioning us…In her mind she may have been thinking..Help me here..Answers please??!
I won’t be taking the laptop but we will be taking pictures & journaling so when we get back home we’ll post it for people to read!

Lacey passed her titer

Today when we check the Hawaii Quarantine website we found that Lacey Girl did pass her titer for Rabies and would not be eligible til August 6 2011 BUT we are not planning on putting Frontline on her anyways so to us..it’s nothing…Just a waste of $$$ down the drain..
Edit:Dr Kaya called this morning to tell us that Lacey’s titer did come back & immunity is VERY HIGH,a +3.1467 or something like that…so that was good to know just for future reference..

After much debating we decided although Lacey has had her Rabies..

My family & I debated after calling Hawaii Dept of Agriculture on the quarantine who told us that 5 day or less is pretty much the same as Direct Airport Release.Direct Airport Release just means you pay $165.00 and your dog is released right then & there.Of course,there’s the paperwork:health certificate,rabies vaccines,titer results etc…send in the cashier’s check…
Once I asked the DOA staff about Frontline or Only Natural Pet All in One Flea Remedy(The requirement is that the owners use something with the poison Firpronil(sp?)on their dog 14 days prior to departure from the state(Hawaii) along with everything above…)the staff said it has to be Frontline..I guess not many owners ask about natural alternatives for ticks as she had had no clue what I was talking about and that it was okay for ticks! Now,once I heard that,I became very very skeptical…simply being,one..Lacey never had Frontline..Two…when you google it…there is frontline for smaller dogs but the question is how small is small we’re talking for the dog’s weight???!Google more and you will find the frontline for small dogs if you look very closely at the picture will say 11-22 pounds…Lacey is about 7 pounds so we were debating saying that we could use 1/3 of the amount or just say yea,we put it on…put the lot # and all BUT looking at the paperwork..it says the Vet MUST apply Firpronil(sp?) aka Frontline on the dog 14 days prior to departure…so that means Dr Kaya would apply the whole application for whatever size dog the sample(that we had gotten when Lacey went to VCA for her first puppy check up)is…The reason I am so concerned is that when you google frontline maltipoo there is/was in fact a owner whose maltipoo is just about the same size as Lace who seems to have appeared a seizure after application…Lacey’s health has been so good since she turned 2 I’d really hate to mess that up & have her suffer a seizure based on one bad judgment that we made…Thinking of ourselves before considering health risks/sufferings…
Reality is,no matter what size dog you have whether you vaccinate/or use anything a typical vet prescribes you are as a matter of fact placing the dog at risk so owners just have to use their best judgment…I don’t think I could’ve made a better decision for Lacey about not vaccinating her & have such a sound/peaceful mind about it…Although there are dogs whose immune systems who have not vaccinated they CAN still contract Parvo/and or autoimmune problems but in a few dogs’ cases they were way beyond the years of the time they spent on earth.You’re talking dogs past 15 and up to as old as ~18 years old for a dog.
So,we decided Lacey’s health was not risking & although we got her titer we won’t be going to California…There’s way too much at risk to put ourselves in that position..Of course,things can change over the years like maybe in the future the DOA will know about natural tick products but if we ever consider it again with any future dogs we’ll definatly keep the qurantine paperwork & call the DOA first about the tick requirement(using natural tick prevention).So..Lacey & the family will be going to Maui instead!

Questions for the Department Of Agriculture

To Whom It May Concern:
What are the differences between the Direct Airport Release & 5 day or less Programs?If I want my dog to be released as soon as the plane arrives in Honolulu does that mean we pay for the Direct Airport Release rate?I also had another question to add to this email.On the Checklist it says that:
A veterinarian must treat the pet for ticks with a product containing Fipronil or an equivalent long-acting product labeled to kill ticks (Revolution® is not acceptable) within 14 days of return to Hawaii and the product name and date of treatment must be recorded on the pet’s health certificate
My question is instead of having our vet give my dog Frontline is it okay to use Only Natural Pet All in One Flea Remedy which is supposed to kill ticks as well including fleas or do we have to use something like Frontline on our dog in order to comply with checklist?
Check back for an update

Quarantine Info with Dr Kaya April 5 2011 at 2pm

When my mom called up VCA this morning(Saturday) one of the first questions the staff asked her is”Lacey ok?” because usually when we call VCA it’s a health issue..This is probably one of the few times when we called and it wasn’t about a health concern!On April 5,Lacey has a appointment with Dr Kaya to get a tither done to see if her tither levels are adequate for the trip to California on May 4-9th.It will take up to 4 weeks to get the results back.Once she gets her tither results that means she is good to go to & from Hawaii up to 3 years without quarantine.And the health certificate we MUST get it NO GREATER than 10 days before the scheduled departure.It can be the day of the departure or the day before but no greater than 10 days prior to leaving the island.I am guessing that holds true in other states too.Other than that I think that’s about it for this post.

