My Friendly Pets

I am fortunate to be able to write here and provide you all with some great information!!! Something that all of us experience at one time or another (even if we share our lives with great people and wonderful dogs) is lonliness. As sad as that is, it is true. But I found a site where people can share their stories, experiences and some people even find true love. That site is
www.animalattraction.com.

On the Today show, shown on Valentine’s Day (when else?!)2007, was the story of Steven Sczekan and Diane Seeber. They met when Steven posted his profile on the pet web site mentioned above. Diane read the profile, became intrigued and the two started writing to each other. Ten months later, they were on the Today Show, when in front of the Today Show cast and crew, in the midst of their beloved pets, Steven proposed to Diane and she accepted.

The website’s founder, Dan Cohen, pictured above with the site’s co-founder, said this is just one of many couples who were brought together by their love of animals. But the site, www.animalattraction.com is much more than a social network for animal lovers. It has some great information and other resources.

People who love their animals (especially their dogs) can share pics, videos, set up doggie play dates, get and give advice and so much more. When going on the site, the “member search” specfically asks what the individual is looking for, whether it is pet pals, dating, friendship, networking, etc. It might just be the place where you can ask people questions you have about your dog or it could be the place where puppy love (awwww!) begins!!!

Think about it; one of the most difficult things about meeting new people is finding something in common. Well, this solves that dilemma right away. Those who come to this site will usually share the common bond of a love for animals and hopefully those 4 legged, furry friends will mean fast friendships for their 2 legged owners. In a world where it is so difficult to find people with whom to connect, this site can give those people a head start with the “pet lover connection”.

For some more insight on long relationships, take a look at:
http://www.longrelationships.com/

Finally, its Friday!!! It feels like the day would never end. Ya know those kind of days when you can’t wait to get home after a long week, and just want to curl up and enjoy some peace and quiet and perhaps a Friday night movie. It sounds great to me and if you want to enjoy a movie about the pups that make us both laugh and cry, I have some great suggestions for you.

“The Year of The Dog” is a film starring Molly Shannon that was released in theatres in April of 2007, and on DVD this past August. The storyline of this film is about Shannon’s character, Peggy, who is a “happy-go-lucky” secretary who lives alone with her dog, Pencil. When Pencil suddenly passes away, we watch Peggy go through an amazing transformation which illustrates her personal search for inner peace as well as her love and devotion for her deceased pet. If you’re just looking for a good laugh, this isn’t the movie to see, because its got some heavy stuff (a tear jerker as well).

However, if you are looking for a great dog movie, I am never disappointed whenever I watch Disney’s “101 Dalmations”. It’s silly, colorful, and although not a theatrical masterpiece, it is entertaining and even more fun if you are watching it with someone young or young at heart. The film starring Glenn Close and Jeff Daniels (also Hugh Laurie, from House) is the love story between Anita(Joely Richardson) and Roger (Daniels) and how they come together because of the love of their dogs. However, in the blink of an eye, Cruella DeVil (Close) as the classic villian, steals the all of the pups (101 of them) to make them into the coats that she loves. Of course we know love and goodness triumph over evil, but it is cute to watch anyway.

“Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” is one of those “feel good” movies that is happy, sad and fun to watch all at the same time. Chance, an American bulldog, Shadow, a golden retriever and Sassy, a Himalayan cat, are left on the farm of a friend of their owners. After several days they begin to worry about the plight of their owners and set out on a journey to find them and insure that their owners are safe and sound. Their travels and experiences are heartfelt, humorous and endearing to all who take a look. Don’t dismiss this as a kids movie; it is so much more!!!

I hope you enjoy your weekend and start it with a bark!!!

For those who can’t get enough of Hugh Laurie (in 101 Dalmations) from the Fox series House, check out watchinghouse.com

I know that there are people who are reading that title and getting ready to kill me. I do like to plan ahead and whatever I can do to minimize the stress and aggravation that occurs after Thanksgiving, is a good thing for me. I am pro-holiday, but anti-shopping. I hate that feeling of walking around aimlessly from store to store trying to find the “perfect gift” and the only thing I see is the panic in my face as I stare into my reflection through store windows. But this year it will be different!!!! It can be for you too.

