My Friendly Pets

Meet Cesar Millan, known as the Dog Whisperer. Cesar is the star of the Emmy nominated show by the same name which is shown on the National Geographic channel. He has the uncanny ability of truly communicating with the dogs to help them with behavior, training and beleive it or not, some true doggie emotional issues. For those of you who have seen Mr. Millan, it is a gift to watch him work with the dogs. For those who have not seen his show, try to catch an episode or two as it is inspiring to watch this man. I know people who are not even fans of dogs (can you imagine?) who are awestruck by his ability to relate to all different types of canines.

Mr. Millan has great advice and some of the information I came across would appear to be common sense, but they are all things that I think dog owners and potential dog owners need to be reminded of.

In an article titled “5 Things You Need To Know About Your Dog”,
Mr. Millan states the following:

1. Dogs are not people. Paraphrasing Mr. Millan, dogs don’t get impressed by any of the things that people are impressed by. So buying your pooch fancy duds and collars, or driving them around in a sports car does not make them feel any better about themselves the way we humans do.

2. Affection at the wrong time can make your dog more fearful and uneasy if you coddle them when they are nervous, frightented, anxious or aggressive. The dog is not comforted by this, but rather it reinforces negative behavior.

3. Dogs “see” the world with their nose, eyes and finally their ears, so just telling a pooch whom you don’t know that you are a friend may harm the future relationship. Let the dog get to know you on his/her terms, by experiencing your scent rather than looking the dog directly in the eyes, which can be interepreted by the dog as threatening or aggressive.

4. Breed is not destiny. Blaming bad behaviors on the breed of a dog is a cop out and is similar to human stereotyping. Find a dog that matches your lifestyle and train him/her well with proper socialization, and the dog will be the friend for life you have dreamed about!

5. Dogs need leadership. Dogs are pack animals and want their pack leaders(owners) to be strong and stable. This helps prevent bad behaviors and high anxiety levels in dogs. Remember accoding to the Dog Whisperer, the guideline should be “exercise, discipline and then affection”.

Thanks again to Cesar Millan for these words of wisdom and check out all of his great info available from my blog roll.

We are a nation of overeaters and obesity is a national problem. It is then logical to see why some of our dogs are also following in our footsteps and are gaining weight because of our bad habits. How many of us, while we are preparing meals, toss the dog a token crumb or piece of meat, because they are sitting so quietly with pleading eyes by our side, just hoping for a morsel to drop? How many times have we put off the walk we need to take with our dog, because we are “just too busy”? I’m sure we have all made these excuses at one time or another, and unfortunately these decsions negatively affect the health of our dogs. Excess weight on our dogs can lead to arthritic conditions, heart problems and other ailments that people with excess weight experience.

Purina gives some basic guidelines to follow when looking at your dog, to see if there is any excess poundage. Take note and if you see any
bulges that shouldn’t be there, take action to enhance the health and life of your dog.

1 Fit & Trim Rib Check
Can you feel your dog’s ribs? It’s a quick and easy way to tell if your dog is carrying a few extra pounds. Simply place both of your thumbs on your dog’s backbone and spread both hands across his rib cage. If you can’t feel the ribs easily, your dog may need to lose a few pounds.
2 Profile Check
Examine your dog’s profile. Does he have a clearly defined underline (abdomen) slightly tucked up behind the rib cage? If not, it could be time to feed him Purina Fit & Trim.

3 Overhead Check
Looking at your dog from overhead, see if you can see a waist behind the ribs. Most dogs at a healthy weight should have an hourglass figure. If your dog doesn’t have this shape, it could be time to feed him Purina Fit & Trim.

Of course, Purina is wants you to use their Fit and Trim dog food. As with any human weight reduction plan, a call to your vet about the best ways to get your dog to his ideal weight is the proper call to make.

Since I started writing I have spoken about how many of us in the country have dogs and how much dogs play a role in our lives. Well, the stats prove me right and I wanted to share that information with you today.

According to the Humane Society of the United States the following is true:

There are approximately 73 million owned dogs in the United States
Thirty-nine percent of U.S. households own at least one dog
Most owners (60 percent) own one dog
Twenty-five percent of owners own two dogs
Fourteen percent of owners own three or more dogs
On average, owners have almost two dogs (1.7)
The proportion of male to female dogs is about even
Sixteen percent of owned dogs were adopted from an animal shelter
On average, dog owners spent $211 on veterinary visits (vaccine, well visits) annually
More than seventy percent of owned dogs are spayed or neutered

I think there are some awesome facts and proves what we all know, WE LOVE OUR DOGS!!!! It would be great if a greater percentage of dogs were adopted from an animal shelter, but that is something we can all work on.

