My Friendly Pets

It was episode 5 this week of The Greatest American Dog and it proved to be an entertaining episode. The theme of the week was coordination and in the Bone Challenge the dogs had to walk a balance beam and falling from the beam would put the dogs into a pool of mud. Teresa and Leroy won the Dog Bone Challenge which gave them the Dog Bone Suite and shelter from elimination in the Best in Show competition. However, Teresa felt bad for Bill, because she knew how much Bill missed his wife and in the suite, he could have his wife’s pictures. Teresea turned the Dog Bone Suite and the elimination card over to Bill. It was a touching and kind moment.

The Best in Show competition was hysterical. It was called “Dancing with Dogs”. Each team was assigned a particular type of dance and had to train their dog to be their dance partner for whatever type of dance style they had chosen. There was salsa, hiphop, ballet, rockabilly, etc. The most interesting aspect of this effort was Brandy and Beacon. When Brandy couldn’t get Beacon to respond to any of her training and commands, she collapsed into tears. She was stressing the dog out and of course Travis came to the rescue to calm and console Brandy. She did manage to get Beacon a bit trained, but to no avail. Of the three teams that were the worst of the event, (Travis and Presley; Brandy and Beacon and Laura and Preston), Brandy and Beacon were by far the worst. I was not upset to see Brandy and Beacon leave. She was over dramatic, sarcastic and snotty at times and seemed to have little to no relationship with her dog.

Wait until next week when the competition truly heats up!!!!

Now for a price, you can have your dog over and over and over again. Bernann McKinney loved her dog Bogger, a pit bull who died in 2006 from cancer. Bernann had a special bond with Bogger as he had saved her life when she was attacked by another dog. The other dog was much larger than Bogger and the attack left McKinney with injuries that required surgery and a long recuperation period. Bogger was there by her side, pulling her wheelchair when necessary and even helped her dress, even though he never had the training to do so.

The five puppies produced as a result of frozen cells from Bogger were brought from the U.S. to Seuol, South Korea, where the company RNL Bio, famous for the first dog cloning done in conjunction with scientists from Seoul National University, completed the project for McKinney. The cost of the cloning was $50,000 for McKinney’s puppies, but the standard cost will be up to $150,000 for dog cloning. McKinney received the discounted price because she was the first customer and helped with the publicity of the cloning program.

To date more than 20 dogs have been cloned according to RNL Bio scientist team leader Lee Byeong-chun. RNL Bio hopes to expand their cloning services and make them available world wide. McKinney couldn’t be happier. She plans on taking three of the dogs home with her to California and donating the other two to work as service dogs for elderly people or the handicapped.

I guess its true when they say everything has a price!!!

Contrary to a lot of research, dogs now appear to have been around a lot longer than most people had once thought. In fact research that came out in 2004 shows that all dogs originated from a single species. This was most likely an East Asian wolf who stumbled upon humans and had the desire to keep warm by their fire and get a full belly without having to hunt. Noreen Noonan is a dog researcher at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. She feels that there were a series of domestication events that date back over 100,000 years ago.

Noonan feels that the relationship between wolf and human at that time was mutually beneficial. The wolf wanted the human as their protector, friend and one who provided meals and the humans got help hunting for their food.

As humans began to migrate so did the dogs. According to Deborah Lynch of the Canine Studies Institute, “Domesticated dogs are much older than we once thought,” said Lynch. “They literally walked out of the caves with us.”

Humans learned what breeding dogs with strong characteristics could lead to. For example if you mated two very fast dogs, more than likely, speed would be a strong characteristic present in the young dog produced as a result of the union. Dogs began to be bred for various types of work. This included, herding, digging, hunting or guarding. We can see that selective breeding in certain dogs brings out the best of the breed.

It is said that because of the eons of domestication, dogs have begun to develop many of the health hazzards that face their human owners. Cancer in dogs is now very prevelant and is known as the leading cause of death in dogs over 10.

So the next time you give your dog a big hug, remember where he came from and the legacy that he has developed and maintained along the way.

There are so many things unique to dogs that maybe you’ve thought of, but were afraid to ask!!! Or maybe you haven’t thought of it, but will say ,”WOW!!!!” when you hear it. Great water cooler conversation pieces. I hope you enjoy it.

