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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2015)
6 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015 Accepting your dog’s snoring problem could save your life However, at 11 years old, Ned his snoring now sounds like a Hickson 250-pound man sleeping-off At three o’clock this morn- ing I propped myself up on my elbows, removed my ear plugs, looked directly at our dog and delivered the follow- ing ultimatum: This has to STOP! My wife turned to me and quietly said I’d need to speak up if I wanted to be heard over the dog’s snoring. Admittedly, it was my bright idea to have Stanley sleep in our room. That’s because, when he was a puppy, he was prone to chew up things we might leave out overnight. Such as the living room or kitchen. a three-day bender. Part of Stanley’s problem is genetics. Being half Sharpei, he has a lot of loose skin and wrinkles. He essentially looks like a chocolate Labrador in need of ironing. In desperation, we took him to the vet, who told us that the loose skin around his face causes him to snore. I’m not sure why he told us this, but I think there’s a good chance Stanley has the same problem. Therefore, it made sense that some of the same meth- ods used to treat snoring peo- ple might also work on dogs. At least it made sense at three in the morning, when I started digging through the medicine cabinet in search of Breathe-Right Strips. One thing I discovered right away is that these strips, while strong enough to flare even the largest set of human nasal passages, are no match for the elasticity of your standard pair of dog lips. The result was a series of fixed snarls which, if not for his wagging tail, would have been extremely frightening. Next, I tried a throat spray specially formulated to stop snoring. According to the label, Snoreless provides “immediate results” by lubri- cating the throat and sur- rounding tissues, which often vibrate together and lead to chronic snoring. I don’t know about all that, but I can tell you that our dog immediately yakked on the floor at supersonic speed thanks to his freshly lubricat- ed uvula. While cleaning up dog vomit at 4:30 a.m., I decided to call it quits. This decision came out of concern for Stanley’s emotional well- being, after I reasoned there’s a chance that having his lips taped back and being made to vomit in the middle of the night by the ones he loves could spell trouble later on. I know this because, as a pet owner, I have educated myself about my animals. I am aware of their physi- cal needs. I am aware of their emo- tional needs. I am also aware that in the past 12 months five people have been shot by their own dogs. This was brought to my Silver Lining gallery features Hefty art The Gallery Above Silver Lining Boutique will feature the oil paintings of local artist Bob Hefty during the month of April. Hefty’s work is in the non- objective category, with many shapes and colors — but no recognizable images. Hefty doesn’t try to imitate the work of other artists; he produces bold works that are pleasing to the eye with unique imagry. All of the paintings featured in the show will be available for purchase. There may even be some free pieces available. A reception for Hefty will be held during the Second Saturday Art Tour on April 11, from 3 to 5 p.m. Visitors can also stop in at the gallery any- time during Silver Lining’s regular business hours. attention by Audrey Strausenberg of Grand Rapids, Mich., who sent sev- eral articles detailing this dis- turbing trend. The most recent incident took place in New Zealand, where hunter Kelly Russell was shot in the foot by his dog “Stinky,” who, authorities said, had no appar- ent motive other than being called “Stinky” for the last six years. And for those of you who think this only happens with testy little dogs, think again. Last November, Joseph Tiffany of Grant, Neb., was shot in the ankle when his golden retriever (and I swear this is an actual quote), “Accidentally stepped on the shot gun, released the safety, and pressed the trigger.” Finally, there’s the case of a 51-year-old man hunting near Stuttgart, Germany, who was shot to death while stand- ing next to his car. Police ruled out suicide, and said that the shot gun must have gone off when the dog “accidentally” removed the safety, loaded it with shells, and then fired twice through an opening in the door frame. In light of all this, should I somehow manage to get our dog to stop snoring, I doubt I'll be able to sleep anyway. Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation. His book, “Humor at the Speed of Life,” is available online at Port Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble. Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com VOLUNTEERS WANTED Saturday, May 9th, 2015 from 6:45 am to approximately 1 pm. COURTESY PHOTO This and other artwork by Bob Hefty will be featured dur- ing a reception at Silver Lining on April 11. D EADLINE FOR P RESS R ELEASES I S E VERY M ONDAY AND T HURSDAY BY N OON . E MAIL P RESS R ELEASES @T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM . Safety, caring and integrity are priorities at Dunes City Hall and Best in the West Events, so come out, get involved and have a great time. Th e commitment is only one day and all volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and enjoy the day supporting these wonderful athletes. Th is year we will award a monetary donation of $250.00 to the organization that recruits the most volunteers. Th is can be a civic club, athletic club, homeowners association or similar type of group. PLEASE don’t forget to include your organization’s name when registering. If your group has the most volunteers present on May 9th, your organization will be awarded a $250.00 check! TO VOLUNTEER CONTACT Volunteer Coordinator, Renee Green at Dunes City Hall, 541-997-3338 or permits@dunescityor.com. Or come by Dunes City Hall, 82877 Spruce Street, Westlake, and get signed up in person. IRUPHUO\3UXGHQWLDO3DFL¿F3URSHUWLHV Same great brokers... same excellent service. What’s happening where you live? Watch our new online 60-second videos produced from the latest MLS data. Get a quick snapshot of real estate activity and price trends in the Florence area. • Automatically updated • Clear & accurate information • Localized market areas • Information you want to know Visit our website at RealEstateFlorence.com Real and click the 60-second Market Update Video! Mark PRICE REDUCED South of town 1.21 acre, usable land. Lovely home, vinyl windows, well maintained garage/shop/ outbuilding. 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