If you have people in your lives who are dog lovers, I have some great ideas for you that will help make the holidays easier for you and happier for your gift recipient. Don’t worry, we’ll look at some great gifts for the pooches in a different entry.

If you love to enjoy board games on a long, cold, Sunday afternoon, consider the canine take on Monopoly, called Dog-opoly!!

I think that looks like some great fun. For a useful and fun way to see breed favorite pictures, consider the PetSmart yearly calendar.

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A calendar is a practical and thoughtful way of showing your friend or family member that you understand their love for the dog(s) in their lives!!! This calendar is available through PetSmart as well.

For a gift that can be special as well as helpful to animals in need, consider the gift collection through the Humane Society of the United States

And finally, as a true doggie welcome, consider the “Door Slates” that are available through Trendypuppy.com. It is decorative and doggie friendly. It lets any guest know the beloved breed of their host!

These can be ordered for many varieties of dog breed. So what are you waiting for? Start shopping!!!!

If you are into making your own gifts, be sure to check out http://www.gettingcrafty.net/ and think about starting now. Halloween will be here before we know it, then Thanksgiving and on to ho ho ho!!!

Where I reside in the northeast; New York to be precise, we have been “blessed” with an extension of summer that lasted right through the first week in October. In fact, yesterday we had record breaking temperatures in the 80’s. However, the weather is changing and reality is setting in. Our temperatures tomorrow won’t get out of the 60’s and it is a cold (yes, that is a pun) reminder of the season yet to come.

When the change of seasons arrive, many of us prepare by purchasing season appropriate clothing and things we know that will keep us warm and free from the elements of winter. It is important to realize that our dogs need protection from these elements as well and that preparing them for the season of snow and ice is just as important. It may be even more so. We don’t generally cover our dogs from head to toe, because we believe that nature gave them a coat that protects them from the elements. But remember, dogs are domesticated animals and have gotten used to the warmth and comfort of inside a home and are not meant to spend long periods of time in very cold temperatures or in ice and snow.

Here are some great tips to preparing your home and your pet for the winter months.

1. Coats and booties can keep your dog warm. Short haired and older dogs are especially vulnerable to the cold temperatures. Protecting their bodies and their paws from frostbite and other “winter chemicals” is critical.

Remember, a lot of people are utilizing more anti-freeze and ice removing products this time of year and the remnants of which fall to the ground. Many of these products are toxic. A dog walking through these chemicals and licking their paws may be setting themselves up for disaster. The salt that is used to melt the ice on roadways can also sting and irritate a dog’s paws.

2. If you don’t use doggie booties, (of which there are some great products on the web), make sure you wipe of your dogs paws, legs and underbelly to remove clumps of snow and ice. Rubbing your dog down with a warm cloth will get these ice and snow clumps off gently without tearing at their fur and could help to prevent frostbite.

3. It is advised to keep your dog on a leash, especially during winter months. Dogs can lose their scent in the winter and they can become lost more quickly. Unknown to me, there are more dogs reported lost in the winter than in any other season. Snow and ice storms can distort a dogs sense of location and with a chance of weaker scents available, it is easy for them to become confused and disoriented. Always keep proper identification on your dog.

4. In terms of fur and skin care, it is important that you brush your dog often. Their winter coat of fur tends to be thicker and coarser to protect them from the elements, but it also has the potential of becoming matted, if not properly cared for. Also, the dryness of indoor heating systems can deplete moisture from the dog’s skin, similar to what the dry heat does to us. Brushing their fur will help to maintain a healthy, shiny coat and increase circulation and moisture to the dog’s skin.

There is some great outerwear for dogs available on many websites. The jackets above are from www.handsnpaws.com. Take a look, they have some great stuff!!!