Did you ever hear a dog continuously bark and wonder why they do that? Well, barking for a dog is basic communication and they learn that the louder they bark, the more attention they get. Sometimes they just do it because its fun to do. However, similar to whining. A dog will continue the behavior if you reward that behavior. Sometimes ignoring the whine or the bark and rewarding the beautiful sound of silence will help the dog curb the bad noisemaking.

Why do dogs like to sniff each other’s butt? Ewww! Well, a dog can learn a lot from another dog’s rear end. From the secretions at that end of the dog, they will determine the sex of the other dog, what foods the dog likes as well as the social status of the dog. Dogs can also nuzzle the faces of each other to learn some of the same info, but the dogs have to be on pretty friendly terms to go for the face stuff.

When I was starting this entry, it was because I wanted to know why dogs had whiskers, but I found so much other cool stuff that I just wanted to pass it along. However, dogs have whiskers because they act
as a sense organ and help the dog understand and familiarize themselves with their surroundings.

If you would more great info like this, check out the West Lynn Veterinary Clinic website, that you can access from clicking here.

We all know that grief is a very difficult emotion. When we lose someone we love, it is usually a very difficult time in our lives and we may express our grief in many different ways. Some people become quiet and depressed. Others become more vocal and try to hide their pain. The way we all deal with grief is as individual and varied as we are.

Dogs too experience the loss of loved ones, whether it is the loss of another pet in the household or the loss of a human they are close to. In 1996, the ASPCA conducted a Companion Animal Mourning Project where they monitored dogs behavior in two different ways. When the dog lost a canine companion, it affected the dog’s appetite, their activity level, their vocalization and the quantity and location of their sleep habits. Many of these same behaviors are mirrored when the dog loses their owner and caregiver. Remember, they don’t logically understand death the way we do, but they know that the person is no longer there and I believe they understand the permanency.

If your dog is mourning the loss of a pet or human family member, they may need more of your time, love and attention to deal with the loss. Sometimes the dog will become more vocal, by barking or howling. According to Dr. Jon of petplace.com, by trying to distract your dog or giving it too much attention, you might really be reinforcing this behavior. Dr. Jon feels it is better to acknowledge and reward the good behavior and try to ignore the bad behavior and without reinforcement, it may disappear. It may also disappear with time, because like with humans, time does help to heal the wounds.

We had a cat who had grown up with our dog and when our dog passed away, the cat took it very hard. She stopped eating and lost about 3 pounds. That was alot, since she only weighed about 11 pounds to begin with. After a period of time, she adjusted, but it was evident that she truly missed her buddy and did so until many years later when she joined him and they could play together again.

One of the most devastating experiences can be to lose the dog you love and spend days and nights, looking, crying and hoping to find your lost pooch. In the United States, fewer that 1 in 4 pets ever get back home after being lost. One of the ways that serves to increase the chances that your dog will be found and returned if lost or stolen is to have the dog microchipped. Only 3% -5% of dogs are microchipped here in the U.S. However, in the United Kingdom where 25% of the dogs are microchipped, 47% of the dogs that go missing are returned to their owners. That is a significant difference and one that can be attributed to the microchip.

The microchip is a tiny radio frequency device in a little glass cylinder that is inserted by a veterinarian just under the skin of the dog. The chip has an identification number on it which can be linked to the microchip manufacturer’s database where the dog owner’s name and contact information is stored. When the dog is taken to a vet or a shelter, the personnel there can scan the dog for the chip, call the manufacturer with the id number and then contact the owners of the dog. Microchips do not have gps capacity nor are they battery operated. They are expected to last 25 years, in most cases longer than the life span of most dogs.

Inserting the microchip is no more painful to the dog than an injection and because the material that surrounds the dog is biocompatible, there is no risk of infection or allergic reaction.

For those worried about their dog getting lost and the ability to get the dog back, the microchip provides both security for your dog and peace of mind for you. If you don’t know much about the microchip, speak to your vet for more information.

