It's About Time

The American Kennel Club has announced that it will allow mutts to compete in certain AKC competitions. Mixed breed dogs will be allowed to compete in agility, obedience and rally events. This won't start until April 2010 and mutts will only be able to compete against other mutts.

It's a start. Only 2 of my 6 dogs are purebred. They are not better or more deserving than the mixed. I'm glad to see this start and hope that it continues as even the most purebred of dogs has in its lineage- a mutt.

Happy Birthday MOM- former foster Mom and Grandma

Thanks for everything- for all you do-every day.
Xena, Nikki, Hobo, Ryuu, Sissy and Jack

A Pets Ten Commandments #8

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

Closest To Humans

Chimps have long been known to have the closest genetic relationship to humans. However a new report published in Discovery suggests that DOGS have the closest relationship to humans. Dogs understand both verbal and non-verbal and other social interactions better than any other species. This is believed to come from the thousands of years that dogs and humans have evolved and grown together.

Battle Over Dog....Sperm

A divorcing couple showed up in an Oakland, CA courtroom to ask the judge to decide who gets the frozen dog sperm. The couple breeds bull mastiffs and had some semen frozen and stored. The judge originally thought she was being punked. In the end she decided it was not a part of the divorce and was a civil matter.

Dogs In the News

According to an article on Live Science ( livescience.com), dogs do look like their owners. According to the article, 70 people were shown photos of 41 dog owners along with three breeds to chose from. The 70 people (non dog owners) were right over half the time. Random correctness should have yielded 33% results.

Officials in Winston have located and rescued 90 small breed dogs living in squalor as part of a puppy mill operation. They believe there are over 100 more to be found. Please remember adoption, not mills. Know where your dog comes from.

Fall In Love, Adopt a MUTT by DrJLove
On zazzle.com

Finally, also according to Live Science. com, cow farts could be reduced and thereby greenhouse gas emissions by use of fish oil. It seems the omega 3 fatty acids in fish cut down on gas production. Good news.

Lyme

You've previously been introduced to Hobo. He is one of our older dogs. Having older dogs we realize that every new day is a gift. One day I noticed that Hobo could barely get up our one step into the back door. It got to the point where I helped him up and down so he could go to the bathroom. That evening things just seemed worse. I was sure that we were nearing the end of our time together. I held and petted him while we called the vet.

We got into the vet first thing the next morning. All sorts of tests were done including blood work to test for Lyme disease. The good news is that it was Lyme and Hobo responded immediately to his prescribed drugs. All the dogs are treated monthly with flea and tic protection. But if a tic gets in and is infected with Lyme..

If your dog suddenly gets limp, comes up lame, seems suddenly old, has sudden joint pain consider Lyme and get your dog tested. The fact that you don't see a tic is no guarantee- get them tested. Deer tics are small and in long haired dogs nearly invisible.

Off to the Park

Saturday March 7th. Great weather. Well almost. A huge thaw and the local dog park was a HUGE mud pit. Not that any of the dogs were complaining. Sunday the 8th. Rather than return back to the pit and the subsequent required bath I opted to go for a walk at a regular (non-dog) park.

What a great day and the park was packed. So many great dog intros- they love it. Met several people who were new with dogs, new to introducing dogs to other dogs and kids and people. I asked several if they had ever been to the local dog park- none had. One went so far as to say she was afraid there would be pit bulls there. I assured here there would and labs and retrievers and shepherds etc. For the most part people who go to dog parks, are responsible owners, who have socialized theirs dogs. My experience is that the dog park is a 97% positive experience. Would enjoy hearing from others about their dog park experiences.

Dog Log Cafe Sissy's Final Tail

I usually get attached to a new dog immediately. Without exception there is some connection. Not so with Sissy. At about the one year mark of fostering her we received a call from the Humane Society that we needed to do something- either return her or adopt.

For several months after bringing Sissy home, Xena was her only K-9 friend. Every weekend, weather permitting, we would take all the dogs to the dog park. Most of the dogs love it. Not Sissy. Her fear kept her at arms length from all the other dogs who tried to befriend her. But when she and Xena would take off running, perhaps after a real or imaginary squirrel, Sissy was in heaven. If she could play with just Xena, she was in heaven. Problem of course is that Xena wants to play with everyone. After a while Nikki and Xena and Sissy began to all play.

There was still the problem with us, me and Sissy. She would not allow me to approach if I was standing though she would tolerate me while sitting. In fact after a year she would come up to me in the car while going to the park and nudge me for some affection. She tolerates women much better and allowed our daughter's boyfriend to approach and to pet her while standing.