Winter is a good time to hibernate. Its also a great time to catch up on all the shows we missed when we were outside enjoying the summer sun. For some great inside info on sitcoms check out http://www.watchingsitcoms.com/

This isn’t a political entry. There will be no pro-war/anti-war debate; no discussions of WMD; no arguments about when or when not to pull out of Iraq. No, this is an entry about the unsung heros of the war. I believe that while some people feel strongly either way about the war in Iraq, there are very few people who don’t support the troops for their efforts to do as instructed by their country.

Included in our support of the troops should be our support for 2000 dogs who serve beside our military personnel. Because of their strong sense of smell, these dogs prove to be a valuable asset in detecting explosives and other dangers, depending on what they were trained to find. This is dangerous work, and most of the military dogs are currently serving in the Middle East where there is constant exposure to all types of dangers, from roadside bombings to heat and dust related injuries and ailments.

The dog pictured above is Bruno and his trainer and fellow soldier Marine Sgt. Adam Cann. Sgt. Cann was killed only days after this photo was taken taken. Cann confronted the bomber who was on a sucide bomb mission and took the blast which saved the lives of Bruno, Marine Cpl. Brenday Poelaert, another dog trainer and his dog Flapoor.

These dogs are so highly valued that when they are hurt, they are cared for extremely well and receive much of the same care as a wounded human soldier. There are doggy field kits for dogs injured in the “battlefield” and there are also veterinary centers where the dogs will be taken for additional treatment. They may even be sent back home for rehabilitation, and depending on the nature of their injurines and their recupperation, they could be sent back to the front to serve again.

The dogs are rigorously trained and much of that basic training takes place at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas. They are trained to tolerate the loud sounds of gunfire, to sniff out explosives and to attack on command. It costs about $25,000 and 6 months of training to buy, feed and train the average dog. The dogs get two physicals a year that include blood tests, x-rays and electrocardiograms. If a dog breaks a tooth or has another dental issue, there are veterinary dentists who will help with fillings or root canals if needed.

Of course a strong bond builds between the dog and their handler/partner. For many soldiers, it is difficult to have to separate from their dog. In 2000, a law was passed that will allow the dogs to be adopted by their handlers, police departments and even families if the dog is placid enough to be considered a home pet. Rex, a German shepard was riding in a humvee with Tech Sgt. Jamie Dana, when a bomb blew the door of the vehicle. Rex suffered little more than a burned nose, but Dana was severely injured. Once recovered, she couldn’t go back into the military, but she sorely missed her friend Rex. Friends and relatives petitioned Congress, and even though Rex was healthy and strong and could still be an asset to the military, Dana was given special permission to officially adopt him, which she promptly did. Now both Dana and Rex spend their time at a farm in Pennsylvania where they are close to family.

Dogs in the military are nothing new. They were used in both World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. However, the care and treatment of these animals has significantly increased. They now will be medically treated as opposed to being euthanized. While they receive no formal military honors, many are honored privately by their units and commanding officers.

Our pride and support of these four-legged soldiers should be nothing short of what we give our human soldiers. They truly are heros we can look up to.

For views on both sides of the political landscape, look to the left and look to the right!!!!

Recently a Today Show contributor, Mike Celizic brought us a story about a 12 year old girl named Shea Megale. She suffers from a genetic degenerative disease called spinal muscular atrophy type 2. This disease confines Shea to a wheel chair, but according to Shea’s Mom, that doesn’t limit her life.

With Shea, is her constant companion, Mercer, a black retriever mix who was brought together with Shea two years ago at a two week training camp, run by an organization called Canine Companions for Independence. Mercer does all things for Shea that she cannot do herself.

One day when Shea’s mom, Megan Megale was cleaning up in Shea’s room, she came across her daughter’s diary in the closet. The diary contained stories about Mercer and all the things that Shea would like to do, but can’t. Mercer helps her in the books with all the things this special dog should, but also has a secret life…I guess you’ll have to get the books to find out.

This is truly an inspiring series. There are six books in all and the star, according to Shea is Mercer. I think those who read about Mercer and Shea will grow to love them both. These books will be awesome gifts for readers who want to know both of these very special characters. It will also give readers who are unfamiliar with therapy dogs some great information and insight to what a wonderful gift these dogs are to so many people who have some type disability.