On an episode of the Today Show, shown this Friday, a disturbing story was shown about the dangers of dog grooming facilities. The story was highlighted by Meredith Viera who’s personal assistant, Amanda Bushey and her husband, lost their Labrador retriever, Sushi. Sushi was being boarded at a kennel where the dog grooming takes places as well.

When the Busheys went to pick Sushi up (he was scheduled to leave and was having a bath), people in the facility were rushing around like crazy as if an emergency had occurred. The emergency was that Sushi was unconscious. After Sushi’s bath, they had put the dog in a cage dryer that is heated with an element to dry the dog. The dog had been in the cage for 30 minutes and it was over 100 degrees in the cage. Sushi died shortly thereafter.

There are many “groomers” who are in this business solely for the money and use the drying cages to dry the dogs quicker. It allows them to groom more dogs in a day and thereby increase their revenue. This is not a field that is regulated and those who choose to work in this field do not need to be licensed.

Villani, who is the director and owner of Nash Academy of Animal Arts says that pet owners should do their research before taking their beloved pet to a groomer. They need to ask lots of questions and make sure to examine the facilities. Villani also says that people should be suspect of a grooming establishment where people don’t question the dog owners about their pet(s). Villani’s last bit of advice is that if you don’t like the answers you’re getting, simply walk away. Also, when being groomed, your dog should never be more than a hands-reach away from the groomer.

Check out the video of this story to get more information to protect your dog by clicking here.

Well, I hope you all had a chance to catch the fourth episode of the new CBS reality show where dogs and their owners compete and ultimately the owner of the winning dog will be awarded $250,000 and the dog, him/herself will be awarded the title of Greatest American Dog.

Last evening proved to be an interesting episode as the drama continued to unravel. The theme of last evening’s episode was personality. The Golden Bone Challenge tested the owners’ ability to evaluate their dog’s desire for certain items. The dogs had to decide whether they would take or not take items presented to them and the owners had to predict whether the dogs would “take it” or “leave it”. By the time the dogs had chosen or not chosen the steak or the stick, J.D. and Galaxy came out the winner!!! It was quite funny, because most people thought they knew their dog better than they actually did. J.D. and Galaxy won the challenge, so they got the Gold Bone suite and put Travis and Preston in the dog house. Boo hoo!!!

Brandy (Beacon’s owner) caused some drama in the kitchen by interrerring on a conversation between Travis and Laura. Obviously, she was jealous and quite catty.

The Best in Show competition involved the owner picking a word and their dog was to be trained to express the word and then photographed. The judges had the final word. Ron picked “lazy” and I thought Tillman did a great job, but the judges didn’t. They thought Tillman’s picture was “the worst photo of a bulldog” that they had ever seen. So Ron and Tillman are gone and the teams are dwindling down. I was sad to see Ron and Tillman go. They both had personality and got along well with the others.

Check out all the episodes of this great summer treat, by clicking here.

Of course we know that there is nothing more important to us than the health of our family members and that includes our dogs. However, it is often more difficult to know when they are ill, because they have difficulty communicating such to us, and generally, dogs don’t complain!!!
In fact, according to the vet we took my dog to when he was ill, he said that dogs have a relatively high tolerance for pain and it is really up to us to watch close and make sure that we pay attention to any pain or discomfort issues our dogs may have.

Some of the things to watch for is lethargy in your dog. You might also notice depression, if your dog sulks around the house and doesn’t seem to want to do anything. Also, if your dog becomes disinterested in playing or going out for a walk, this could be an indication that something is wrong.

Through observation you may be able to detect some problems. According to animalplanet.com, you can check your dog out in several ways. First of all, make sure that there is no swelling, lumps or unusual discharge coming from your dog. Any secretions coming from the dog’s nose should be clear. You can check a dog’s pulse by pressing your fingers on the inside of the upper thigh. Beats per minute should range beteween 50 and 130 depending on the breed of the dog. Do you think your dog is dehydrated? There is an easy way to check. Twist the skin on the shoulder of the dog. A dog that is healthy and hydrated will have skin that snaps right back.

These are some quick and easy ways to keep an eye on your dog’s health, but always keep the vaccinations up to date and remember that your dog should have a yearly physical, just like you!!!