It has long been said that dog owners do resemble their pooches and there was a study done at the University of California at San Diego, that could very well give this belief a boost based on the results of the study.

However, the resemblence is more distinct and apparent when dealing with purebred dogs rather than mix breeds. In fact according to the psychologists at UCSD, when people pick out a pooch, “they seek one that, at some level resembles them, and when they get a purebred, they get what they want.”

When judges were asked to match dogs to their owners from pictures with one additional picture given, over 67% of the judges matched the dog to the correct owner, based upon the similarity of their physical characteristics!!

The study was quite comprehensive and more information can be found about the study at www.scienceagogo.com. However, right now, I’ll let you be the judge!!!

On a bright sunny Sunday, what could be better than being free and fast on your skate board!!!!????? Enjoy your Sunday!!!

I love trivia and when I searched for doggie trivia, I found a lot of really great stuff I’d like to share with you. First of all the pic of the dog from above is courtesy of the CenTex Humane Society, a no-kill animal shelter. Sugar, above, has been adopted, but she came with the fact that light colored dogs can get sunburn!!!

Dogs eat grass because there is a sweetness that the dogs enjoy and the grass also helps pups when they have an upset stomach. Certain types, particularly old and hard blades of grass will help dogs induce vomiting which in turn will settle their stomachs.

Dogs can’t see as well as people and are considered color blind. A dog actually sees an object by movement, brightness and shape. However, we know they can sniff out things way better than we humans can!!! They can also hear much better. A dog can hear things as far as about 250 yards while humans can’t hear much of anything past 25 yards.

Dogs love to sit in wading pools, because they only actually sweat through their nose and footpads, so placing their paws and underbelly in cool water helps them cool down quickly.

Old dogs like the warmth of the sun because it helps keep their muscles relaxed. Our dogs would follow the sunshine that came through our skylights by moving as the sun did during the day to get the warmth they wanted.

Well, I hope these few doggie facts told you something new that you didn’t know before. There are plenty more to come, so stay tuned!!!!

Well, as previously mentioned, I try to stay upbeat about things, but I can’t help blogging today about Michael Vick and his admission to dogfighting and participating in the killing of those dogs, who were not seen fit to fight. Just writing about it is nauseating. These dogs were killed either by elctrocution or hanging. This again, is a barbaric crime and one which I hope will be punished severely. But who knows? He has been suspended indefinitely from the NFL. It is amazing why someone with a career as lucrative as Vick’s with the world at his feet would engage in the type of reprehensible activites that put him where he is today!!!

Even more extemely unbelievable are statements by NY Knicks guard, Stephon Marbury, who equated dog fighting to deer hunting and called it a sport!!! O.K….maybe we should tape him, play it back and let him hear how truly asinine he sounds!!! About 7% of the American population deer hunt and most do it with respect for nature and the animals. The deer are killed in a much more humane way. Most people butcher the deer and use it as food for themselves or it is donated to a food bank. Also, deer hunting thins the deer population, so that starvation among the deer is not so prevelant during the long winter months. I know many deer hunters who will follow a deer they shot, not only to ultimately catch the deer, but to insure that it is not suffering and to end its life as humanely as possible. Maubury feels that Vick has been singled out and is a “superb athlete and good human being”. Well, if those are the standards by which Stephon Marbury evaluates a person, it is a truly sad commentary. Being a good athlete does not equate to being a good person…lets not forget the saga of O.J. Simpson..!!

You know what is great about blogging? Very interesting people read the blog and have information that is truly awesome to talk about. That’s how the interview with “Underdog” creator, Joe Harris began and now I have a really great site to tell you about. I was recently contacted by Anthony who is involved in an online pet community site called PetPop.com. Just below is the press release from Anthony talking about the site.

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Anthony Ngo
646-201-9230 | info@petpop.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PETPOP.COM: WHERE PETS ARE POPULAR

Petpop.com is the newest member of a growing phenomenon of social networking websites, such as Myspace.com, Friendster.com and Facebook.com. Petpop.com’s demographic, however, consists exclusively of pet lovers! Petpop.com is the ultimate online destination and community for all pets! Members can get connected to their community and make friends with the nearest pooch. Are you looking to meet other pets in your area? Petpop.com allows you search by breed and so you know where cool pets like to party.

Like other social-networking websites where members customize profiles and interact within a community, Petpop.com is also an informational portal and resourceful guide for all pet-related topics. Members can get recommendations on the local vet, see the latest pet fashions and trends, and find pet-sitting pals or services to pamper their pooch. Also like other social networking website, all content is user-generated. Petpop.com members share experiences, images and videos.