The “Marvelous Mercer” series will be premiering at FAO Schwarz, where Shea and Mercer will be on hand to autograph copies of the newly released books and also to show off the new plush Mercer stuffed dog. If the success of these books is dependent upon the inspiration, creativity and determination of their author, “Marvelous Mercer” is bound to be a best seller!!!

Feel free to check out the following websites about Shea and Mercer:

http://www.caninecompanions.org/

For those into other great reading and “everything books” make sure you check out a fellow bloggers site

http://www.thebookstacks.com/

I was watching America’s Most Wanted last Saturday night (I know I need a life, but there wasn’t much else on)when I saw the most interesting, scary and touching story.

It took place in Pasadena, California in October of 2006. A woman, only identified as Heidi was leaving her parents house after a visit. She had brought along her 12 week old Australian Shepard puppy named Audrey. As she drove away and was a few blocks from her parents house, she noticed a car driving erratically. As any good samaritan, Heidi stopped her car and went to try and help the young man who seemed dazed and confused. When she was walking towards him, he started coming towards her. She tried to ask him if he was o.k. and he pushed her out of the way and got into her car. Her car was being carjacked with sweet Audrey in the front seat. Heidi grabbed onto the car thief and the car began to move with Heidi hanging out of the drivers side trying to get the madman to stop, so that her puppy would be safe. She held on as long as she could as he continued to drive erratically, but as he took a sharp turn, she couldn’t hold on any longer. Heidi fell to the ground as she watched her car with her beloved Audrey disappear. Fortunately, some people stopped, and took injured Heidi back to her parent’s house. She cried to her father to go and find her car with Audrey in it.

Unfortunately, her father looked and looked, but couldn’t find the car. Heidi, now in the hospital being treated for her injuries was grief stricken at the thought of losing Audrey. When the police went back to the scene, the carjacker’s abandoned car had two dead bodies in it and they determined the driver and possible murderer was Manuel Penaloza, a 20 year old gang member with a long history of arrests.

The continuing story on Penaloza is available on www.amw.com. Now to finish the story of Heidi and Audrey. As you can imagine, Heidi was beside herself. But the next day, police located her car, abandoned, and little Audrey was hiding under the carjacked vehicle’s airbag, safe and sound. Take a look!!!

It’s clear to see the love that Heidi had for Audrey. She was willing to risk the loss of her own life to save the life of her best friend. I was glad to hear the Heidi recuperated to as good as new and she and Audrey are sharing much milder adventures now.

If shows like AMW are of interest to you, check out the blogs on these crime shows:

www.watchingcriminalminds.com or
www.watchingcsi.com

Copy and paste to load the url!!!

So many people today try to make their dogs into furry people. But they are not, they are dogs and have a great deal of history and ancestry that makes them behave the way they do. Perhaps if we understand more of the behavior of dogs, we wouldn’t be so quick to try and change it. Domesticated dogs today still carry many of the characteristics of their wild decendants. Some close relatives of the domesticated dog give us some insight of why our dogs behave the way they do.

The African Wild dog is a cousin of our domesticated friends with some significant differences. The wild dog has specialized searing teeth and they only have four toes on each foot (paw) as opposed to five. The behavior of these dogs closely mimics some of the same behavior we see
in our domesticated pets. For example when our family dogs clamor for attention from us, it is very similar to the wild dog trying to beg attention from the dominant female in the pack. You know how we love to get our doggie kisses from our pooches? Well, wild dogs lick the mouths of the alpha animal. This causes adult dogs in the pack to regurgitate their food for the younger members of the pack. (EWWWW!!!).

I loved it when my dogs would roll over on their sides or backs. I know they were inviting me to rub their bellies, that they so seemed to enjoy. Tracing that behavior back to the African wild dog, that behavior and other similar body movements were meant to display the submissiive role that a particular dog had in the pack and their desire to appease the alpha leader by exposing their throat and genitals. Very interesting!!!