Today’s economy has hurt many people in many ways. Unfortunately, some of the ways that desparate people are trying to make money are through desparate mesasures and that includes dognapping. Yes, the crime of stealing dogs is on the rise. It appears that there are many reasons why dogs are being taken.

For some, they see it as a quick buck. Meaning that they scout out expensive dogs for sale, go and check out the puppies and perhaps return a week or so later to nab the pups. On the black market, high demand dogs without papers will sell at a bargain price to the buyer, but any money made is free and clear to the dog burglar!!! Some of the most popular dogs that are stolen include Yorkshire terriers, poodles, Shih Tzus and Corgies.

As the importance of dogs as family members has increased to a high level, many people are willing to pay reward money for the return of their beloved pets. It is almost impossible to charge someone with the crime as most people calling will claim they found the dog and are just looking for a reward. If no one saw the thief take the dog, then most likely no one will be prosecuted.

One family in Washington state was recently reunited with the family Great Dane when they saw the dog up for sale on Craig’s List. Dogs are being stolen out of backyards, from pet stores, out of shelters and some simply in front of storefronts where their owners have stopped to run an errand.

So the moral of the story here is to keep your dogs close, watch them carefully and report any strange behavior exhibited by strangers around the dogs you know and love.

First, I have to apologize as I missed the second episode of this new canine based reality show, so I didn’t submit an entry to it. However, one of my co-workers saw the second episode as her first experience with the show and was immediately caught up in the drama and the cuteness of the dogs. Her favorite is Bill, the gentle Texan and his dog, Star.

Episode number three was very interesting and dramatic. The first challenge(the Dog Bone challenge) broke the owners and their dogs into two teams and Travis and Presley, along with Brandy and Beacon led their dogs and the entire team to a victory. This enabled the winning team to enjoy the Dog Bone suite and its amenities. The winning team also chose Laurie and Andrew to spend the night in the outside dog house. (From the romance standpoint, Travis and Laura seem very attracted to each other and the dogs get along well too!!!)

For the Best in Show challenge, the dogs and owners were teamed together to see which team had the best trained in an obstacle course challenge. This time the winners of the last challenge where put against each other and the teams they personally chose. It appears that Elvis (David’s terrier) is a bit stubborn and has problems getting along with the other dogs (he has bitten them), so the team decided that Elvis should be onleash for a good part of the obstacle course challenge. This proved to be the downfall of the team (they lost by 9 seconds) and of David and Elvis.

When the three worst performing teams were brought before the judges, Laurie made some really tough comments against David and Elvis. (It didn’t seem like team supported behavior). The judges did not appreciate the fact that Elvis was on leash and said he would have performed better without it. David defended his team and Elvis by saying that it was a team decision to leash him and this is where Laurie made her comments against Elvis. (Laurie, you lost already…don’t kick a team member when they are down)

In the end, David and Elvis were chosen to leave the competition. David thanked the other teams and the judges in an emotional and tearful good bye!!! I can’t wait until episode 4!!!!!

Check out the show by clicking here!!!

I have written a lot of entries in this blog about the working police dogs that keep us safe both in this country serving with our domestic police and overseas as military police dogs. Many of these dogs who put their lives on the line everyday do so without any protection for themselves. However, that is slowly changing.

Susie Jean is a woman, who saw a need to protect our canine protectors and in 2002 created a not for profit organization that raises money to purchase bulletproof/stabproof vests for the nation’s police canine units. The organization is called Vest N’ P.D.P (Vest and Police Dog Protection). The sole purpose of the organization is to raise money to purchase the vests needed by these dogs all over the country. To see more about the organization, you can click here.

The organization is sponsored by Douglas County Bank and Uniform Sales of America, but Ms. Jean actively searches for sources of funding so that vests can be provided without economic hardship to the various police agencies with canine units across the country.

Tony Stewart, the awarding winning NASCAR driver, has been a strong supporter of this effort. Through the Tony Steward Foundation 30 custome made canine vests have been purchased and delivered to the Indiana State Police last Thursday. Currently, this partnership between Susie Jean and the Tony Stewart Foundation will also provide additional vests for K-9 police dogs in Georgia, North Carolina and Minnesota.