On the PetPop.com Health section members can ask questions and receive expert advice. Businesses can also create resourceful profiles and share their expertise with regular members. Petpop.com is the way to stay informed about what’s best for your pet’s health.

Petpop.com is where pets are popular. Vote for your favorite pictures and get your pet’s image voted “Most Wanted�? of the day. Petpop.com’s Walk of Fame is one of many recently added features where owners can immortalize their pooch in cyberspace with their own Hollywood style pet ‘star.’

Petpop.com is offered nationwide and there are dozens of doggie day care centers and plenty of spas catering to your canine offered around your neighborhood; all the more reason to further connect with your community to find out what’s hot and what’s not.

For more information on Petpop.com please contact Anthony Ngo at 646-201-9230 or email info@petpop.com.

I have checked out the site and it is really very cool. For people who are really into their pets, it is a great way to network. Lots of areas have pet parks and dog running parks. This would be a great way to set up a “pet play date”. I think its a great idea and I hope you give PetPop.com a look.

Go to www.PetPop.com to learn more or link right to the site from my blogroll…”Social networking for your Pets.”

We know we love our dogs, but it is proven that loving our dogs is good for our health. Imagine that, something that we love is actually good for us. The benefits of owning a dog can give you better heart health. It has been shown, according to the National Institute of Health that the feelings of unconditional love that we receive from our dogs can lower blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Having a dog, usually requires that that dog receive some type of exercise. Walking the dog, even short walks, on a daily basis is a great way for owners and dogs alike to get their daily dose of cardio!!! Pet owners who experience a heart attack have a much better chance of survival if they own a pet, according to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology.

Pets are also great mood elevators. Dogs can help relieve feelings of depression and isolation. Having a dog gives the owner something to care for and care about. Dogs can also help to relieve stress and anxiety, because they encourage us to laugh and play. The happiness of our dog when we arrive home is enough to make any dog owner smile. I loved to get kisses from my dogs when I would return home after any length of time. They truly make us feel wanted. Also dogs don’t necessarily understand time, so whether I was out the entire day at work or just stepped out to the grocery store, when I returned home, I would get those same happy kisses and jumps and I would smile, knowing I was truly loved and missed.

It is important, especially with the elderly or severely ill, that they are with a dog that is not a danger to them and also can be cared for by the owner. Simply bringing a dog into the life of someone is not a guarantee of perfect health. It must be a good match and one that will develop into a healthy and loving dog/owner relationship.

pictures are courtesy of www.betterdogtrainer.com

As always, I am trying to find interesting things for you and your pooch. Since we all know that food is all time favorite of most dogs, I search for interesting treats for the dogs we love. I enjoy baking, and some of these recipes look really great. I’m thinking what great gifts they would be around the holidays for friends who have dogs they love. I’ll give you the names of several of the recipes I have seen. The first is called Apple Crunch Pupcakes….too cute!! Read below!

Apple Crunch Pupcakes

2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup dried apple chips ( you can also use fresh fruit)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg, beaten slightly
4 tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooling spray. Mix all wet ingredients thoroughly. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add wet to dry slowly , scraping well to make sure no dry mixture is left. Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out dry. Sotre in a sealed container. Makes around 12-14 pupcakes.

Some other great sounding recipes included names like:

Archie Squares, Bad Breath Banishers, Bait Snacks,
Banana Biscotti, Bowser Biscuits, and Cheesie Bacon Biscuits.

The article where these recipes came from were written by Lisa M. Andrews in an article titled “Dog Treat Recipes- Only the Best for Your Best Friend” This article can be found at ezine.com

Do you remember how we always referred to a dachshund as the “hot dog”? Well, I guess someone had the same idea!!!! Cute!!

This could be a great lead into our breed of the week.

Again, thanks to www.artie.com, for the cartoon!!!

The beagle is such a popular breed and yet we don’t often notice them as the quality of dog that they truly are. Because of their quiet temperment, their size and their lack of hereditary health problems, they go rather unnoticed.

The beagle is part of the hound family and they have exceptional scent detection qualities. Their breeding allowed them to develop as hunters of hare, rabbits and other types of game. Because of this superb quality, they have been used as detection dogs for protecting people from prohibited agricultural goods.

It is said that the beagle has been around as a “breed” for over 2000 years, but the modern beagle as we know him, really gained popularity and distinction as a breed in England during the 1700’s. To enhance the physical characteristics and hunting strengths of this dog, Reverend Phillip Honeywood in England formed a beagle pack in the 1830’s and continued to breed from this pack to establish the beagle we know of today.

Quality beagles did not start to be imported and seen in this country until the 1870’s and wasn’t recognized as a breed by the AKC American Kennel club until 1884.