Now lets look at a cousin of our family dog that for me, is a little closer to home; the coyote. This is of particular interest to me, because in the area of the US where I live, coyotes were brought to our area from upstate (in New York) to help thin out an over population of deer. So we see a lot more coyote in our area now than were ever there before. The coyote is considered an extremely versatile animal, that adapts its eating and hunting to their surrounding area. They will eat fruit, vegetables, inscects and rodents and are extremely aware of their environment. Now that we have more coyotes in our more populated area, there have been several small dogs and cats that have fallen prey to the coyote and his wiley hunting ways.

Coyotes tend to be very vocal. They yip, bark, howl much like our domesticated dogs. They are by nature, pack animals and often hunt in pairs to bring food back to the pack. The female can be wooed by up to 4 or 5 males, but will ultimately only mate with one. Because of the coyote’s ability to adapt to so many various environments, they can be seen in almost any area of the country. For those coyotes that live in highly populated areas, we can usually live in peace together because they have joined us after we were already settled here. However, for coyotes out west, it is humans who have encroached on their territory and it has been more difficult for humans and coyotes alike. There have been instances of coyotes destroying fruit crops, killing livestock and some cases of coyote attacks on humans. Perhaps because we fail to understand our role in disrupting their lives and always putting our needs first, the coyote is reluctant to allow their territory be overtaken without a direct outcry of rebellion. Or perhaps, because domesticated dogs have become so much a part of our lives and families, we assume coyotes will welcome us into their world.

Unfortunately, that is not true and we have to realize that the wild cousins of our pets are just that, wild and we have to respect the fact that these “cousins” may never be the dogs we have come to love and welcome into our homes.

For some really interesting talk about the enviroment in relation to some adorable puppies, check out what this fellow blogger had to say.

How many times have you scratched behind your dog’s ears? They love it. To our pups its like a mini massage. I can remember doing it to our first dog Ziggy. When you stopped, if he hadn’t had enough, he would turn his head and nudge your hand with his snout as if to say….please don’t stop!!! Our dogs ears are ultra sensitive. They can hear much better than we can. Unfortunately, a dog’s ears can also be a source of pain and discomfort because of the the various ailments those wonderful ears are subject to.

This entry was brought to mind because a friend and coworker who has a weimraner has had some extremely difficult times with her dog because his ears seem to be his weak point and they are consistently prone to infection. After many months of ear cleanings and vet visits, ear drops and daily cleansings, poor Gracie (that’s the dog) had to go under full anesthesia, because her ears were so badly infected. She had to have her ears cleaned thoroughly deep into the ear canal. Unfortunately, because of the type of dog she is, with long floppy ears, Gracie is prone to this type of malady. Her owners are dedicated to her care and work constantly to minimize the chance of this happening.

According to a site, workingdogs.com you should contact your vet if you notice any of the following in your dog:

* shakes its head or scratches its ears
* lives with other pets with parasitic infestations
* exudes a pungent odor from it ears
* has long pendulous ears
* lives in a humid environment
* has a history of ear infections or other ear ailments

These infections can cause vertigo in the dog if severe enough, which will throw off the dog’s sense of balance, and can cause nausea and vomiting.

For your dog’s health, well being and for being the watch dog that you want him/her to be…pay attention to their ears as you always want them to be able to hear more than you!!!

If you or any one you know is a Harry Potter fan, you have to check out this interesting blog. My daughter is a true muggle and thoroughly enjoys any reading about Harry Potter

We all think our dogs are special and that everyone should love our dogs as we do, but the reality is, like children, we will never love anyone else’s dog like we love our own and we should not expect others to love our dogs as we do.

It is not cute for some people to come to your home and have your dog welcome them with wet doggie kisses. We might love it for our dog to show us how happy he/she is to see us, but most people don’t want doggie kisses from another dog. Its not personal. Our dog was definitely a kisser. He couldn’t wait to jump on the couch next to a guest and spread his wet approving tongue all over them. It was amusing at first, but when I began to notice the obvious discomfort that some people had with this, I had to quickly curtail that behavior. Our Geo was such a lover, and truly believed that people were there for him to kiss, so as long as they were welcomed into our home, he let them know how happy he was that they were there.