The canine vests cost $695.00 a piece so the costs can be prohibitive for local police agencies. However, through the generosity of foundations such as Tony Stewart’s and others, the vests can protect those most vulnerable to the dangerous environment in which they work each and every day.

It’s not just a trend, it’s the way to live today. We all need to be environmentally conscious and eco-friendly. According to Marisa Belger, a Today Show contributor, there are many ways to be a pet owner and be “green”. Above are toys made from organic cotton rather than the plastic toys which are produced with fossil fuels and almost impossible to dispose of.

There are other ways to be both pet and eco-friendly. Just as more and more people are moving toward organic food products, more and more animal food producers are doing the same. I am very careful about buying meat and dairy products that are free of anti-biotics or growth hormones, and it is possible to buy dog food of the same quality.

Karma Organic Foods for dogs is a company that advertises dog food that is good for the body, good for the soul and good for the environment. Their products are
” 95% certified organic - that means no artificial preservatives, flavorings or fillers. Just pure, wholesome dog food your pet will love.” The dog food and dog treats produced by Karma Organic are done so without “without the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMO grains or irradiation.” And even better, the food is packaged in materials that are made from 100% recyclable materials.

Many dog accessories and grooming products are also eco-friendly and should be used for the good health of your dog. Be sure to check out West Paw Design, by clicking here, to view their “green” collection of goods. Remember, you do good things for your dog and be environmentally friendly at the same time.

No matter how much time is spent educating the public about puppy mills, there are obviously still pet shops and others who will buy from them, or they would cease to exist. The newest culprit is John Blank, owner of the Limestone Kennel which is located in Cochranville, Pennsylvania.

On Friday, the puppy mill was shut down as a result of an undercover investigation that revealed the horrid conditions. The Pennsylvania society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals removed 32 od the dogs and there were over 300 dogs in another building that will require attention. Some dogs had obvious wounds on them, while some of the older dogs have very overgrown nails because the dogs had never been on solid ground.

So how was Blank caught? Blank sold a 3 week old Yorkshire puppy to an undercover agent. The legal age for the sale of the puppies is 7 weeks. Unfortunately, the puppy died as a result of dehydration, hypothermia and emaciation.

Right now, the Yorkshire terrier is the 9th most popular dog in the country, which has made it the number one dog being bred by puppy mills. According the the American Kennel Club, there are some very important things to look for when looking for a Yorkshire puppy. First and foremost, you should use a legitimate breeder. You can veryify a breeder’s status by contacting the AKC to determine if they are registered as such. Don’t look for a bargain. This is not the time to be looking for a cheap deal. If you know the price that Yorkshire puppies demand and you are in contact with someone who is offering puppies for a fraction of the average cost, you should be extremely careful, as this could be indicative of a puppy mill.

So be cautious and pay attention. The more we do, perhaps the more puppy mills will be discovered and abolished and their owners prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

O.K., I know the title is a bit odd, but think about it. I am not a super religious person…too much science education for that. Neither are the members of my immediate family. So it was wierd one day when we were in the car, having a discussion about the influence of religion on everyday life and my daughter said, “Wouldn’t it be interesting if G-d was a dog?” I think it would be very interesting and it makes perfect sense as well.

Think about it. Many of the things that people get from religion and their beliefs can also be gotten from a dog. For example, when you are frustrated, angry, sad or confused, merely petting a dog or getting a warm nuzzle or kiss is enough to bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart. Many people are comforted in the same way by prayer!

In terms of religion, aren’t most people taught that G-d is all forgiving and loves us unconditionally? Well, if you forget to feed your dog or don’t take him out to walk or exercise as often as you should, does your dog give you an attitude or hold a grudge? Of course not, your dog will love you no matter what and be grateful for whatever time and energy you give him/her, even though it probably isn’t enough. This is close to religous teachings as well. Just because we don’t go to church or formalized religous services, supposedly G-d still cares and guides us.

Again, I am not a religous person and can’t speak to all who are. My reference to a dog as G-d, means no disrespect. In fact, it is completely the opposite. I, like so many others, think so highly of these great animals, that I wouldn’t be surprised but would be very pleased to see a great big lovable dog at the pearly gates when its my time, wouldn’t you?