With all our lack of trust and lack of public displays of affection there was no way I was going to return her and have her go back in that cage. I knew, no matter how short the time, that she would have lost everything she gained. She and Xena and Nikki are good friends. A new beagle has entered our lives, Penny and they too are friends. Sissy and I are also making progress both while sitting and standing. It will improve with time.

Next installment- Penny.

Dog Log Cafe Number 6 Sissy- The Intro

We often walk the dogs around the neighborhood or in different parks. When other people and dogs see us coming it is often a bit of a shock. People are hesitant to allow an introduction- I'm sure out of fear. It can be a bit intimidating to see five or six dogs coming at you- pulling to get closer. Typically these are dogs and people without issues.

Of course Sissy has issues. Our custom when we do an intro is to introduce all the dogs at once. These intros typically cause three dogs to start barking. Xena barks to say, 'hey let's play'. Jack barks because he is insecure and that's what he does. Nikki barks because two other dogs are barking. Ryuu the Beagle is smiling and wagging and Hobo could not care less. He just wants to get a sniff in and go about his own little world.

So at the intro Sissy pulled away, cowered but reluctantly followed us in the fence. She was on high alert, spinning around as different dogs attempted to smell her. Some barking, some yelping- all fear. After five minutes or less the other five dogs were over the newness and the novelty of another dog. This just went on with their normal lives.

Next blog- the state of Sissy today.

Dog Log Cafe Number 6 Sissy

I recall being at the Humane Society one weekend day and seeing a dog all the way in the back of her cage, frightened to no end. She stayed like this no matter who walked by. Complete terror. Though we had five dogs already and had some success at helping other dogs in need as I looked at this dog I could not think of a way to help; I could not imagine what we would do.

A week or so later we received a call from the Humane Society asking if we were interested in fostering another dog. One with shyness and fear issues. We agreed to look and it was this same dog, named Sissy. In her current state she was not adoptable, would not come to anyone and showed nothing but fear. Her history was a little uncertain. She was probably a year to a year and a half old and had already had a litter of pups. She came from a shelter in North Carolina with her last remaining pup. (we are in CT) It was possible she had always been a stray.

Again I looked at her in her cage and could not imagine the way in which we would help her- yet we agreed.

I took her for a walk around the property prior to putting her in the van for the ride home. She stayed at the very end of the leash, as far away as possible. I believe she shook in fear the entire drive home. It was my hope that our other dogs would be the answer for Sissy and they had been in the past. Next entry - the introduction to the rest of the pack.

Dog Log Cafe Book Review- Broadway Tails

Book Review: Broadway Tails
by Bill Berloni

This is a unique look at animals used in Broadway productions. This book chronicles the life of a young aspiring actor, Berloni as he transitions to his lifelong job as Broadway animal trainer. The tail begins with the production Annie based on the long running comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, that included Sandy the dog. With this very first story Berloni begins to reveal little known or remembered facts about Broadway, the actors and the plays. He also sheds light into the conditions and circumstances surrounding shelters in the late 70's.

He also discusses the real methods, simple, common sense methods he used to train a variety of animals including dogs, cats and a pig to work, on cue, on Broadway. He makes it clear from the beginning that his style of training is non-threatening and non-aggressive- yet highly effective. Berloni is clear on his stand on shelter adoption and how these animals are not disposable, throw away items. The stories are engaging, amusing and sometimes a little sad. The only requirement to enjoy this book is to like animals and to enjoy being entertained.

So if you are interested in reading more about pig CPR, Richard Burton, Hameltta and Ophelia and Vito the deaf Bull Terrier, I highly recommend this book.

Volume 1 The Six Pack Begins

I've had dogs my whole life, as long as I remember. When I got married we got a dog a purebred American Eskimo. He lived a very long life but eventually he ended up with arthritis and cataracts and few teeth. It was too much suffering and eventually he was put down. It still amazes me the things we do for our pets that we can't do for our human loved ones. I know putting a dog down is never easy and can now even see it from the vet's side after reading "Tell Me Where It Hurts", by veterinarian Dr. Nick Trout, a very worthwhile read.


We never set out to have six dogs. We had a dog and two cats and two human children. Our dog is the mother (not natural of course) to one of the cats and to this day they are mother and daughter- not dog and cat. But one day we went to the local Humane Society and we ended up with Xena, warrior dog, warrior princess. We got her as a playmate to our first dog Nikki. We also got her for her personality- for her cuteness and for herself. Having two dogs was a little harder than just one- but not twice as hard. This was probably the reason this trend continued. Next posting will be Hobo- dog three. Please come back.