We have a local railtrail in our town which had at one time been an old railroad line and when the tracks were removed, they paved the entire trail and it is a great place to walk, ride a bike, roller blade or walk your dog. There is a local leash law and a requirement that dogs on the trail be on a leash. It amazes me that so many people ignore this requirement and as people are riding or blading down the trail, some of the dogs become excited and even start to chase the individual on the move. So many of the owners simply glance over and say, “Oh, he’s harmless, he just likes to chase the bikers” That is rude and inconsiderate to those trying to enjoy their day on the trail. How do I know that your dog doesn’t want to bite me? I don’t and this can then become a dangerous situation. Leash requirement means the dog should be on a leash, no ifs, ands or buts about it. How about the dog that is truly antisocial with other dogs? Many people bring this dog to the trail and the owner has to strain to hold the dog back everytime another dog goes by. Usually the bully dog is also barking incessantly, which is disruptive to others on the trail.

Last, but by no means least, is the dog owner who feels that when the dog has to relieve themselves, (meaning number two), that the dog can do it anywhere it wants, as long as it is outside. I can’t tell you how many times I have been on the railtrail or elsewhere in an outside venue, and have come across the remnants of a dog’s, for the lack of a better word, doo doo.
Don’t those owners realize, that other people will be walking in those same places? I applaud the dog owner who takes responsibility for their dog and has a bag to pick up what the dog might leave behind. I didn’t like to clean my dog’s stuff, but I did it, because it was the right thing to do. But I surely don’t want to clean up after someone else’s dog, especially if cleaning up means scaping my shoes clean!!! (UGH!!!)

So let’s not necessarily blame our dogs for bad manners, because they take their cue from us, their owners, and if we’re not responsible, how can we expect our pooches to be?

Let’s not forget that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!!! There is some great clinical and personal information that can be found at:

http://www.discussingbreastcancer.com/

There are those that love dogs and also have a love for another “necessity”!!! Beautiful canine jewelry. If you are one of those people who want to have your pooch with you all the time, think about some doggie jewelry. Meche is a jewelry designer who has a line of canine jewelry called “Nice Doggies” Their website www.nicedoggies.com states the following:

“Combining golds, rhodium and techniques known to only a few, Meche has created a collection of the most charming and detailed Canine charms in existence”

Their collection features all AKC breeds. The pieces of jewelry available include charms, pendants, cuff links, earrings and others. They are beautiful pieces and would be a great addition to a jewelery collection.

I came to learn more about Meche jewelry from an advertisement in our local newspaper. A local jewelry store is advertising that they are having the World’s Largest Doggie Charm Show beginning this week and lasting throughout the weekend. With over 1000 pieces available, there will be something for every dog lover. As an interesting caveat, the advertisement also says that if you bring a picture of your dog, they will design a piece especially for you. These are quality pieces and will be priced accordingly, but can we truly put a price on the love we have for our dogs? I think not!!!

The very cool thing about the sale discussed above is that our local ASPCA shelter will be there with their mobil kennel. They will have animals available for adoption and proceeds from each sale will support the local shelter. It is a very awesome concept.

As a side note, on the radio the other day, (the day being September 25th) the announcer made the statement that there was only 93 days left until Christmas!!!! If any of the listeners were like me, they got that shot of panic about shopping and gift giving.

These charms and jewelry pieces would make a lovely gift for the one you know who truly loves their dog. If you can’t get to a jeweler who shows Meche jewelry, please visit the website above. They have some great pieces and if you can go to a jewelry show that supports your local shelter, it is even that much better.

Also, in support of the dogs that need us the most and the ones caught up in the horrible “sport” (that was sarcasm), see a fellow blogger write about comments made recently by Whoppi Goldberg.

http://www.about-sacramentoca.com/sorry-whoopi-but-nothing-justifies-this/