Back in March 2010,Lacey went on her first trip

Back in March 20101,Lace went on her very first airplane trip to an outer island,The Big Island aka Hawaii..While it took about a month to crate train her she caught on very quickly and occasionally still goes in there to chew her bone at night.The morning of the trip our family awoke early Friday morning even Lacey was awake earlier than usual,we got our things together…We had brought puppy pads,dry dog food(no can food),crate,carrier,measuring cup,her favorite toy dog,leash,collar,brush….
Before we left Lace went pee like always then we got in the car,got breakfast on the way and went to the airport.Lace had to be in her carrier at the airport but still we had to go through security even Lacey…The security had to make sure we had her paperwork & all…When we,my mom,dad & I passed through security,Lace had to go through security too…Not knowing till after though I did tell my parents we can’t put her in her crate when she passes the belt,Lace was inside her airline carrier & went through the belt till….security officials told us that there is a dog in there.As quick as we could they quickly passed her…Lucky for us,she’s fine & not even a whimper!What a saint!
As we sat down and waited for the plane,Lace was in her airline carrier..We took her to the bathroom in the airport & brought a puppy pad with us in the stall..There she did make a little.Owners went & out went Lace in her airline carrier of course,back to the waiting area…
When it was time to get on the plane,we had already put her inside her airline carrier and when we rode the plane for about 45 minutes she was very quiet.not a peep or a sound.Just completely quiet..enjoying her ride….When the plane landed she did move somewhat,because when the plane lands it’s very bumpy….
There in Hilo,we got the car where Lacey happily greeted 2 ladies while my parents got the car..She was in her regular carrier & outside walking..One lady had a dog at home who she happily played with Lacey & her friend(the lady’s friend).She was happily wagging,sniffing and went potty…
From there we went to my Aunty & Uncle’s house in Hilo, and there Lacey ran around in their house,the porch..She drank water but didn’t eat…After a while we left..and went to the Bed & Breakfast where we were staying also in Hilo.Few hours later it was time to meet my aunty & uncle for dinner.Of course,Lace couldn’t come with us so we placed her in the crate..She had water,food,treats…whimpering/crying as I shut my door…An hour or so later we came back from dinner and as I opened the door what did I find??A loose dog that got out of her crate by herself!Surprised?Not really..She’s done that at home too.She probably thought we were mad at her or something.
Then my dad tells my mom he can’t sleep there because of the crickets so he slept at my aunty’s & Lace & I slept in the room my mom was to share with my dad.Obviously owner had to bathe but the whole time Lace was crying..When my mom carried her she was quiet but when she was down she cried so my mom had to hold her the whole time…Then the interesting thing,we brought puppy pads and placed it in the bedroom like we do at home,but she wouldn’t go because well..This was NOT home to her…She literally held her pee for over 14 through the night(Saturday morning) and again we tried to get her to pee on the puppy pads but she just wouldn’t GO!So I took her outside and finally she went.Saturday during the day she went around with us,letting us know when she had to pee,had water,table food… Friday night,Lace went inside her crate by herself knowing she’s tired she walked inside,got comfy and laid down.I closed her crate door & she ate her own dry food..Saturday morning she woke up giving a whimper or cry and that partially woke me up..She knew her time was up in her crate..
In the evening it was time to go home…Back on the plane went Lacey but this time as we landed in Honolulu she didn’t move when we landed.She’s so easy to travel with and accommodates very quickly!She was a joy to bring on the trip!