Beagles are medium sized dogs averaging between 13 and 16 inches high and can weigh between 18 and 35 pounds. They have strong jaws with teeth that scissor together. This allows for better hunting and gathering of the prey. The beagle has a muscular body with a medium length, smooth hard coat. Beagles can come in different colors, but the tri-color coat is what we are most used to seeing.

The beagle is considered a very even tempered dog who is considered neither aggressive or timid. They like people but need to warm up to strangers in order to truly show their affection. They are a basically obedient breed, but can be distracted when a strong scent takes away their attention. Its in their blood!!! They are considered great family dogs because they are so good with kids, but because they see themselves as so much a part of the family “pack”, they can suffer from separation anxiety.

As mentioned this breed probably doesn’t get the attention it deserves. However, when a breed spawns one of the most endearing and enduring cartoon characters known as “Snoopy” from Charlie Brown fame, we truly know how very special a dog from this breed can be.

I am amazed to see the the amount of dogs for adoption at our local pet shelter. I’m sure this is the case for shelters across the country. It saddens me to think that so many people who brought an animal into their home, had to abandon the animal for many various types of reasons. I do realize that there are legitimate reasons why people can’t keep the animals that they had as pets, but it seems like there are so many more animals discarded because people don’t want to accept the responsibility that comes with caring for a dog specifically. It is not an easy task caring for a dog. They need to be fed and exercised and of course, their health care needs are extremely important. For those who can’t commit to these responibilities, they shouldn’t consider having a dog.

I’ve been to our local SPCA on several occasions, and it is truly difficult because I would love to take all of the dogs (well maybe not all, but a lot of them) home as pets, but I know this is not practical. I could never give them all the care that they need and deserve.

However, I received a flyer recently from our local SPCA and I see that there are many ways to help our local shelter. They continuously need donation of many different items ranging from canned food to office supplies. Fortunately the “wish list” from our local shelter is posted on their web page and I have decided to make it a task to pick up something everytime I do my family grocery shopping that can be donated to the shelter. Things like paper towel, paper plates, contractor size garbage bags are all easy things to pick up and are greatly appreciated.

So if you are like me and would love to bring all the pups home, but know you can’t, remember there are ways you can help by just picking up an extra item or two on your next shopping trip. If your shelter is like most, any and all donations will be welcome.

Lucky and Flo are two very specialized dogs. They have been trained to sniff out cd’s or dvd’s in the hopes of catching the manay pirates who make illegal copies of movies and music cds. As a result of efforts by the MPPA (Motion Picture Association of America) and the Federation Against Copyright Theft, these two Labradors are working out of the shipping area of the Stansted Airport located in the United Kingdom. The dogs have been trained to recognize the scent of the compact disc. Currently the dogs can not differentiate between the quantities of the dvd’s/cd’s, but it is hoped with more training, they will be able to isolate cases where there are massive pirated copies of films and music cd’s being shipped and sold illegaly.

This news article is from abcnews.go.com, and is relevant is extremely timely as the MPAA is currently looking for new ways to hinder and stop the pirating of newly released movies. It is no wonder that we have come to depend on dogs in our lives for virtually every type of work possible. While this might not seem like glamorous work, it is very important and the pirating of dvds and cds. costs the music and movie industries millions of dollars. Many would say…oh well, the actors or musicians aren’t hurting, but who is mainly hurt by the loss of funds are the rank and file employees who work on the sets, makeup, behind the scenes tech people. These are working people like you and I, who need their jobs to live. These dogs will hopefully, minimize economic loss by eliminating the pirated products. Good job Lucky and Flo!!!!!

We have heard of K-9 units used with the police, cadaver dogs, therapy dogs and many other ways dogs have worked to make society a safer and better place.

The Texas Border Patrol has a canine unit also that is used to protect our borders from those trying to enter the country illegally. We automatically assume that these units only try to “find the bad guys” and send them back where they belong. T

However, there is a special Border Patrol - Search and Rescue unit that works to try and find illegal immigrants who cross the borders in rough and difficult terrain and often get lost in the desert. Many lose their lives in these deserts.

But with the help of Robert Noziska and his canine partner Chelsea, they are saving many lives in the desert that would have been lost to the harsh elements. These dogs are specially trained to find those lost, dead or alive. Sometimes the rescue is more of a recovery and unfortunately some of what Chelsea has found is what is left of an immigrant after the coyotes and buzzards have had their fill. However, with more dogs being trained and used in the search and rescue efforts, it is hoped that lives will not be lost. Those so desparate to come to our country will be returned to theirs alive and well, until they have the means and methods to enter this country legally. And they have dogs like Chelsea to thank for that chance!