Looking back at Lacey’s first year:Health and all

Name:Lacey Princess Maltipoo Akamine
Current Weight at one year old:7.11 pounds according to vet records,7.6 according to home weight
Birth Date:March 13 2009
Born:Kailua,HI
Breed:Maltese/Toy Poodle
Mom:Poodle
Dad:Maltese
Adopted:july 17 2009
Age of adoption:16 weeks old
Found on:Kijiji.com
Price:$600
Name of Vet:Dr John Kaya
Vet Hospital:VCA Animal Hospital aka VCA University Hospital
Weight at first vet visit:4.5 pounds
Dog Food:Science Diet & IAMS,Beneful Prepared Meals till December 2009
Puppy Pad Training:9 weeks
Health Issues:Yeast infection in ear,worms,UTI,Spaying(February 2010)
First Heat:November 2009
First Treats:Nutro Dog Biscuits,Pupperoni,The Goodlife Recipe treats
First Walk:November 2009
Shortest Walk:<<<than 5 minutes
Longest Walk:62 minutes on her birthday
First Time Out: December 2009
First Thanksgiving:Thanksgiving 2009:Family Dinner
First Christmas:Christmas 2009:A new top,Waggin Train
Brands of dog food we tried:Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit,Chicken Soup for the Pet lover's Soul,Wellness Super5Mix Small Breed/Super5Mix Complete Health Chicken,Halo's Spot's Stew
Current Dry Food Brands:Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit,Halo's Spot's Stew(Wholesome Chicken & Wild Salmon flavors),Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural
Brands of Can Food we tried:Natural Balance,NV Instinct & Prairie can food,Wellness Can Food then lost interest,Halo's Spot's Stew Can Food,Merricks
Current Brands of Can Food:Merricks
First introduced to Raw(Freeze Dried):January 2010
Started accepting Freeze Dried Raw:Feburary 2010
Brands we tried:Stella & Chewy till APril 2010 then we'll be switching to Nature's variety Freeze Dried
First Freeze Dried Raw Treat:Primal Pet Turkey Liver(A birthday present)
Organic Treats she's tried:Trader Joe's,Waggin' Train,No Grainers
First Boarding Facilities we considered:Di Ventus Dog Hotel & Spa
First Boarding Facilities we looked at:The Ohana Doggie Day Care,Pets in the city
First Starts understanding people conversations:7-8 months old
First Command:SIT
Commands she knows:sit,stay,don't move,time out,sit & stay,shake paw/hand,"eat",hi5,shake your tail,down aka sit,lay down,kiss,learning roll over,"wait",inside,outside,table manners at the table
Uses Common Sense while walking:About 8-9 months old
Checks for cars like a human(right,left,right,left,center,then walk)about 10 months-1 year old
Goes outside for afternoon poop:December 2009-learned by example of aunty's dogs
Vaccinations:Distemper,Parvo,Lepto
First Carrier:casual Canine
First Crate:Pet Mate Kennel Cab
Characteristics:A definite mix of Maltese/Toy Poodle.Brains of the poodle.Looks of a maltese.eyes are poodle.Loves to play.Loves to sample food
Types of food she tried:Mexican,Italian,Japanese,Chinese
Favorite Fast Food:KFC chicken skin
Shops we shop at:Naturally Pet,Halo’s Purely for Pets,The Pet Spot,Kalihi Pet Store
Misc:Also tried Hartz Oinkies
Able to climb steps:10-11 months old
First Shampoo;Sergent’s Puppy Shampoo
Current Shampoo:Halo’s Cloud Nine Herbal Shampoo/Earthbath Shampoo
Grooming:Cardinal Pet Gold Metal Pets Unicoat Professional Spray

Lacey & her crate

Now,Lacey sees her crate also as a place to play and to take her food & water from the crate tray.No longer do we have to hand feed her,place her food on a plate or to get her to take her food in a doggy bowl.She now laps up water every now and then through the day & night from her crate tray and if she plays a lot & goes on walks she takes her water from her doggy bowl.she’s doing really really well with the crate & I am more than beyond impressed on how well she does with the crate.Her previous owners must have fed her in the crate,introduced her to the crate after she was weened from her mom, and drank water in the crate.It’s impressive to know that all we needed was a crate!

Lacey WAS crate trained before!!

And we didn’t even know that until NOW!

So today we went and got Lacey her new crate from the pet spot in ward center.Here’s Lacey’s story:
Today my owners & I went out to pick me a crate because I am going traveling on the plane with them fur the furst time!When we got my crate home they opened up my crate.It didn’t take me too long to get used to the crate.In just a few minutes they had hooked my tray onto the door and filled it up with water & food for me.I sniffed and in only a few minutes I lapped up some water & even a bit of food that my human placed in my crate tray for me!Then they placed me inside and I stayed inside for a minute or so.They shut the door & I was good,peaceful,comfy but was not in a rush to get out of there either!I sure furprised them!My previous owners where my mommy & daddy lives didn’t tell my new owners who I live with now that I was crate trained!I sure fooled them!I love my new crate but only go in there when I feel like it!

Our family was like after she took water for the first time from her crate tray was she was crated before most times at night.When we placed her inside the crate she was great!Comfy,not in a rush to get out or anything!We were shocked & surprised to say the least that she was crate trained and we didn’t even know it!

Lacey’s measurements for a dog carrier/crate/length

Dog Carrier:17″X10″
Exact Measures for Casual Canine:17 ½”L x 9 ½”W x 10 ¼”H
Lacey:13″X10″ about 7-8 pounds
Lacey’s dog carrier:

http://superstarpetlovers.com/pet-duffle-bag.aspx

Color:Red
We bought ours from The Pet Spot.It sold for $49.99 not including tax
Airline Approval Measurements:9.5″X10″X16″
Dog Crate:Should be about 25″
Always make sure that your dog is standing up.For some people,it may help if you have a treat set for the dog,
Remember that weight should be used as a guideline but always measure your dog from the backbone to the neck.Measure height then length.